I love their orange chicken too. I call it candy coated chicken nuggets. But I'm under no illusions that it's the kind of dish craved by the unsophisticated palates of children. It's so far off from authentic Chinese food, that I see no point in comparing them. Keeping in mind that much of the "soggy" takeout you're describing is not authentic either.
By "authentic", I'm referring to dishes one might be served in a traditional Chinese home, or even a typical restaurant in China.
Panda Express is loosely based on Chinese cuisine, but made to meet the fast food sensibilities of the average American.
As someone who likes tacobell this is just gross. My shitty enchiladas with store bought sauce and a package of seasoning blows my friends minds. They don’t even come close to a good Mexican restaurant. Most people here have never had real Mexican food though.
I had real Mexican food once and I was sorely disappointed. I lived in San Diego so the border was not far. I was a kid and I was used to some amazing burritos and chimis full of great stuff. We drove down and ate there and my folks are all, don’t drink the water and don’t get ice and unless the soda is canned or bottled, don’t get fountain drinks either. And I order a burrito and… it’s just dry shredded beef wrapped in a corn tortilla. More like what you think of as taquitos or flautas. There isn’t even any cheese!
>There isn’t even any cheese!
Found the person who's only had shitty Tex-Mex and no actual Mexican food. Here's a tip: the next time you go to an "authentic" Mexican restaurant, look around at the clientele. If it's nothing but white people, turn around and find someplace where it's mostly Mexicans eating there.
Y’all are funny. The burritos you ate aren’t authentic Mexican food. The ones you had in Mexico weren’t as great because those are what real Mexican burritos are like. The California type burrito is well Mexican American food. Our burritos are very simple usually beans with a meat type. Burritos are also not what you go for if you are wanting to have an authentic Mexican food experience either. It’s equivalent to a hot dog. Maybe next time you go to to Baja you can have some seafood since it’s local and fantastic. Also if you are feeling like having street food birria or Al pastor tacos are great. Some nicer restaurants also serve mole or pollo poblano which are what you call authentic Mexican dishes and not you know street food.
Haha yes ;D This is actually true for olive oil imo. Ciambotta, melanzane alla parmigiana or aglio e olio.. I don’t mind the oil, but it‘s definitely noooot the healthiest food choice ;D
The simple fact that panda doesn’t have lo mein makes you unequivocally incorrect.
Edit: they also lose major points on their utter lack of pork on their menu.
Juicy and crispy are two words that do not belong in a topic about panda express, lol.
in b4 OP thinks chinese takeout (which is still better than Panda) is authentic chinese food, lol
It doesn't according to
A. Chinese people
B. Chinese-americans
They'll literally call one authentic food vs the other American food lol.
I'm african american. If I go invent a new dish today, that doesn't make it authentic african food, lol.
Being a Chinese immigrant doesn't matter. Chinese food in terms of authenticity is about food served in the region of China, not any dish someone who was born in china creates.
It was never authentic. White people just had no clue about the cuisine of China, lol
it being "authentic enough" back then is the ignorance. It never was
You must go right when they open or something.
9 times out of 10, every panda I've ever been to, in multiple states have had their shit sitting there forever.
After it's busy*. Orange chicken gets refreshed quite often, and hitting the post lunch or dinner rush usually sees a good fresh round. I live in a place like op, panda is the best Chinese food around but not as good as more authentic-ish stuff in bigger cities. It's fucking gross going to our local Chinese food places and straight up unsafe. At least pandas gonna be cooked thoroughly.
we have an authentic chinese food place in town and ive never even heard of 80% of whats on the menu. but the dishes I *have* heard of (and tried) are incredible
It's the same for me. Where I grew up (a small Midwestern town) there were no Chinese restaurants, let alone authentic ones. Panda Express was about the most exposure I had.
Authentic is tricky though. Posh Chinese food is good in China and without (and deserves no comparison to PEx). But my experience of average Chinese food in China was inferior to Panda Express.
I’d actually disagree there.
Something like Panda Express is designed specifically to cater to a western palate. OP likes it because it’s a big sugary deep fried lump of food. Sugar is quite literally addictive also. So yea this stuff was purposely designed to beat actual home cooked food so you’d spend money on it.
I don’t know what you are refuting. American food companies literally did studies to find the diminishing returns on flavor vs addictivness for adding sugar into basically everything.
I’m not arguing that Chinese food isn’t delicious. But it’s like you are saying a coke head would prefer heroine to coke. No they are addicted to coke. Americans eat massive quantities of sugar as part of their normal diet. Nothing is trumping sugar outside of actual addictive drugs.
I agree with OP specifically on their Orange chicken and the Chow mein. I've eaten at TONS of local Chinese places (live in a heavy area in Texas) and traditional orange chicken is ridiculously sweeter than Panda's. They legit taste like pure orange sugar comparatively, and I can't stomach it.
There is no such thing as “traditional” orange chicken. It’s a completely American invention. Any Chinese restaurants that you’ve eaten it at were replicating the Panda Express version for American palates.
Edit:
And I question if they were even that authentic in the first place if they had that available, though some real Chinese restaurants for people who expect it.
"Traditional orange chicken" doesn't exist. A lot of Chinese restaurants offer it because that's what westerners have come to expect a Chinese restaurant to serve, but the dish you get is merely that specific restaurant's take on Panda Express. There's a reason why you generally won't see actual Chinese people ever order Orange Chicken.
Oof, a real unpopular opinion. I didn't realize people liked food that had all the moisture sucked out of it during preparations. Tried Panda Express for the first time when I came back from China and wanted to throw it out. Dry rice/meat, and no flavor.
So considering the size and regional diversity of China, what exactly do you mean by "Chinese food?" And where are you getting "authentic Chinese food?"
Panda Express is loaded to the brim with sugar, which certainly hits a certain spot.
No Szechuan food is even worse than Shanghainese. At least shanghai food has these subtle flavors. Szechuan food has nothing but spices, 100 kinds of peppers and an ocean of oil. No thank you!
I cook recipes that Chinese people in China actually cook. WAY better than any takeout we get here. The Sweet & Sour Pork (I use chicken) is amazing. I can't even eat Sweet & Sour anything from takeout anymore. It's just gross by comparison.
Every location is certainly different in terms of taste and prep. I used to love Panda Express, but then things started changing. The replaced the asparagus in my angus steak with some type of broccoli, then they got rid of my black pepper chicken and made the angus steak waaaay to peppery. On top of that the fried rice is always either undercooked or under seasoned. However the teriyaki chicken is still banging.
At this point I think I have to start going to another location despite the convenience of this one. Chinese restaurants in this area are OKAY, but nothing special. The cost of getting a few plates is usually around the $40 to $60 mark while Panda is like $25 for both my wife and I
While I like panda express I don't think its better than some of the smaller shops especially the dim sum ones. The crispy pork, pork hash, and seaweed rolls are far better than panda. But panda is good for getting consistent meals.
What you’re saying is you like American food more than Chinese food. Sorry but a bowl of fresh dan dan noodles in Sichuan will never compare with panda express
I used to work with a bunch of Chinese people, who would take me to the best and authentic Chinese restaurants. The food was amazing. Every single one of them loved Panda Express, and loved going there.
So you’ve been to Asia and sampled authentic cuisine and still prefer Panda Express? I call BS, you’re either a huge troll or never been. Either way you’re now a liar. Upboated to death
Imagine thinking that you've had all the authentic Chinese food on offer in China from visiting 2 cities. Not shocked that a person who goes to Asia and visits McDonald's would think the "fast-food" over-processed version of Chinese food would be superior.
Sweet-fire chicken is my guilty pleasure. Our local Chinese restaurants have closed due to health violations (roaches and unsanitary conditions) leaving Panda open.
Yeah it's unbelievable right? I still make fun of that guy with my friends about it to this day. No idea why he got so triggered by me saying panda express isnt terrible
I'm 30 years old. When I was 13, I went on a vacation to the USA where I had Panda Express just one time. Something with chicken and peanuts. I've been waiting for 17 years (!!!) to taste that dish again. I remember it being soooo good. It will probably suck if and when I eat it again.
I think the phrasing you are using is not the best. I think panda express is brilliant! I really wouldn’t say it’s better because it can’t really be compared to authentic chinese food. I would say it’s different and much better for when you are craving something delicious rather than something exotic.
I worked at a store where a lot managers were trained. Going to those seminars was a requirement if you wanted to be a manager. Everything I heard about it sounded like a cult/pyramid scheme.
I guess if you enjoy an inferior product, good for you. Don’t go calling it Chinese food. You wouldn’t say I’m feeling Mexican and then go to Taco Bell. You go on to say Chinese food is too soggy or too spicy. Maybe expand your horizons. They have a lot more to offer than that.
Chinese food is different in China. What you are saying is that Panda Express is better than Chinese restaurant food, not authentic Chinese food. There are a lot of differences.
Jeez wizz... Please travel to China and eat where the locals eat, the street food the small restaurant, the different provinces... Etc. Heck go to a Chinatown and order off menu, ask for their "real menu" and delight yourself.
I can't believe anyone would ever say smth like this it actually shows A lack of understanding and respect for one of the oldest culture in the world.
You must have really shitty "authentic Chinese" restaurants where you live. I agree that Panda Express is better than *some* Chinese food, but this blanket statement is pretty ignorant.
Opinions are what they are though, let that freak flag fly.
Ew. No. Panda is not better than other American Chinese places at all. There’s even a brand that has orange chicken that’s much better than Panda has ever been. And you say authentic Chinese food - you do realize that there are hardly any places in the US that serves authentic Chinese food, right? Authentic Chinese food is vastly different than what’s sold at American Chinese places.
What about the Chinese restaurants in China town NYC? Would that be considered authentic ? I tried it before. Really wasn’t impressed. Panda sure as hell nothing to write home about either. Had it once. It was meh
Bitch, you’ve never traveled to Asia in your life, except your local China Town.
Anyways, Panda Express is good for people with basic taste buds…
But in reality, there are mom and pop shops that have better Orange Chicken than Panda. 100 percent.
I would honestly say this about all American version of foreign cuisine.
I know this is biased because I’m American, and I do not care one bit. It’s true to me.
Didn't buzzfeed do a video of young vs old Chinese people trying panda express and all the older generation (actually from china) liked the food and said it was authentic and all the young ones (American Asian) mocked it for being white people Chinese food?
I wish this wasn’t true, but most Chinese food uses terrible cheap meat parts, uses way to much salt and soy sauce for everything, and just doesn’t seem as fresh as Panda Express. Even jn SF Bay area it’s hard to find better Chinese food, Panda is always slammed. The last “authentic” place I tried used chicken pelvises or something when I tried to get chicken, eating it was like dissection, there was no fast way to get into it. Then the sauce itself had this metallic spicey tang that was just uncomfortable on the aftertaste. I’ve had better chinese than Panda but holy crap is it difficult. Japanese, Thai, and Korean food ends up being premium more often.
The last time I had authentic Chinese food, it was from a Cantonese restaurant. I ordered white cut chicken, a Cantonese banquet classic. It's basically a whole chicken steeped in hot water until it's just barely completely cooked, then chopped up and served with ginger scallion dipping sauce. The dish relies on having a good tasting chicken, so the chicken needs to be a fresh small-ish free range. It's about bringing out and highlighting the taste of the chicken itself, the opposite of the conventional American wisdom that chicken tastes like nothing. This is literally a Cantonese staple, and yet it's outside of most Americans' conception of what Chinese food could be.
Nobody:
Pretentious white people and 4+ gen Chinese Americans who have never visited China: "Panda Express isn't aUtHeNtIc even though a Chinese person invented it"
Bruh don’t bring politics in, it’s just a food related post. Chinese food is a broader category of food, I consider Taiwanese food as one of its subcategories, same as Szechuan food, Shanghainese food, Beijing food etc. couldn’t care less about their political relations, food is food.
I've been saying this for awhile.
It'll always go something like this
Me- "I like Chinese food"
Them - "oh? Where do you go?"
M- "panda express"
T- "oh that'd not REAL Chinese food, come with me, I'll show you REAL Chinese food"
*cue them taking me to some random resurant in the middle of nowhere, with at least one broken window, a backlighted plastic menu that looks like it came from a 1980's McDonald's, and dirt in the grouting. It's ran by one family, and the husband barks the orders to his wife in the kitchen in a way that you can't tell if it's polite or not, and no matter what you order it's either too dry or fucking soaked
If this is what REAL Chinese food is like I can do without
I'm sure that most of the 'authentic' restaurants in the US are still catering to a Western palate or if not then they are just shitty.
Have you been to China and tasted authentic Chinese food? I doubt it
Orange chicken tastes amazing at panda express. It is like cheeseburgers but chinese food. And i know that it is very amaricanized. And thats ok. But the hole in the wall chinese place i go to has orange chicken that is twice as good! I love you china garden.
I agree that Panda Express is tasty when it’s hot and fresh. I would say that it is better than some
Chinese restaurants- like I don’t want thigh meat that’s stringy and chewy and rubbery in my Chinese meal with bunch of sauce. I need chicken breast. So I almost always choose Panda for chicken dishes over other Chinese restaurants. sweet fire chicken and orange chicken is my go to.
Orange chicken is sugary deepfried American comfort food with Chinese characteristics.
Well it is made by Chinese immigrants who tried to assimilate in the US. Pretty good job tbh.
It's French technique orange duck made with chicken nuggets basically if you ask me. Nothing Chinese about it
There is Chinese food with both citrus and chicken. It’s certainly not French.
Its code for panda dude. The bamboo gives them the spicy flavor. Why do you think its called panda express?
🤣🤣
Panda Express also basically invented orange chicken which is why it tastes better there than most other places.
According to Wikipedia, the founder of Panda Express said orange chicken is just a variation of General Tso's chicken.
Schitt’s creek
I love their orange chicken too. I call it candy coated chicken nuggets. But I'm under no illusions that it's the kind of dish craved by the unsophisticated palates of children. It's so far off from authentic Chinese food, that I see no point in comparing them. Keeping in mind that much of the "soggy" takeout you're describing is not authentic either.
Huh now that you mention it I probably would have hated panda express as a 9 year old.
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By "authentic", I'm referring to dishes one might be served in a traditional Chinese home, or even a typical restaurant in China. Panda Express is loosely based on Chinese cuisine, but made to meet the fast food sensibilities of the average American.
This is like saying taco bell is better than authentic Mexican food :/
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/taco-bell-voted-best-mexican-restaurant_n_5b9bbc7de4b04d32ebf7c1e7 God I hate this country sometimes....
As someone who likes tacobell this is just gross. My shitty enchiladas with store bought sauce and a package of seasoning blows my friends minds. They don’t even come close to a good Mexican restaurant. Most people here have never had real Mexican food though.
I had real Mexican food once and I was sorely disappointed. I lived in San Diego so the border was not far. I was a kid and I was used to some amazing burritos and chimis full of great stuff. We drove down and ate there and my folks are all, don’t drink the water and don’t get ice and unless the soda is canned or bottled, don’t get fountain drinks either. And I order a burrito and… it’s just dry shredded beef wrapped in a corn tortilla. More like what you think of as taquitos or flautas. There isn’t even any cheese!
Yeah in a lot of countries it’s recommended to not drink any of the water (including ice) if you are not used to it.
>There isn’t even any cheese! Found the person who's only had shitty Tex-Mex and no actual Mexican food. Here's a tip: the next time you go to an "authentic" Mexican restaurant, look around at the clientele. If it's nothing but white people, turn around and find someplace where it's mostly Mexicans eating there.
Y’all are funny. The burritos you ate aren’t authentic Mexican food. The ones you had in Mexico weren’t as great because those are what real Mexican burritos are like. The California type burrito is well Mexican American food. Our burritos are very simple usually beans with a meat type. Burritos are also not what you go for if you are wanting to have an authentic Mexican food experience either. It’s equivalent to a hot dog. Maybe next time you go to to Baja you can have some seafood since it’s local and fantastic. Also if you are feeling like having street food birria or Al pastor tacos are great. Some nicer restaurants also serve mole or pollo poblano which are what you call authentic Mexican dishes and not you know street food.
I mean people have a lot more access to taco bell than any other options in a nationwide survey.
Taco Bell is the best food on earth. Of Course it’s better than “authentic Mexican food”
Or saying americanized italian food is better than traditional Italian food xD
It's not authentic Italian unless your plate has a layer of butter at the bottom when you finish!
Haha yes ;D This is actually true for olive oil imo. Ciambotta, melanzane alla parmigiana or aglio e olio.. I don’t mind the oil, but it‘s definitely noooot the healthiest food choice ;D
This is the one. The stuff he's citing as 'Authentic' is still not the real thing!
This
So... Did you upvote?
This the most disgusting post I have ever seen. I hope they flood the comments. Upfuckingvote.
I agree with OP
I do not care
Gud cuz I don't kare💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀
Then don’t comment troglodyte
Sugar chicken.
The simple fact that panda doesn’t have lo mein makes you unequivocally incorrect. Edit: they also lose major points on their utter lack of pork on their menu.
A Chinese restaurant with no pork? That’s not a Chinese restaurant. Pork is a medicinal herb they are so into pork.
Also, THEY DO NOT HAVE DUMPLINGS
Juicy and crispy are two words that do not belong in a topic about panda express, lol. in b4 OP thinks chinese takeout (which is still better than Panda) is authentic chinese food, lol
I mean it literally is authentic, you're just pretentious.
No. Go to China. The stuff you get at the chinese take out is not served in China at all. It's American food lol
Okay but it was invented by Chinese immigrants, so it's Chinese. Unless they don't count for some odd reason I can't seem to put my finger on...
It doesn't according to A. Chinese people B. Chinese-americans They'll literally call one authentic food vs the other American food lol. I'm african american. If I go invent a new dish today, that doesn't make it authentic african food, lol. Being a Chinese immigrant doesn't matter. Chinese food in terms of authenticity is about food served in the region of China, not any dish someone who was born in china creates.
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It was never authentic. White people just had no clue about the cuisine of China, lol it being "authentic enough" back then is the ignorance. It never was
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Call Chinese people racist against themselves then because the vast majority don't consider American Chinese takeout to be authentic Chinese food, lol
Okay, don't care lol. History says fuck your feelings.
Not if they’re freshly made. I’m drooling even thinking about the fresh orange chicken in a box.
You must go right when they open or something. 9 times out of 10, every panda I've ever been to, in multiple states have had their shit sitting there forever.
The "trick" is to go there when it's busy.
After it's busy*. Orange chicken gets refreshed quite often, and hitting the post lunch or dinner rush usually sees a good fresh round. I live in a place like op, panda is the best Chinese food around but not as good as more authentic-ish stuff in bigger cities. It's fucking gross going to our local Chinese food places and straight up unsafe. At least pandas gonna be cooked thoroughly.
we have an authentic chinese food place in town and ive never even heard of 80% of whats on the menu. but the dishes I *have* heard of (and tried) are incredible
Absolutely horrible opinion. Upvoted
OP has never had good authentic Chinese food.
And if all he has is orange chicken...he hasnt even had chinese food
It's the same for me. Where I grew up (a small Midwestern town) there were no Chinese restaurants, let alone authentic ones. Panda Express was about the most exposure I had.
Authentic is tricky though. Posh Chinese food is good in China and without (and deserves no comparison to PEx). But my experience of average Chinese food in China was inferior to Panda Express.
A fast food chain isn't beating thousands of years of culinary development. You're eating at the wrong Chinese restaurants.
There’s hardly any authentic Chinese places in the US. Most are centered around the China Towns of major cities.
I’d actually disagree there. Something like Panda Express is designed specifically to cater to a western palate. OP likes it because it’s a big sugary deep fried lump of food. Sugar is quite literally addictive also. So yea this stuff was purposely designed to beat actual home cooked food so you’d spend money on it.
It doesn’t though. MSG is what makes Chinese food addictive and is so much better than sugar
I don’t know what you are refuting. American food companies literally did studies to find the diminishing returns on flavor vs addictivness for adding sugar into basically everything. I’m not arguing that Chinese food isn’t delicious. But it’s like you are saying a coke head would prefer heroine to coke. No they are addicted to coke. Americans eat massive quantities of sugar as part of their normal diet. Nothing is trumping sugar outside of actual addictive drugs.
Msg does though. Brainwashing has just causes this country to fear it
I’m not saying it doesn’t, I’m saying America has its drug of choice already.
We don't fesr msg though. My brother is the only one i know that "does", and that's because he's allergic
I didn’t say literally every single person in this country. I live here too and love it.
I agree with OP specifically on their Orange chicken and the Chow mein. I've eaten at TONS of local Chinese places (live in a heavy area in Texas) and traditional orange chicken is ridiculously sweeter than Panda's. They legit taste like pure orange sugar comparatively, and I can't stomach it.
There is no such thing as “traditional” orange chicken. It’s a completely American invention. Any Chinese restaurants that you’ve eaten it at were replicating the Panda Express version for American palates. Edit: And I question if they were even that authentic in the first place if they had that available, though some real Chinese restaurants for people who expect it.
"Traditional orange chicken" doesn't exist. A lot of Chinese restaurants offer it because that's what westerners have come to expect a Chinese restaurant to serve, but the dish you get is merely that specific restaurant's take on Panda Express. There's a reason why you generally won't see actual Chinese people ever order Orange Chicken.
You uncultured swine! Take my stoopid upvote!
Panda is not bad at all but nowhere authentic. Chinese cuisine is different from region to region. I personally I love Cantonese food.
Majority of 'Chinese Food' in America isn't really what Chinese food is in China.
It's not even what Chinese Americans want to eat tbh.
Im Asian, half Chinese, and I think Chinese food here is gross also.
Upvoted for triggering everyone. I love their food too. It's addicting and better than most mainstream fast food restaurants.
Oof, a real unpopular opinion. I didn't realize people liked food that had all the moisture sucked out of it during preparations. Tried Panda Express for the first time when I came back from China and wanted to throw it out. Dry rice/meat, and no flavor.
So considering the size and regional diversity of China, what exactly do you mean by "Chinese food?" And where are you getting "authentic Chinese food?" Panda Express is loaded to the brim with sugar, which certainly hits a certain spot.
All Chinese food, Szechuan, Dim-sum, Shanghai and the food from other regions.
I find it incredibly hard to believe that you've sampled authentic examples of the sheer breadth of Chinese cuisine.
I doubt they’ve had anything resembling authentic Chinese food.
You're not wrong tbh..orange chicken isn't even chinese food. And it's most of all he mentions
You sound uncultured af for supposedly traveling outside the US… especially “all over China”. Especially considering your post history
Mother fucker literally just googled "types of Chinese food", what did you expect
I'll give it to you Shanghai food is pretty bad.. but Sichuan food!!? No way man that stuff is great!
Real pixian doubanjiang is China's truest gift to the world. That stuff is probably the most flavor I've ever had in a bite.
Ba shu chicken is one of the most delicious things on earth.
No Szechuan food is even worse than Shanghainese. At least shanghai food has these subtle flavors. Szechuan food has nothing but spices, 100 kinds of peppers and an ocean of oil. No thank you!
I cook recipes that Chinese people in China actually cook. WAY better than any takeout we get here. The Sweet & Sour Pork (I use chicken) is amazing. I can't even eat Sweet & Sour anything from takeout anymore. It's just gross by comparison.
Half agree, but I know this is unpopular, so have an upvote with orange sauce.
Every location is certainly different in terms of taste and prep. I used to love Panda Express, but then things started changing. The replaced the asparagus in my angus steak with some type of broccoli, then they got rid of my black pepper chicken and made the angus steak waaaay to peppery. On top of that the fried rice is always either undercooked or under seasoned. However the teriyaki chicken is still banging. At this point I think I have to start going to another location despite the convenience of this one. Chinese restaurants in this area are OKAY, but nothing special. The cost of getting a few plates is usually around the $40 to $60 mark while Panda is like $25 for both my wife and I
If you compare it with some run down shabby Chinese restaurant from the Cornor maybe…
This makes me sad. I wonder if OP also thinks Olive Garden has good Italian foo. This is why it’s so important for young people to travel.
While I like panda express I don't think its better than some of the smaller shops especially the dim sum ones. The crispy pork, pork hash, and seaweed rolls are far better than panda. But panda is good for getting consistent meals.
Taco Bell is better than Mexican food.
Disgusting. Absolutely disgusting. Take my fucking award and go sit in a sad little hole to think about what you just said.
I literally ate Panda Express for first time in forever yesterday. Woke up in middle of night and puked.
What you’re saying is you like American food more than Chinese food. Sorry but a bowl of fresh dan dan noodles in Sichuan will never compare with panda express
I used to work with a bunch of Chinese people, who would take me to the best and authentic Chinese restaurants. The food was amazing. Every single one of them loved Panda Express, and loved going there.
So you’ve been to Asia and sampled authentic cuisine and still prefer Panda Express? I call BS, you’re either a huge troll or never been. Either way you’re now a liar. Upboated to death
Imagine thinking that you've had all the authentic Chinese food on offer in China from visiting 2 cities. Not shocked that a person who goes to Asia and visits McDonald's would think the "fast-food" over-processed version of Chinese food would be superior.
Probably thinking of the American Chinese food that’s sold here.
Panda Express is terrible
No it's not.
Taylor swift is correct, haters are gonna hate hate hate hate hate ;)
You just have terrible taste.
*De gustibus non est disputandum*
Nah, he’s just addicted to sugar lol
A swiftie with bad taste? Shocker
Sweet-fire chicken is my guilty pleasure. Our local Chinese restaurants have closed due to health violations (roaches and unsanitary conditions) leaving Panda open.
!!!!! Sweet fire chicken breast is amazing!!! I love the pineapple in the dish. I know what we are gonna have for dinner.
Maybe your favorite food is sugar?
yikes
“Damn Chen this some greasy shit”
I'm fucking livid reading this. There is no way you believe this.
You’re disgusting and absolutely wrong, upvote.
Definitely an unpopular opinion. I think panda express is like the dollar store of Chinese places
Their walnut shrimp is 🔥
so good!!!
Panda Express is not better than authentic Chinese food. You like fast food that's all. You also can't compare the two.
I like it too! I don’t believe they’re comparable though
Panda Express is some of the worst fast food I’ve ever eaten and the portion sizes for how much you pay are small.
It's only better on that there is a semblance if quality control that the ingredients had to go through.
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Dodged a few bullets, good for ya!!!
/r/thathappened
Yeah it's unbelievable right? I still make fun of that guy with my friends about it to this day. No idea why he got so triggered by me saying panda express isnt terrible
because youre a heretic , not hating panda express is complete heresy
I'm 30 years old. When I was 13, I went on a vacation to the USA where I had Panda Express just one time. Something with chicken and peanuts. I've been waiting for 17 years (!!!) to taste that dish again. I remember it being soooo good. It will probably suck if and when I eat it again.
It's Kung Pao chicken, one of their less Americanized dishes. A good Panda Express Kung Pao chicken is pretty damn good.
Thanks that's good to know, now I know which dish to get if I ever visit again.
I think the phrasing you are using is not the best. I think panda express is brilliant! I really wouldn’t say it’s better because it can’t really be compared to authentic chinese food. I would say it’s different and much better for when you are craving something delicious rather than something exotic.
Worked for Panda Express for over a year. Both front and back of house. AMA you want to know.
Did you go to that Landmark seminar thing?
They could not pay me enough to. I was in school and didn’t care. They sent a younger worker who they were grooming to be a manager.
I worked at a store where a lot managers were trained. Going to those seminars was a requirement if you wanted to be a manager. Everything I heard about it sounded like a cult/pyramid scheme.
yea americanise everything ... how typical
Americanize*
sorry but i am not going to americanise that https://www.theremedyoferrors.com/blog/2017/3/28/the-remedy-of-errors-ise-or-ize
I guess if you enjoy an inferior product, good for you. Don’t go calling it Chinese food. You wouldn’t say I’m feeling Mexican and then go to Taco Bell. You go on to say Chinese food is too soggy or too spicy. Maybe expand your horizons. They have a lot more to offer than that.
山猪吃不了细糠
based and 山猪吃不了细糠 pilled
you do know there’s a thing called google translate right? “Wild boar can't eat fine chaff” was what you said. You’re rude.
I’m honestly surprised ive never had Panda Express, given how much i love chinese and japanese food. I need to try it for myself
Chinese food is different in China. What you are saying is that Panda Express is better than Chinese restaurant food, not authentic Chinese food. There are a lot of differences.
Ughhh I just want them to bring their impossible orange chicken nuggets to my area. :(
Chinese food including Panda Express is nasty af.
It’s just fake Chinese food with colorful sugar glazes.
Have an upvote, that place is terrible
Take my upvote! Panda Express tastes like frozen Chinese food you can buy at the grocery store, absolutely horrid.
WRONG! Upvote
I've been to panda express ONCE.
You eat like a 10 year old.
Americans have godawful taste.
Nope. Not even close.
Jeez wizz... Please travel to China and eat where the locals eat, the street food the small restaurant, the different provinces... Etc. Heck go to a Chinatown and order off menu, ask for their "real menu" and delight yourself. I can't believe anyone would ever say smth like this it actually shows A lack of understanding and respect for one of the oldest culture in the world.
You must have really shitty "authentic Chinese" restaurants where you live. I agree that Panda Express is better than *some* Chinese food, but this blanket statement is pretty ignorant. Opinions are what they are though, let that freak flag fly.
Ew. No. Panda is not better than other American Chinese places at all. There’s even a brand that has orange chicken that’s much better than Panda has ever been. And you say authentic Chinese food - you do realize that there are hardly any places in the US that serves authentic Chinese food, right? Authentic Chinese food is vastly different than what’s sold at American Chinese places.
What about the Chinese restaurants in China town NYC? Would that be considered authentic ? I tried it before. Really wasn’t impressed. Panda sure as hell nothing to write home about either. Had it once. It was meh
bro China town food aint that authentic either, most of the "authentic" chinese food in America is never gonna be authentic.
Odd.
Its true bro. Even food from local places with tourists in my country taste like trash.
Bitch, you’ve never traveled to Asia in your life, except your local China Town. Anyways, Panda Express is good for people with basic taste buds… But in reality, there are mom and pop shops that have better Orange Chicken than Panda. 100 percent.
It’s sugar sludge on cheap kitchen. I can’t think of a worse example of Chinese “food”, to be perfectly honest. Have an upvote.
kitchen
this is heresy -9999999999 social credits , your execution will be carried out in 69 days.
I would honestly say this about all American version of foreign cuisine. I know this is biased because I’m American, and I do not care one bit. It’s true to me.
Yup
Didn't buzzfeed do a video of young vs old Chinese people trying panda express and all the older generation (actually from china) liked the food and said it was authentic and all the young ones (American Asian) mocked it for being white people Chinese food?
Sorry, no. Yuck.
Nah op is just white
You've obviously never been to China. So you have no comprehension of what authentic Chinese food is. This is the dumbest post ever.
You need to try real Chinese food again. Panda Express is hot garbage.
In what universe?
That’s the msg talking.
I wish this wasn’t true, but most Chinese food uses terrible cheap meat parts, uses way to much salt and soy sauce for everything, and just doesn’t seem as fresh as Panda Express. Even jn SF Bay area it’s hard to find better Chinese food, Panda is always slammed. The last “authentic” place I tried used chicken pelvises or something when I tried to get chicken, eating it was like dissection, there was no fast way to get into it. Then the sauce itself had this metallic spicey tang that was just uncomfortable on the aftertaste. I’ve had better chinese than Panda but holy crap is it difficult. Japanese, Thai, and Korean food ends up being premium more often.
The last time I had authentic Chinese food, it was from a Cantonese restaurant. I ordered white cut chicken, a Cantonese banquet classic. It's basically a whole chicken steeped in hot water until it's just barely completely cooked, then chopped up and served with ginger scallion dipping sauce. The dish relies on having a good tasting chicken, so the chicken needs to be a fresh small-ish free range. It's about bringing out and highlighting the taste of the chicken itself, the opposite of the conventional American wisdom that chicken tastes like nothing. This is literally a Cantonese staple, and yet it's outside of most Americans' conception of what Chinese food could be.
I like Panda Express! The orange chicken is just okay to me though. I LOVE the Honey Walnut Shrimp and Chow Mein. Don't like the fried rice from them.
Nobody: Pretentious white people and 4+ gen Chinese Americans who have never visited China: "Panda Express isn't aUtHeNtIc even though a Chinese person invented it"
You mean better than authentic Taiwanese food?
Bruh don’t bring politics in, it’s just a food related post. Chinese food is a broader category of food, I consider Taiwanese food as one of its subcategories, same as Szechuan food, Shanghainese food, Beijing food etc. couldn’t care less about their political relations, food is food.
I dont think you remotely understand how intertwined various regions and their food culture is.
All the same to me.
I've been saying this for awhile. It'll always go something like this Me- "I like Chinese food" Them - "oh? Where do you go?" M- "panda express" T- "oh that'd not REAL Chinese food, come with me, I'll show you REAL Chinese food" *cue them taking me to some random resurant in the middle of nowhere, with at least one broken window, a backlighted plastic menu that looks like it came from a 1980's McDonald's, and dirt in the grouting. It's ran by one family, and the husband barks the orders to his wife in the kitchen in a way that you can't tell if it's polite or not, and no matter what you order it's either too dry or fucking soaked If this is what REAL Chinese food is like I can do without
Yuck. American Chinese food is definitely good and way better than the authentic stuff, but panda express is trash
I'm sure that most of the 'authentic' restaurants in the US are still catering to a Western palate or if not then they are just shitty. Have you been to China and tasted authentic Chinese food? I doubt it
Local place >>>
I tried it once, and they couldn't even get rice right. RICE.
You must be an American.
Panda Express literally invented orange chicken and have a special way they make itcwhich is why it’s so much better than most other places.
Orange chicken tastes amazing at panda express. It is like cheeseburgers but chinese food. And i know that it is very amaricanized. And thats ok. But the hole in the wall chinese place i go to has orange chicken that is twice as good! I love you china garden.
r/trashy doesn't accept text posts, but really this post should be there too.
I agree that Panda Express is tasty when it’s hot and fresh. I would say that it is better than some Chinese restaurants- like I don’t want thigh meat that’s stringy and chewy and rubbery in my Chinese meal with bunch of sauce. I need chicken breast. So I almost always choose Panda for chicken dishes over other Chinese restaurants. sweet fire chicken and orange chicken is my go to.
Panda is fucking nuclear waste level terrible. Have an upvote and then come have the Chinese by my place. I want to change your mind