Panda Express — Restaurant in Cumming

To the readers of this review, I want to express and make clear that I do not typically write negative reviews because I want to see the Good even in bad situations. I'm not angry, just disappointed by the state of society these days. So here goes....

I visited this restaurant yesterday and I dined in. I walked in. I am acknowledged immediately by a Caucasian serving the food. I begin to process my order with the young man. From entering the restaurant to ordering my food to sitting down to eat, I had not released a single cough. As I was paying for my food with a young tan woman, under the name of R. Horst, I requested a few condiments to go along with my food. I specifically asked for hot mustard, teriyaki, and "plum sauce". R. Horst put the items in my bag with my food and I began to eat. Now here's where it gets interesting. I pour some of the sauces on my food as I have done before with no issues. As I poured the "plum sauce" on my rice and consumed it, I started to have a reaction to the "plum sauce" and the reason why I was having a reaction to the "plum sauce" was because the "plum sauce" was in fact CHILI SAUCE. So I coughed a couple of times because it was spicy. None of the staff came over to check on me to see if I was ok. Instead, R. Horst decided to LOCK THE DOOR to the lobby area of the restaurant. As an African American individual, I have grown accustomed to bias, discrimination, and stereotypical assumptions. However this time, it was different because what happened after R. Horst locked the door to the restaurant was that people who wanted to enter the building to order and eat, couldn't. Furthermore, there was no signage on the lobby door to let people know to order through the drive thru. To top it off, R. Horst continue to stare at me with eyes of contempt as if I had entered the building intentionally with what she discriminative assume was coronavirus. So this is what I am disappointed with and no worries I will NOT be revisiting this restaurant at this particular location again. It just goes to show you that it doesn't matter who sits in the office of president. Kindness is a rarity that this society...

I used to love this place but ever since covid they have been manic and unpredictable.

Today I drove down from Dahlonega to get lunch for my office. The drive thru was closed. I get it...labor shortage. But this drive thru is HIGHLY unpredictable nowadays. Sometimes the dining room is closed and the drive thru is open, sometimes it's opposite. Not convinient and it's hard to plan that way but again...covid issues...I get it.

The real kicker is this though....I park to now go order my togo order inside. I wait in line. When I go to order it turns out that they won't let me because I'm not wearing a mask. Normally not an issue but I'm driving someone elses car today....I don't have a mask. I explain my predicament. So I ask them if they have one. Nope.

It's their prerogative to require masks or not. But I have been here a dozen times or so in the past several months without a mask. Again....Kindof manic here these days. You need a mask...now you don't...no you definitely do!

I just wanted to come order my food from the drive through and go about my day. But the manic nature of the management of this place make it impossible to know what I will or will not be able to do when I arrive.

I would suggest providing some masks for your customers if you are going to close the drive thru, which then forces the customer to go inside to order...without a mask if they don't have one at the moment.

-I can stand in line without a mask. -I can talk to the person behind the counter about their requirements to have a mask. -I can talk to the customers who are sitting inside eating (without their masks on 2' away from me) -I can talk to the customers in line with me (non of us had masks on in line)

-I can't order food from the drivethu because they won't let me. -I can't order food inside (without a mask) because they won't let me.

-I literally can't take this place anymore. LOL

So I went to the Thia restaurant across the street. The food is AMAZING there. 🤗👍

So I guess I really won in the end. It just cost me some time. 😁

Good luck...

I used to enjoy going to Panda Express for a quick Chinese food experience. I don't frequent them as often as I once did. I did notice some things have changed on the menu. I thought at one time they carried LoMein noodles, but I see now that they only have Chow Mein as the noodle option. The Chow Mein noodles are very thin, only when I have a large portion on my fork do I get any sense of flavor from them.

The Teriyaki chicken, which is one of my regular staples I'd order, was very fatty when I ordered it on my last visit on 03/18/2024. It was quite a turn-off for me personally. What was once one of my favorite semi-fast food options seems to have fallen a bit from my preferences. Most of the other dishes offered seem to be consistent from previous visits, so it may have been bad luck I received Teriyaki chicken that was fatty.

I do enjoy the atmosphere, the cleanliness and quick service I receive from there. Parking is a breeze the majority of the time, depending on when you go. Avoid busy lunchtime for easier parking.

I do still recommend them as a place to eat, but as prices slowly creep up in today's economy, I may be better off paying a few dollars more at a more traditional Chinese restaurant. You may pay similar prices and get more...