Panda Express — Restaurant in Dover

Clean and good appearance.

Having only been here twice within weeks of each other (returned from my deployment and it was a new joint in Dover; grew up eating Panda Express.) I decided write this review.

This review is based off of the 'plate' which is two entrees and one side.

Pro: Clean establishment and Fast

Con: Both times the end product was inconsistent.

Rice was dry and flavorless the first time, and the next it was half mushy and undercooked with a weird flavor.

For the first entree, I always get the orange chicken, which is the signature name dish for Panda Express, for the first visit was standard and taste like any other location you would visit. However on the second visit, it did not have that distinct flavor and barely had the sauce drenching from it.

For the second entree during each visit I tried something new that I had never tried, and it was good. Based on first hand experience with the flavor.

I drank sweet tea both times - yet again inconsistent. Visit one was regular sweet tea, and on visit two it transformed into some floral flavor with a waxy feel left in my mouth. (I dumped the tea before leaving and refilled with Dr. Pepper - to be disappointed.. I'll probably say the CO2 was not working as it was flat)

Bottom line, fast & clean place - but not consistent as you would expect a chain to be.

I have worked in a restaurant for three years (small chain, Jefferson's) and ate at the other stores and it was consistent as...

Panda Express used to be very common and pretty much in every mall food court. I'm not sure what happened some 15-20 years ago but one by one, they all disappeared and I lost touch with the chain. So I was surprised to see one right along US-13 in Dover!

This Panda Express is in a small strip mall on US-13 northbound. The tricky part is entering this strip mall at the correct opening. It looks like if you miss the entrance, there isn't a back way in from neighboring Dover Mall and you'll have to a bunch of cumbersome U-turns to return to the correct entrance.

Let's get this out of the way first: Although this Panda Express has all the appearance of a fast casual restaurant, you aren't actually getting food that is any better in quality than a typical Chinese food vendor in a mall food court. There seem to be more choices and you can order sides and a Coke Freestyle drink, but they're basically dishing out your choices from steam trays and it's pretty much at that Chinese fast food level.

Where I was impressed was their service. This restaurant is brand-new and unlike many older restaurants, the staff are super-helpful and take initiative to find out if you need anything. Also, all the dining area furniture is new and the restroom is very clean. I'd say enjoy this restaurant while it's still...

I've visited this Panda Express about a total of 4 times. The 1st was there opening week - perfect first PE experience. The 3 other times progressively got worse. Employees seemed to be un-happy. Upon our first visit we thought we had found a perfect new Chinese food joint for our monthly Chinese cravings. Unfortunately it didn't work out. Of the 3 of 4 times we visited most of the items on the menu were completely unavailable due to "running out." I get it this stuff obviously happen but 3 times in a row on separate occasions with a large franchise? Food quality seemed to have also went down hill as well. Peppered chicken is OVERLY peppered (I get it its pepper chicken) I personally feel they went a little over the top with the pepper though - not to mention SALTY. Noodles were also hard as well. My GF & I literally threw out our food and went to our other local favorite Chinese restaurant...