I just got out of the cult. I can’t say much about personal experience working in the stores, but I do know the CULTure is so strong at the corporate level that it permeates down to the stores. It’s soul-crushing and toxic. There’s a fear in the company and it starts at the top. Everybody has to watch their back at all times. I spent way more time over the past 2 years trying to protect my job and others’ jobs than I did of my actual work.

Here are some examples:

Gossiping: yearly people planning meetings are performed by director level and higher. These meetings are not about helping people get in the right spot in the company or have the right tools to be their best selves, but instead it’s a way to spread rumors about how people struggle in certain ways so they can turn employees against each other when things go south. It’s one tool management uses to protect themselves.

Gaslighting: higher level management does not take criticism or advice at all. If you try to bring up a concern, they’ll tell you to go take Landmark again and they frame it in a way as if the employee is not humble enough to do things the “Panda way”.

Coaching: the founder loves to coach and he expects all management to do the same. Coaching is not just corrective action, it’s a way to spread fear. When coaching happens, the news spreads like wildfire throughout whatever department someone is in and then that person who was coached has to lay low for a while and make sure to not draw attention to themselves for fear that they or their boss will be fired.

I do think of it just like a cult. The big difference of course is that they pay you and you can leave at any point. But if you’re in, you have to be 1,000% committed. Anything less and you will start to get pushed out.

And about Landmark, it’s a self-help seminar. It has some decent teachings and works for some people, but you have to be willing to tear yourself down and rebuild from scratch. If you go into it with any kind of self worth or guiding principles, you won’t like it.

As a disclaimer, Panda corporate does stress self improvement to their employees and the founder and his wife do donate a lot to charity. It’s good in a lot of ways, but that doesn’t negate the fear and toxicity in the company. Just be careful if you’re trying to find a place to stay long term.

I'm planning to order some catering for a small party. I was wondering if they also provide serving utensils and plates. Thanks!

I’m alone all day did like 15 min break and still pull it off

Does anyone have one of these/know where it can be purchased? This thing is my white whale and I need to have one lol

This used to be my favorite restaurant but over the past year, they're skimping on the quantity and their attitude sucks. We pay for the food, not getting anything for free yet they show disrespect to the customers. Why would they ask for the entrees when still serving the sides? Why skimp on rice and meat??

Man what the fuck

Me and this other employee swapped closing shifts on legion, awaiting for GM to approve it. GM was out of town and away from the store so I contacted my assistant manager and made him aware of the swap. I worked the other employee shift (assistant manager worked this day) and the other employee worked my shift (GM worked this day after he came back). No short staffed.

I came to check in and was logged for a ‘no show’ and the other employee “covered my shift”?

Who is in the right and who is in the wrong? Should I fight this?

I'm in the beginning process of interviewing for a facilities manager position in a fairly large market. I'm curious how the work life balance is here? Starting pay is about 20k more than what I'm making now but my current job is extremely chill. I've got 20 years of facilities experience including equipment and HVAC-R. I'm curious what the culture and stress is like.

For the last 2 or 3 weeks when I have to cook there is no meter on the side as I am sliding up. It does nothing until I let go or stop sliding. Am I the only one?

Like the title says, I am trying to get together enough free rewards to get some food today. If anybody wants to DM me receipt pictures or the info needed to get points I would appreciate it. Payday from my new job is Friday for my first check and I have been doordashing but too sick right now and have zero energy to work my day off

I’m close to free meals with Panda Express, Chipotle, and Chick fil a. Looking for receipts to redeem rewards for any of these places

I applied to PX because it seems advancement opportunities are attainable assuming you’re willing to put in the work. I’d like to do what I can to become a shift lead as soon as I can, so I actually elected to start off FOH instead of BOH. I’m fortunately in a position right now where that $1/hr less doesn’t really make too much of a difference for me, and it genuinely seemed like a better place to start for me to work my way up. I’d like to make a good impression from the get-go, so I’ve been studying food codes, recipes, and learning what I can of the culture. I figure a lot of this will be covered in the modules, but I’d like to be prepared on the off chance I encounter an ACO or TL on my first day/week.

All this is to say, I want to make a good impression in my first few months so I can hopefully be promoted to Shift Lead as soon as I’m ready. What should I try to memorize before my first shift? And what should I do to keep that momentum in my first 30/60/90 days? Thanks in advance!

I know that pie rumors have been circulating for awhile now and I know managers are being trained in cutting pies, but I am just sooooooooooo tired of the waiting and drama with it. They need to come out with pie soon or i’m going to lose my interest in panda express.

Big shot in the dark but does anyone remember how the California rolls were made?

don't get me wrong mushroom chicken and kung pao chicken are fine but i do miss the black pepper chicken

TL;DR: Lets take a second and let it out so we feel less alone.

Yesterday my TL came to the store and told me not to soak my dishes, then was talking crap about how fast I was washing dishes behind my back with my SM. I'm letting it go and taking appropriate actions to deal with it as this isn't the first time something like this has happened with my SM specifically. But it sure is demoralizing!

Context: I'm a returning cook, and an OG at this store. I've been denied my cook test twice now for dubious reasons at best. My SM is constantly leaving us to solo multiple positions (talking full BOH/Full FOH). This day I'm referring to above, I was pounding through morning shift dishes (not mine) at 7pm. This store is just a mess :D

So, make me feel less alone here, what gripes do you have? What do your bosses/coworkers leave you to clean up?

i started working as kitchen help a month ago and im struggling with keeping up with dishes. my first 2 weeks they only had me on dishes and i learned all the techniques people use to do it efficiently (make sure things are soaking, plastics and pans first, scrape food to avoid clogging sink etc.) but since ive started making sides i’ve found it really hard to keep up.

i’ll come in at 11 am and literally nonstop be cooking batch 2s and batch 3s for hours. i might have like 5 mins of downtime per hour to knock out any pans but dont have much time aside from that until 4 pm. then they want me to take trash out and sweep, and send me on a 30. when i get back i need to keep making food and the dishes are piling up. by the time it finally slows down at around 7-8 pm i have a mountain of dishes and still need to start helping with closing.

the only thing saving me is sometimes this one lady in foh will come and help with dishes. also my store recently started adding an extra kitchen help after 4pm to help, but im not sure if thats going to stay that way

i couldn’t imagine running it solo and i fear the day my extra kitchen help calls out. how can improve? im really giving it my all and at the end of the shift im completely drained.

KUNG PAO CHICKEN, ITS SIZZLED PEANUTS SIZZLED SQUASH, WELL SEASON, IM NOT A PICKY EATER. ITS RECOMMENDED FOR WELL SEASON COOKED THROUGH AND THROUGH CHUNKS OR PIECES OF CHICKEN WELL FLAVIORFUL: THE SIZZLED PEANUTS ITS NOT GONNA BE WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE EXPECT(ITS NOT GROSS ITS THAT ITS...LIKE NOT SOFT, EASY TO CHEW, JUST NOT SOFT) THE SQUASH IS SQUASH GOOD FLAVOR.

Hey Panda fam!

If you're already planning on Panda today (Friday 10/16), there's a fundraiser going on for Maui Cat Rescue.

Order online or in the app, enter 9020050 in the Fundraiser Code box at checkout, and 28% of your order gets donated.

Works at any Panda Express in the US, pickup or delivery.

I'm a volunteer in Portland who fosters Maui rescue cats on their layovers as they fly to their new homes, so I've seen firsthand how much this rescue does. Your orange chicken can literally help save cats today 🧡

Heads up: in store orders don't count, it has to be online or app.

Code: 9020050

What's everyone ordering? I'm torn between Beijing beef and black pepper sirloin steak. 😅

What is the pay scale for each position nyc . Crew , lead , assistant manager etc.

GMs here what is your salary? Are you happy with it or would you rather be hourly again?

Why does it keep happening I’m about done with this over priced bs wash your veggies!

I pulled a rare off center crimp error fortune, I should’ve kept it sealed.

So just recently we had a whole bunch of the panda paper plates come in at my job. I come in the next day for my shift and they're all gone (not sure how, we only use them for our employee meal breaks and if people ask for them) and my manager excuse was to tell us that we either use the same few plates, which are off-brand ones she got from a store and there's only like three of them. Or we bring in our own plates so we can eat our employee meals. To me it just seems really unprofessional. There is probably a better word to describe that but this is just a bit weird to me. I've been working at this location for about 8 to 9 months now and this is never happened so am I the only person who's experienced this?