Jump to content

Panda Express

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Nick Lancer (talk | contribs) at 04:26, 30 November 2016. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Panda Express
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryFoodservice
GenreChinese Food
FoundedOctober 1983; 41 years ago (1983-10)
Glendale, California, U.S.
Founder
Headquarters
1683 Walnut Grove Ave., Rosemead, California, U.S.[1]
Number of locations
1,900+ (2016)
Area served
United States, Puerto Rico, Guam, Mexico,[2] Canada, South Korea, United Arab Emirates
ProductsAmerican Chinese cuisine
Revenue$2 billion (March 2014) [3]
Number of employees
24,995 (2014) [4]
ParentPanda Restaurant Group
Websitepandaexpress.com
A stand-alone Panda Express restaurant in Oakland, California with drive-through window
A mall food court Panda Express at Ala Moana Center in Hawaii

Panda Express is a fast casual restaurant chain which serves American Chinese cuisine. It is the largest Asian segment restaurant chain in the United States,[5] where it was founded and is mainly located (in addition to other countries and territories in North America and Asia). 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.

Panda Express has over 1,900 restaurants, located in 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, Canada, Mexico, Korea, and the United Arab Emirates. The company does not offer franchises. All units are company-owned and operated.

Typical Panda Meal: Kung Pao Chicken, Orange Chicken, Chow Mein and Steamed Vegetables

The chain offers a variety of Chinese-cuisine-inspired dishes (e.g., Orange Chicken; Firecracker Chicken Breast; Beijing Beef; Grilled Teriyaki Chicken; Kung Pao Chicken). "Combo meals" are served with customer's choice of either fried rice, steamed rice, chow mein, or mixed vegetables. No MSG is added to any of the items at Panda Express after it has been delivered to the restaurant, nor does Panda Express purchase from any suppliers who add MSG prior to delivery.[6]

Panda Express is headquartered in Rosemead, California.[7] The Panda Express brand is a casual, fast-food variation of corporate sibling and predecessor Panda Inn (a chain of upscale, table service restaurants).

History

A typical Panda Express in Fort Worth, Texas (2014)

The Panda Restaurant Group, parent company of Panda Inn, Panda Express, and Hibachi-San, was founded by Andrew and Peggy Cherng and Andrew's father, Master Chef Ming Tsai Cherng.[8] Andrew Cherng and his father are from the Yangzhou region of China's Jiangsu province, while Peggy was born in Burma and raised in Hong Kong.[9] Both Andrew and Peggy Cherng are alumni of Baker University in Baldwin City, Kansas (where they first met).[10][11] Peggy Cherng received her B.S. degree in applied mathematics from Oregon State University in 1971, and her M.S. in Computer Science and Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from the University of Missouri-Columbia.[12] Andrew Cherng also received his M.S. in Mathematics from the University of Missouri.[13]

In 1973, when Andrew's parents moved to the United States, Andrew went into business with his father and opened their first Panda Inn restaurant in Pasadena, California.[9][10] 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.[14] In 1982, Peggy joined Andrew in the restaurant business.[9] 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.[9] 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.[15] A second location was opened two years later at the Westside Pavilion in 1985.[16] The chain has steadily expanded across the United States since then.

At first, Panda Express restaurants were found solely in food courts in major shopping malls.[9] 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.[9] Because Peggy had worked for several years as a software designer & engineer for defense contractors like McDonnell Douglas, Panda Express computerized its operations early on.[9][10] Peggy also brought a systems analysis perspective to the business and worked through the logistics and standardization issues necessary to scale up the concept.[9][10]

In 1997, the company opened its first stand-alone, drive-through restaurant, in Hesperia, California.[17]

In 2000, they launched Panda Cares to give back to the community. They provide funding, food and volunteer services to children in need and disaster relief efforts.[18]

In 2008, the Cherngs were the recipients of the City of Angels Award, given by the LAX Coastal Area Chamber of Commerce,[19] for their contributions to the greater Los Angeles area.[20]

On November 23, 2009, it was announced that Panda Express had selected Trusonic to provide Asian themed background music to its store locations.[21]

On the ABC News TV program Nightline, April 18, 2011, there was a feature segment on Panda Express and its success. The segment described how Andrew Cherng encourages his workers and management to go through self-help programs emphasizing Landmark Education.[22]

In June 2013, it was announced that the restaurant chain will pay $150,000 to settle an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission action on behalf of at least three female teenagers who were allegedly sexually harassed between 2007 and 2009 by one male kitchen supervisor in Kauai'i, Hawaii.[23]

In November 2013, Panda Express opened its first location in the western Pacific by opening a location in the American territory of Guam.[24] The first location in the state of Alaska was opened in December 2015.[25]

As of 2014, the Panda Restaurant Group had annual sales of over $2 billion and close to 25,000 employees.[26] They also opened Panda Innovation Kitchen in Pasadena with their daughter, Peggy Cherng, overlooking a majority of the restaurant's business.[27] The idea for Panda Innovation Kitchen is to experiment with new flavours and ingredients to come up with new menu items. In addition, they also opened a tea bar to introduce trendy Chinese drinks such as boba milk tea and new innovative drinks like the Fortune Cookie Shake.

International

Panda Express also operates in Mexico, Canada, South Korea, and United Arab Emirates. The first location in Mexico opened in that nation's capital of the same name in September 2011.[28] In October 2013, the first Panda Express located in Canada opened its doors on Hunt Club Road in Nepean, Ontario.[citation needed] The first location in South Korea was opened in Seoul in September 2014.[29]

On May 26, 2014, it was reported by Arabian Business news that Panda Express would be opening a restaurant in the United Arab Emirates.[30] The first Panda Express restaurant in the Middle East was open in Dubai in November 2014.[31]

In 2001, Panda Express previously had 8 locations in Japan that were operated under a franchise agreement that has since elapsed.[15]

Overview

With approximately 1,700+[32] locations, it is the largest Chinese fast food restaurant chain in the United States.

The company's highest revenue location, bringing in over US$4 million annually, is located at the Ala Moana Center food court in Honolulu, Hawaii.[33]

See also

References

  1. ^ "About Us". Panda Restaurant Group. Archived from the original on July 25, 2012. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ "Panda Express". Panda Express Mexico.
  3. ^ "The Tao Of Panda - Panda Express Chinese Restaurant". Panda Express. Archived from the original on August 2, 2012. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ "The Tao Of Panda - Panda Express Chinese Restaurant". pandaexpress.com. Archived from the original on August 2, 2012. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ Oches, Sam (July 29, 2013). "The QSR 50 Asian Segment". QSR magazine. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
  6. ^ "FAQ". Panda Express. Panda Express does not add MSG to any of our entrees or sides and we do not purchase products from suppliers who add MSG. However, glutamate is found naturally in some ingredients.
  7. ^ "Contact Us". Panda Express. Archived from the original on February 12, 2010. Retrieved February 26, 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ "Panda Restaurant Group History". Panda Restaurant Group. Archived from the original on March 10, 2007. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h Eng, Dinah (February 5, 2013). "How Panda Express brings Chinese food to the mall". Fortune. Time Inc. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
  10. ^ a b c d Greenfeld, Karl Taro (November 18, 2010). "General Tso, Meet Steven Covey". Bloomberg BusinessWeek. Bloomberg, L.P. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
  11. ^ "Cherngs honored for contributions in L.A. area" (PDF). Baker Pride alumni magazine. Baldwin City, Kansas: Baker University. Spring 2008.
  12. ^ "OSU ALUMNI FELLOWS 2000: OSU honors veterinarian, animal nutrition researcher and president of Panda Management". Oregon Stater Association News. Oregon State University. 2000. Archived from the original on September 28, 2011. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  13. ^ "Profile: Andrew Cherng". Fremont College, Board of Advisor. Archived from the original on January 4, 2011. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  14. ^ Leibowitz, Ed (April 20, 2015). "The Tao of Panda Express". Los Angeles Magazine. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
  15. ^ a b Flanigan, James (October 8, 2001). "Cooking Up a Powerhouse of Chinese Fast Food". Los Angeles Times. p. C1.
  16. ^ Hirsch, Jerry (August 25, 2008). "Panda Express owner keeps early years fresh: Fear of no customers keeps Andrew Cherng focused at family-owned fast-food chain". Chicago Tribune.
  17. ^ Bruce, Haring (August 9, 2004). "Panda gains higher visibility for chain amid shift from malls, food courts". Nation's Restaurant News. p. 6 – via HighBeam Research. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |subscription= ignored (|url-access= suggested) (help)
  18. ^ "Our Family Story - Panda Express Chinese Restaurant". Panda Express. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
  19. ^ "LAX Coastal Chamber of Commerce - Home". LAX Coastal Chamber of Commerce. Archived from the original on February 22, 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  20. ^ "Andrew and Peggy Cherng of Panda Restaurant Group Receive City of Angels Award Honoring Contributions to the Los Angeles Area". Business Wire (Press release). February 8, 2008.[dead link‍]
  21. ^ "Panda Express Selects Trusonic(R) to Provide In-Store Background Music". PR Newswire (Press release). November 23, 2009.
  22. ^ Berman, John; Rosenberg, Sarah (April 18, 2011). "Panda Express: Self-Help Courses and Zumba Are Recipe for Success? CEO Says Motivational Forums, Not Orange Chicken, Make His Business Successful". Nightline. ABC News. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |last-author-amp= ignored (|name-list-style= suggested) (help)
  23. ^ "Panda Express Agrees to Early Settlement with Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to Resolve Sexual Harassment Suit". U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (Press release). June 3, 2013. Retrieved June 20, 2013 – via The National Law Review.
  24. ^ "Panda Express Expansion Continues with Guam Opening". Asian Journal. November 28, 2013.
  25. ^ Caldwell, Suzanna (December 17, 2015). "Alaska gets its first Panda Express, with 9 more locations in the works". Alaska Dispatch News.
  26. ^ "Panda Restaurant Group information page". Panda Restaurant Group. Archived from the original on March 10, 2007. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  27. ^ Hua, Vanessa (June 8, 2015). "How Panda Express Grew From Family Business to Global Empire". NBC News. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
  28. ^ Smith, Kevin (September 8, 2011). "Panda Express expands with new location in Mexico City". San Gabriel Valley Tribune.
  29. ^ "Panda Express opens in Seoul". Korea Herald. September 5, 2014.
  30. ^ Sambidge, Andy (May 26, 2014). "Gourmet Gulf set to launch Panda Express in UAE". Arabian Business.
  31. ^ Mattar, Hattem (November 11, 2014). "Food Review: Panda Express from the U.S. Now in Dubai". Scoop Empire.
  32. ^ Bartiromo, Maria (November 2007). "Positive Thinkers". Reader's Digest. Archived from the original on December 5, 2007. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  33. ^ Shimabukuro, Betty (January 17, 2007). "Orange Chicken on the house". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Retrieved January 17, 2007.

Further reading

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Panda Express.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Panda_Express&oldid=752226623"