Before Diving Into Your Orange Chicken, You Should Know These 11 Facts About Panda Express

by N/A, 10 years ago | 1 min read

Here's what you should know about your favorite Chinese food chain.

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1. The original version wasn't a fast food chain.

Panda Express started out as a sit-down restaurant called Panda Inn in Pasadena, California. It was open in 1973 and the fast food versions opened in 1983.

2.The company is family owned and operated.

Husband and wife co-founders Andrew and Peggy Cherng still own and run every restaurant in the Panda Restaurant Group and no franchises are allowed.

3. They were college sweethearts.

Andrew and Peggy met at Baker University in Kansas about 10 years before they opened their first location.

4. They sell a lot of orange chicken.

They sell about 70 million pounds of it every year. The recipe is a big company secret.

5. They were an early adopter of technology.

Panda Express was one of the first companies to use computers to make ordering easier. It also allowed them to track the most popular selling items.

6. The menu is always being changed and tested.

Andrew and Peggy’s daughter Andrea is Panda’s Chief Marketing Officer. She helps to oversee the innovation kitchen and any changes to the menu.

7. They care about their employees.

Employees get discounts on self-help and leadership books, Andrew holds workshops where employees can take Zumba classes or hear motivational speeches. They also created a mandatory healthy lifestyle program for all employees.

8. The Panda Restaurant Group also owns a Japanese restaurant.

Hibachi-San is a Panda Restaurant property that they opened to avoid competition from Japanese restaurants.

9. They've made improvements to the menu.

The Panda Express menu has been changed in order to make it healthier. No MSG is added to the food and some locations are also opening tea bars with customizable teas and juices.

10. The most lucrative location is in Hawaii.

The location at the Ala Moana Center food court in Honolulu made $4 million in revenue.

11. They've given a lot to charity.

They've given almost $50 million to food donation programs.