In addition to the fines, Panda Express revised its policies and was required to provide anti-discrimination and sexual harassment training for employees. In June 2013, it was announced that the restaurant chain will pay $150,000 to settle another EEOC action on behalf of at least three female teenagers who were allegedly sexually harassed between 20 by one male kitchen supervisor in Kauai, Hawaii. In 2011, a suit was filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against Panda Express because it was reportedly treating its Hispanic employees differently than Asian employees. The segment described how Andrew Cherng encourages his workers and management to go through self-help programs emphasizing Landmark Education. On the ABC News TV program Nightline, April 18, 2011, there was a feature segment on Panda Express and its success. As of 2007, the company's highest revenue location, bringing in over US$4 million annually, was located at the Ala Moana Center food court in Honolulu, Hawaii. In 2008, the Cherngs were the recipients of the City of Angels Award, given by the LAX Coastal Area Chamber of Commerce, for their contributions to the greater Los Angeles area. In 2005, Panda Express began to open units in food courts on college campus, some of which participate in the residential student meal plans. Peggy also brought a systems analysis perspective to the business and worked through the logistics and standardization issues necessary to scale up the concept.

īecause Peggy had worked for several years as a software designer and engineer for defense contractors like McDonnell Douglas, Panda Express computerized its operations early on. Today less than 2% of its restaurants are in malls. In 1997, the company opened its first stand-alone, drive-through restaurant, in Hesperia, California. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Cherngs began experimenting with supermarket-based branches, through a deal with Vons, and then stand-alone restaurant locations. Īt first, Panda Express restaurants were found solely in food courts in major shopping malls. Chef Andy Kao claims to have developed the original Chinese-American orange chicken recipe at a Panda Express in Hawaii in 1987. The chain has steadily expanded across the United States since then. A second location was opened two years later at the Westside Pavilion in 1985. It was because of this connection that in 1983, Donahue Schriber Real Estate, the manager of the Glendale Galleria, invited the Cherngs to develop a fast-food version of Panda Inn for the Galleria's food court, and Panda Express was launched that October. While operating Panda Inn, Andrew became acquainted with then-UCLA head football coach Terry Donahue, as well as Terry's brother Dan, who happened to be in the real estate business. In 1982, Peggy joined Andrew in the restaurant business. At the beginning, business was lacking to the degree that Andrew had to offer special deals and freebies so that customers would dine at Panda Inn. Īndrew went into business with his father in the United States in 1973, opening their first Panda Inn restaurant in Pasadena, California. Both Andrew and Peggy Cherng are alumni of Baker University in Baldwin City, Kansas (where they first met). Andrew Cherng and his father are Chinese born, while Peggy was born in Burma and raised in Hong Kong. The Panda Restaurant Group, parent company of Panda Inn, Panda Express, and Hibachi-San, was founded by Andrew Cherng, Peggy Cherng and Andrew's father, Master Chef Ming Tsai Cherng. History Ī typical Panda Express in Fort Worth, Texas (2014) The Panda Express brand is a casual, fast-food variation of corporate sibling Panda Inn, which is a chain of upscale, table service restaurants. The company is headquartered in Rosemead, California. The chain offers a variety of Chinese cuisine–inspired dishes that has been largely Americanized, including orange chicken, sweet fire chicken breast, Beijing beef, grilled teriyaki chicken, and Kung Pao chicken, with certain premium dishes such as honey walnut shrimp and black pepper Angus steak having additional costs for the patron.

Panda Express restaurants were traditionally located in shopping mall food courts, but the chain now operates units in many other environments and formats, including stand-alone restaurants, as well as universities, casinos, airports, military bases, amusement parks and other venues.

With over 2,200 locations, it is the largest Asian-segment restaurant chain in the United States, where it was founded, and is mainly located in North America and Asia (in addition to other countries and territories). Panda Express is an American fast food restaurant chain that specializes in American Chinese cuisine.

Panda chinese restaurant