Panda Express — Restaurant in Dublin

On Thursday, April 3rd, 2025 Between the times of 3 pm to 4:30 pm

Did anyone else get approached by this mother with a toddler boy about 2-3 yrs old begging for food?

I'm still bitter about how everything went down, I thought Panda Express could have handled things a bit better too seeing it was their Establishment and as a paying customer we shouldn't have to be harassed by beggars (see photo) or be held responsible because this particular person and her toddler were hungry!! I thought Dublin had a place (shelters) for struggling mothers with a small child who can then find resources to help them get back on their feet? Maybe Panda Express could have called the non-emergency number to the Dublin Police for trespassing and also harassing other customers as well? There were 2 other separate families dining in at the time of the incident. They too got hounded by this mother with her toddler son saying, "She's hungry!!"

I'm a mom to two children, both of my kids wanted Panda Express after school. When this other mom and her toddler approached us, we were hounded which made us feel very uncomfortable. Yes, we could have left, but I also felt like I shouldn't have to leave IF that makes any sense so I held my ground hoping for some kind of positive outcome? Everything happened so fast in terms of making decisions however I felt like at the very end I was taken advantage of by this mother and her toddler son, both complete strangers to both of my children and I.

What I should have done next was to order enough food for the mother and her son to share. My mistake was trusting the other mother thinking she was going to order a plate to share with her son. By the time my kids and I reached the cashier I found out the mother deceived me by ordering extra food of 2 plates, 1 kids meal, with kids meal you get a drink (also fruit snack) so the mother chose Apple juice, but also chose soda bottle on top of everything else and my son misunderstood and literally gave away his large fountain drink to this mother. Unbelievable

By this point, I felt as IF I was held Accountable by Panda Express as well as this mother who hounded us for FOOD to begin with and felt Panda Express could have stepped in to help us, but instead all the workers in the front area just sheepishly stood there, staring at my kids and I like we were the problem.

Of course the mother was HAPPY!! She basically hounded my kids and I, somehow made me held responsible for the 2 plates, 1 kid's meal with fruit snack, Apple Juice, soda bottle and a large fountain drink when WATER was basically FREE. Any fool would be HAPPY!! Of course I wouldn't take Advantage of others though. I would have to draw a line right there.

When my kids and I got back to our car, I wasn't feeling well regarding the whole situation. Something wasn't quite right. As my kids and I sat in our car we discovered this mother and her son weren't homeless. I had my son take a video where I took screenshots of this mother and her van. Before we left, we watched the mother leave her son in the van and it's unknown IF there were other adults in the van, but just sketchy all around. In the end, I just hope the Gourmet food made their bellies full, but next time I will just avoid this particular Panda...

First panda express where I experienced rude/short tempered service. First was when I asked for mixed vegetables in place of rice or chew mein. The person taking my order gave me this look as if she was confused. Then she gave me one level scoop of angus steak. Not used to that coming from panda express normally where I'm from (los angeles) it's a heaping scoop. But whatever I guess that's fine Bejing beef was un-notable. But there was a couple in front of me ordering for a whole family. Normally again from home they would move my order to the front so I'm not waiting for the larger order to finish. But again whatever I can wait my turn. But when I asked for military discount a different server gave me another look (of annoyance as if she was bothered I asked for one) then she said with a tone. "No discount " so I figure ok maybe it's just something local to my home. But I just looked it up and yeah. Apparently panda express as a business gives 10% to military ,fire, ems or police. Service goes along way for me hopefully the food isn't as dry as it looks. 2nd star is benefits of the doubt the food...

"Ma'am, you can't take photos in here." ?!?!? I've visited this Panda Express many times and have not had many issues to complain about. With the exception of one time that my steamed vegetables tasted like they'd been sitting in the pan for 4 hours, the food has always otherwise tasted very good. The place is kept pretty clean, and the staff seems to be on top of keeping the food prepared when certain items are running low. Today, I visited the restaurant and remembered that I wanted to write a review, which I thought was going to be very good. I took a photo of the menu, and the lady behind the counter looked past the patron ahead of me, and said "Ma'am, you can't take photos in here." When I asked why, she responded by shrugging her shoulders and said, "It's just policy." When I asked her if it was written somewhere, she ignored me and started helping the guest in front of me. I have never heard of such a thing, and now what would have been a positive review is now mediocre because of what was a considerably rude attitude and likely incorrect information. I took...