Panda Express — A Love Letter

Est. 1983 · Glendale, California

PANDA EXPRESS

From a Pasadena kitchen to 2,500+ locations worldwide — the most beloved American Chinese restaurant ever built.

2,500+

Locations

$6.2B

Revenue 2024

42

Years Strong

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Orange Chicken Chow Mein Beijing Beef Fried Rice Broccoli Beef Kung Pao Shrimp Walnut Shrimp String Bean Chicken Orange Chicken Chow Mein Beijing Beef Fried Rice Broccoli Beef Kung Pao Shrimp Walnut Shrimp String Bean Chicken

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.

Family Owned Never Franchised Immigrant Founded Forbes 400

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.

Signature Plate

Angus Beef & Fried Rice

Tender beef in a savory dark sauce, served over wok-tossed fried rice with yellow squash and broccoli.

The Experience

Bowl, Chopsticks & a Cold Drink

115 Million

Pounds of Orange Chicken sold per year

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.

1973

Panda Inn opens in Pasadena, CA with Ming-Tsai Cherng as head chef

1983

First Panda Express opens at Glendale Galleria; profit-sharing launched

1987

Chef Andy Kao invents Orange Chicken in Hawaii — a cultural milestone

2024

$6.2B in revenue; 2,500+ locations; still 100% family owned

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.

115M lbs

Orange Chicken sold annually

PANDA
EXPRESS

Photos & Page
©ዴቶ አምዶ 2026 Original

Built with admiration for
the Cherng family story.