In the 1980s, Panda Express filled a niche in the fast food market with cafeteria-style Chinese food. It was exciting to go into a mall food court and see that option among the burgers and pizza we were used to. That was especially true for people like me, from small towns with no Chinese restaurants and no way to easily find one during a trip to a bigger city. I never cared for the orange chicken, though. I blame Panda Express for inducing Chinese-American restaurants to load too many of their entrees with sugar. I also blame American tastes.
Anyway, Panda Express got a foothold in shopping malls, which are not much of a thing anymore. But now they can be found in 2200 locations, including military bases, college campuses, airports, and freestanding sites. And while these outlets are completely different from Chinese restaurants, they still offer a delightful alternative to other fast food options. Weird History takes us through the ups and downs in the history of Panda Express.
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