Panda Express — Restaurant in Mesa

Update just left this location. The person taking the order was terrible kept trying to tell him we wanted and kept repeating back the wrong order. The first order had only fried rice that was not cooked even remotely. There were some carrots and vegetables in it as though they tried turning it into fried rice but it was obviously they were behind and didn't have time to cook it. The second order which was ordered with only chow mein came out with half and half Chow mein and the same undercooked fried rice and the honey chicken was dry and had no sauce on it at all and was also undercooked because the green beans and veggies were raw and at room temperature. I spend my money with you because I expect properly cooked food I can stay home and undercook and screw up my own food for free! The store wasn't even very busy yet you were still behind because his obvious your cooks weren't taking the time to fully cook the food or just too lazy to do their job. The scary part is this food is out in big chafing pans and people dishing out the food should be able to SEE the undercooked product! Yet they ignore the undercooked food it and serve it anyhow. This is a failure on all levels. Cooks that undercook the food, dish outs that can't recognize undercooked food and serve it anyhow and of course management that sit by unaware or just don't care and let this all happen.

The service here is really lacking. When this location opened it was really good but over time it is gotten slower and slower. And for sure don't show up this place late at night. I was waiting in line the other evening and it was taking forever, people were actually backing out of the drive-thru. So rather than going through the drive-thru I went inside and told the manager about the drive-thru and people backing out. The manager was breaking down the steam tables that serve the walk in guests and the drive-thru customers. She said that they were missing an employee and that they were making each customers food to order!!! I asked her why she wasn't helping with the drive-thru why it was more important to break down the steam tables that hold the prepped food then to help customers, and I got a blank stare. It was obvious she had been caught, and that it was more important for her to break down the restaurant and to leave for the night then to take care of the customers in...

Food is 3 stars - not bad, nothing to write home about. This review is going to center on the consistently bad service I've gotten here and in particular, the bad service I got here tonight. When I went in to order my food, I noticed there were two guys waiting to be served. Twice, employees told them "we'll be right with you". The second time, I had already been waiting for 2 minutes behind them. They had still not ordered, because the employees didn't prioritize them. I guess if you come in to eat, you aren't worth as much as a person who comes through the drive through. ¯(ツ)/¯

Another minute goes by, a manager then informs the two guys ahead of me that again, "we'll be right with you". At that point, I added that we've been here for a while now. This manager, Amanda, then looked at me and stated "you're not the only one here you know". Incredible. This was a direct insult and has come to be emblematic of my experience with this location. Not that the rest are better, but managers of the other locations have never been rude or insulting to their customers, or argue with them.

It is my hope that corporate sees this, and works with their store level management to turn things around, because as things are going right now, it won't be long before Panda is wondering 'why are we going bankrupt?'. That last part may be conjecture, because there are lots of people in the area and then there are those like me who walk in expecting a better experience than last time, only to see our already low expectations for service have been defeated yet again.

People like Amanda should not be working in customer service / hospitality positions if they are going to be...

Today 08/10/2022 at 5:02:55 pm I ordered at the drive through. I ordered my normal request of - double orange chicken with half chow mein & half fried rice. And an order of Cream Cheese Rangoons. There were no cars in front of me. I ordered - pulled around to the window & she was holding my order. How can they have it ready so fast? But no problem- I live across the street & I get home & open it up - lots of food - I’m happy - BUT… it’s like it’s old. It’s not hot like it usually is. It’s not even barely warm. It’s just room temperature. Moving the big pieces of meat off the top & about 5 of the pieces of chicken have what looks like bites taken out of them. The fried rice is all clumped up with no taste and not even warm. The chow meins noodles were just blah tasting - like they were old sitting around all day? Then my favorites- the rangoons were beyond ugh! They weren’t like they usually are sorta like a bow. They were like a smooched butterfly. Thank the big panda for the fortune cookie 🥠 it was the only thing that tasted the way it always has. I know there’s been issues here & there in the past at this location but this was ridiculous. I’ve never had issues with the entire meal. What is going on? Is it just this location? You want customers but you don’t want to serve good fresh food? Then please warn us & post a sign saying what we serve you at dinner just might be what has been sitting around since we opened. But I’ve NEVER had a piece of chicken with bites missing before - how can you warn us for that? My receipt shows I was order #488363 Panda Express #1388. So how do I decide to ever...