Panda Express — Restaurant in Visalia

I haven’t been to the circus in years but I definitely saw a clown show at this establishment. We went through the drive-thru and tried to place two separate orders. The lady taking the order said that was okay. After struggling through a conversation that a 5 year old would understand (a dumb one) the lady finally pretended to understand our order. When we pulled to the window the staff were trying to make me pay for things I didn’t order. Once I got my food I saw that they put about half the orange chicken they usually put on a plate. As I noticed this, another staff member told us that the lady taking our order was mistaken and we could not place two orders. He did however give us a water we asked for in the second order for reasons unknown. Their bright idea was to have us go back around into the drive-thru and place the second order again. We decided to give up on the place. Getting food was not worth the misfortune of interacting with these hard workers. I love charity but this is the second and last time I support this Make-A-Wish restaurant. After we left, the pièce de résistance of this bland orange chicken and fried rice plate was a long, thick, and greasy hair. I am convinced that I could band together a group of crackheads from the Oval and they would run circles around the Panda Express staff literally and figuratively. This place needs to be preserved as a UNESCO world heritage site for the first primitive fast food establishment. I wish the best for all the staff but I also wish they...

Went to the new location next to Texas Roadhouse on a weekday during dinner. Parking was easy to find and it wasn't too busy. Entrance as of 05/18/2023 is on Visalia Parkway.

I always enjoy coming here because I enjoy the flavors of the food and the amount they give you is worth the price. However, when I went they were giving less than what they usually give and they don't give out samples. I'm pretty sure it's due to inflation that they're skimping on portions, but I'd personally pay a higher price to keep the portions as they were pre-COVID. In regards to the samples, I understand they stopped doing that due to COVID, but the pandemic is done. Let's get back to that!

Anyway, a mini-rant. I really enjoy eating and I enjoy the food, but those 2 things left a bad taste in my mouth. The service is still good and the aesthetics of the new place is...

Solid, predictable, and hits when you need it

The Panda Express in Visalia does exactly what it’s supposed to do — quick, reliable American-Chinese takeout.

The flavors are familiar, nothing overly special or local, but you know what you’re getting and sometimes that’s exactly what you need. I went with the teriyaki chicken and super greens, and it absolutely scratched that “I-need-a-protein-hit-now” itch.

Only minor gripe is the wait time for fresh/hot items — can be a little slow depending on when you walk in. But honestly, that’s just how Panda works, not a knock on this location in particular.

If you’re not chasing authenticity and just want a dependable fast meal, this place gets the job done.

4 stars. Clean, consistent, and satisfying when...