Support NeoGAF

[CHC]

I've only been once or twice but it's honestly pretty terrible.

I do love crappy Chinese food, but mostly when it comes from places that look like this:

Hard to trust Chinese takeout if there isn't a faux-marble counter, backlit picture menu, and a container full of blue pens held up by dried rice.

 

[Night Angel]

It was the third best Chinese food in Bakersfield. (Pathetic)

It's solid at best. You get a lot of food for the price.

 

[FinaruDensetsu]

It's not chinese food but I get it if I'm in a rush once in a while.

 

[Borgnine]

It's trash but I like it.

Sit down Chinese is obviously better but I like not having to order a whole container of each thing for takeout.

 

[MIMIC]

Tastes great, but it's the one and only fast food restaurant that destroys my insides.

 

[Snkfanatic]

I used to like it but then I went to one after not going for years and cracked up at their open fancy kitchen. Showing you all the wonders of an employee ripping open a plastic bag of frozen breaded chicken to put in the fryer. I am of course under no delusion that it's freshly made food, but I couldn't help but laugh at them building this location with an open kitchen on purpose....to show that.

After that I just kinda stuck with the local places for my cheap Chinese food takeout.

 

[You Are Viewtiful]

I don't like those buzzfeed videos where Chinese grandparents balk at the food. My dad is from China and he thinks Panda Express is legit.

It was the opposite IIRC. The kids born in the US hated Panda Express but the grandparents liked it.

 

[terencecah]

lol I'm in the panda drive thru right now


We made it fam

 

[smurfx]

i prefer my local chinese food take out places to panda and that's why i almost never go. only times i get it is when i'm far from home and feel like eating chinese take out.

It was the opposite IIRC. The kids born in the US hated Panda Express but the grandparents liked it.

i hate those videos because young people try to hard to hate something while older people give genuine reactions to foods.

 

[Hickbilly Deluxe]

It's decent if it's my only option. If I can find... just about anything else not asian I'll go there.

I don't like Asian food.

 

[hammysaurusrex]

Veggies / mushroom chicken / black pepper chicken is tasty and reasonable on calories.

 

[Kite]

It's the Subways of Americanized Chinese food, consistently ok but there are probably better cheaper local options. But you know what you're going to get.

 

[Goro Majima]

I lost weight ordering specific items at Panda Express so it's not *that* bad for you unless you're one of those people that can't handle salt.

Two non fried chicken or beef entrees and steamed vegetables as a side is a damn good semi-healthy meal. I think the Kung Pao chicken is like 280 calories and the beef and broccoli is like 140. Steamed veggies are like 50 calories maybe? Hell if you've got it in your caloric budget, I'd sometimes do half steamed rice and have vegetables.

That all said, even the unhealthy stuff isn't as good as your standard "every Chinese place ever" takeout joint but it's probably not quite as loaded down in sugary sauces and the portion sizes are way smaller at Panda.

 

[LogicStep]

Goes from shit tier to passable.

 

[Spinluck]

For commercialized Americanized Chinese food it's not too bad.

Pei Wei is far superior though.

 

[davidwhangchoi]

how's the MSG? not sure if it has any. i try to avoid that place.

 

[Swass]

I like their orange chicken.. that said their food is so hit and miss, either the orange chicken taste is off or hard and the fried rice has no flavor or is hard.. it really is a gamble to go there and often just don't want to risk it. Prices are a bit steep also.

 

[bunbun777]

Overpriced, portions are not that big, flavor is not that great and a bit too sugary.

 

[HellforLeather]

Orange Chicken is pretty damn good...everything else is pretty 'meh' to shitty. Considering how many Chinese food places are around, I usually cant find a reason to both with Panda.

 

[captainpat]

It's cheaper and taste better than the local stuff. Of course I've been ordering the same plate from the for over 5 years now (fried rice,Beijing beef, orange chicken).

 

[Ashhong]

I like it. And I've heard the orange chicken burritos are amazing

 

[Phobophile]

It's so bland. You're better off going to your local Americanized Cantonese take out place, no matter how shitty it is.

 

[ChubbyHuggs]

It's okay if others are paying. There's a place called Golden China here that gives you more for less and I always prefer to go there.

 

[Kremzeek]

disgusting.

but if you like mystery meat and sodium bombs and an angry visit to the toilet, you should be happy.

 

[Jaguar Victory]

how's the MSG? not sure if it has any. i try to avoid that place.

I don't think MSG was ever proven to be harmful.

This is what I appreciate about Panda

 

[Kite]

And what is this about large portions at PE? They're pretty damn small imo, you can let a takeout box of 3 sides and steamed rice for $3.99 and 1.5x the portions.

 

[erawsd]

Its my favorite junk food.

 

[nicoga3000]

It's perfectly average food. Not amazing, but not garbage tier like some of you guys are saying it is.

 

[norm9]

Consistently mediocre.

 

[Zackat]

decent fast food

I would go to other places over it though

 

[xxracerxx]

It's trash food...if I want Americanized Chinese food for cheap there are plenty of other options around that are just as inexpensive and also open late.

 

[Jaguar Victory]

It's trash food...if I want Americanized Chinese food for cheap there are plenty of other options around that are just as inexpensive and also open late.

Ridiculous. For fast food it's actually very good quality.

 

[jasminlovesyoux]

I've never seen a drive through panda express and they're everywhere in Los Angeles

 

[teruterubozu]

It's alright.
But it's one of those forever alone at the mall foods.

 

[johnsmith]

Ridiculous. For fast food it's actually very good quality.

It's not competing against BK and McDs. It's competing against family run restaurants.

 

[teruterubozu]

It's not competing against BK and McDs. It's competing against family run restaurants.

More like Chipotle level. They make no bones about them being fast food.

 

[norm9]

Ridiculous. For fast food it's actually very good quality.

It's equal and/or not as good as local chinese fast food and still more expensive.

 

[Shanlei91]

I like it for nostalgic purposes. Hole in the walls in New York don't taste stale enough for me when I feel like remembering my childhood.

 

[LosDaddie]

Don't care for it, but I'm also not a fan of Chinese food in the first place.

My daughter LOVES their orange chicken.

 

[IdreamofHIME]

I've never heard of it.

 

[RecRoulette]

Good if you have no other choice, but I feel bad for you if you don't have a place where you can get better Chinese food for cheaper.

 

[Kaladin]

We have one of those random Chinese places that has more selection, better prices and much better food.

 

[matrixman92]

last few times ive had it, its been pretty bad. I had one piece of beef in my broccoli and beef last time. And my rice was all hard and crunchy. Orange chicken will always be GOAT though

 

[GoldenEye 007]

It's equal and/or not as good as local chinese fast food and still more expensive.

Panda Express is usually like $7.50 for a two entree plate. How much less can a random Chinese place be? Like $.50 - $1 less?

I haven't run into places that get much lower than that.

 

[suzu]

Don't need to go out of my way to get food from there, since you can get similar or better in a lot of take-out places (and for cheaper too).

 

[BFIB]

I go there, and stop by the gas station for some sushi. Eat, and sit and browse GAF while my colon cleanses.

 

[andythinkpad]

American Chinese food is pretty depressing, but I've found that Panda Express beats any Chinese chain I've found in America, and if you go there once you can get a free entree if you keep the receipt next time. The value for money is pretty awesome.

I miss my 'English Chinese' where I can get a shredded chicken chow mein and a side of curry sauce and eat like a King.

There is no such thing as Chinese chain restaurant. Panda Express is the only one.

 

[LucidMomentum]

I like it. And I've heard the orange chicken burritos are amazing

Wait. When did this become a thing?

 

[ReAxion]

There is no such thing as Chinese chain restaurant. Panda Express is the only one.

panda inn, pickup stix much?

 

[Ray Wonder]

I don't think MSG was ever proven to be harmful.

This is what I appreciate about Panda

I like this.
holy shit.

How many times I've gone into a small chinese restaurant in the middle of nowhere and it's dirty, and smells like roach spray.