Panda Express — Restaurant in Maryland

This is the corner restaurant in a strip mall at a busy intersection. I noticed this Panda Express as I was driving by and I simply had to turn in and try it. It's really like most Panda Expresses (or Pandas Express?) I've been to. It's basically mall food court Chinese food transplanted from a mall food court to a restaurant. You get to pick your rice or noodles. Then you get to pick from a selection of items, all laid out in steam trays at the counter. My only gripe was they probably should have had more staff take care of the counter. Even though it wasn't a peak mealtime hour when I arrived, there were five people in the queue so it was obvious that the line hadn't been moving very quickly. Service, however, was very good and enthusiastic. When I pointed out that they were out of grilled chicken teriyaki, the server said it was no problem and she promptly went to the back to get the freshly-prepared teriyaki chicken. The only other problem I noticed was there weren't any chopsticks in the utensils area. They should have those out front so that those who want chopsticks don't have to ask at the counter and hold up the...

Beware of ordering the "bigger plate"! It was takeout so I was expecting the big container like the one I got last time. However this time it was the same white container that they've been using for years! This was a rip-off! I won't be ordering the so-called bigger plate again.

I tried calling ahead to make sure they sealed my bag before the delivery person arrived to pick it up. The phone just rang and rang and rang. I hung up and called again same thing.

I called a third time and finally someone picked up the phone. I explained to her that I did not receive the so called "bigger plate" that I paid for. She tried to convince me otherwise. Fact of the matter is, I know what I got this time, and what I received the last time I ordered from them. There was definitely a huge difference in container size. So I got ripped off this time.

If I do choose to order from them again, I won't be ordering a bigger plate I'll just get a regular entree. Why pay for more food if you...

Having recently switched to a paleo diet, I find myself low on options for fast food that fits within that paradigm. Panda express has been a welcomed addition to my regular choices. Their service, not unlike the food, is unexpectedly good. Perhaps, that's why the chain has done so well! With that said, there are a few caveats. 1. Get there well before closing, as they are frequently busy, you could find yourself unable to get the entree of your initial choosing, so plan for a backup. 2. This particular location is small, so during the aforementioned busy points, the line can get out of hand. Like, "out the door" out of hand, lol. These two points can lend themselves to a mildly disconcerting experience, but that's always a possibility when you have a great thing and lots of people know about it...

As always, your experience may vary...

Laissez le bon...