Panda Restaurant Group, Inc.
Panda Express
is an American chain of fast food restaurants serving Chinese American cuisine. With more than 2,200 locations, it is the largest Asian restaurant chain in the United States, where it was founded, and is mainly located in North America and Asia (in addition to other countries and territories).Panda Express
restaurants are typically found in shopping mall food courts, but the chain now operates units in many other environments and formats, including independent restaurants, universities, casinos, airports, military bases, amusement parks and other locations.The chain offers a variety of dishes inspired by Chinese cuisine, including orange chicken, sweet chicken breast, Beijing veal, grilled teriyaki chicken and Kung Pao chicken. Some premium dishes such as honey and nut shrimp and Angus steak with black pepper come with an additional cost. The company is headquartered in Rosemead, California. The Panda Express brand is a casual fast-food variation of the corporate brother Panda Inn (a chain of exclusive table-service restaurants).
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Cherngs began experimenting with supermarket-based branches through an agreement with Vons, and then with independent restaurants. In 1997, the company opened its first self-service independent restaurant in Hesperia, California. Today, less than 2% of its restaurants are in shopping malls. Because Peggy had worked for several years as a software designer and engineer for defense contractors such as McDonnell Douglas, Panda Express computerized its operations from the start.
Peggy also brought a systems analysis perspective to the company and worked on the logistics and standardization issues needed to expand the concept. Over 45 years, college sweethearts Andrew and Peggy Cherng have grown Panda Express from a single restaurant in a Southern California mall to an empire of 2000 locations around the world. Last June, Panda Express settled a lawsuit discriminating against workers who were not U. S.
citizens. Andrew began working with his father in the United States in 1973 when they opened their first Panda Inn restaurant in Pasadena, California. Today is all about challenging ourselves and seeing what all team members can accomplish: living Panda's mission to inspire better lives. The married couple founded the company in the early 1980s and continue to own and operate each Panda Express on their own. While these pay rates are worth bragging about for some, it may surprise you to learn how they compare to Panda Express CEOs Andrew and Peggy Cherng. In 1983, when the Glendale Galleria property developer - a client of the Panda Inn - proposed to open a quick-service store in their mall, the Cherngs jumped at the opportunity. Since opening their first Panda Express branch in 1983, Andrew and Peggy Cherng have grown to a cult following (Panda Express).
Through their donation organizations - Panda Cares (the philanthropic arm of the Panda Restaurant Group) and the Panda Charitable Foundation - they donate mainly in the areas of education, youth leadership development and health. Panda Express also operates in Canada, Guatemala, Japan, Mexico, El Salvador, Philippines, South Korea, Russia and the United Arab Emirates. In 1973, with the help of his father Ming-Tsai Cherng - a chef - Andrew opened his first restaurant: The Panda Inn in Pasadena, California. Through hard work and dedication over 45 years later they have achieved success beyond their wildest dreams. Today's mission for Andrew and Peggy Cherng is to challenge themselves and see what all team members can accomplish: living Panda's mission to inspire better lives.
