PANDA EXPRESS
From a Pasadena kitchen to 2,500+ locations worldwide — the most beloved American Chinese restaurant ever built.
The Panda — A Symbol of Friendship
The iconic panda logo traces its origins to a diplomatic gesture. When President Nixon visited China in 1972, China gifted two giant pandas to the United States as a symbol of goodwill. Andrew Cherng named his first restaurant "Panda Inn" in honor of that moment — and the brand was born.
That simple red cup with the smiling panda has become one of the most recognizable icons in American fast food. Bold red. A cartoon bear. Three words: Chinese Kitchen.
THE FOOD
American Chinese cuisine — a genuine culinary genre, born from the immigrant experience, adapted with care, and beloved by millions. Not traditional. But authentic in its own right.
That's enough to circle the Earth — coated in tangy, sweet, legendary sauce.
THE AMERICAN DREAM
Andrew Cherng came to the United States from Yangzhou, China to study mathematics at a small Kansas university. His father, Master Chef Ming-Tsai Cherng, had cooked at the Grand Hotel in Taipei. Together, with family savings and a small SBA loan, they opened a sit-down restaurant in Pasadena, California in 1973.
A decade later, a mall developer who ate at Panda Inn asked Andrew to open a fast version at the new Glendale Galleria. That single act of trust launched one of America's greatest restaurant empires.
ORANGE CHICKEN
It began on a business trip to Hawaii in 1987. Executive chef Andy Kao, inspired by the citrus on the island and the local love for bold meat dishes, coated fried chicken in a tangy, sweet sauce rooted in the flavor traditions of Yangzhou — the very city where Andrew Cherng was born.
Americans wanted boneless, bite-size pieces. Kao adapted. He dialed back the dried chilis, leaned into the sweetness, and produced something entirely new: a dish that was neither traditionally Chinese nor wholly American. It was genuinely its own thing.
Today, National Orange Chicken Day is celebrated every July 15th. The dish has spawned a Beyond Meat vegan version, countless home recipes, and enough cultural commentary to fill a book.
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