r/PandaExpress

Dude sets his entire to-go container filled with orange chicken in the bathroom sink at the mall, picks up each individual piece of chicken with his bare hands and rinses them off all while his entire container is getting filled public bathroom sink water 😭 Asked him why and he said something like “too much sugar.” Weirdest thing I’ve seen in my life…

What is most important to learn first or is there anything can I do/learn/ask that will make it easier?
Or just any advice would be appreciated!

I just had my first day yesterday. The day before that they plopped me in a metal chair to watch modules for 7 hours, I started off trying to watch each one thoroughly but one of the employees came by while the training manager was away and said "You're still doing those? I just clicked through all of them because the tests were easy and you learn everything on the job anyways." My back was killing me from sitting in that chair so I started clicking through them like she said.

My coworkers were not very helpful, the shift lead was on 55hrs, I think someone called off and we were understaffed, the shift lead seemed like he was trying to avoid answering questions I had as much as possible. Everyone seemed miserable, but I'm just doing this part time while I'm taking classes and it's a fast food job so it's whatever.

Most of my day was doing Uber/DoorDash orders, I'm slow at finding each food item and scooping the right amount, but I think that will just take time. I also can't hear a damn thing, the cooks talk to each other in Chinese and then yell out "Beijing" when they have a Beijing Chicken pan ready or want the pan from the line, but it just doesn't register to me that they're talking to me and not each other.

When it wasn't busy I would try to stand somewhere where I could see everything and watch how others were doing things that I'm slow at.
When we were closing the Shift lead would just tell me to "restock the register area" and then head back to do dishes, and everyone seemed annoyed if I asked like "uh where are the silverware and fortune cookies kept to restock this area."
If I finished a task I would go stand near the shift lead and wait for another task.
I think I overheard him talking to another employee saying that I'm "Like a robot, I won't do anything until they tell me to do it, but when they tell me something the light turns on and I work" but like... I'm training? It's my first day, I'm not just going to start doing something I don't know how to do and mess it up?

It's just awkward. I feel like when I don't do something the exact way it's supposed to be done, someone is coming to tell me it's wrong and they are mad about having to redo it. But then if I ask too many questions to make sure I'm doing it correctly they're mad that they have to spend time training me.

Back then on the Panda Express feedback you could’ve put in the random 24-something numbers but they have taken that feature off. Guess they have caught onto us for the abuse of that (free entree).

My fellow managers who consistently meet GEM, what are some of your best practices? I want to gain some insight from you guys to better help me and my store !

Why can’t I choose no vegetables for the chow mein?! Seriously half the time it’s just abunch of cabbage instead of any noodles, seriously pissed off right now over cabbage smh.

So i have worked at panda as foh for 8 months and about 2 months ago i started learning how to cook by a cook (we have 2). I told my manager that i wanted to become a cook and she said okay, so i continue learning and our second cook ends up getting fired which opens an opportunity for me to become a cook with good hours. My manager then gives me the printed papers of all the recipes and i learn them all, i have pretty much everything memorized, i can keep up with small rushes, close kitchen, do sides and dishes aswell. So i have mostly been waiting to do my kitchen test. My manager has only given me 2 days where im only kitchen and the second one was weeks ago.

2 days ago i walk into the store and see a guy on the computer and i was told by our chef that he was going to be a cook here. I asked my manager if it was true and she said that he had potential to be a cook, i was shocked because i can already do everything a cook can do. I told my manager that she already knew i wanted to become a cook and atleast be boh because i dislike being in the front. and she said that i will and that i could cover breaks and probably cook and close on sundays.

So im a bit upset because i wont get many hours as a cook. I’m pretty good at being foh and she wants to keep me there im sure so thats why i think she chose to hire that guy. Should i transfer and do my kitchen test somewhere else?

Also if i go along with it and become a cook will i be paid as a cook while being in the front?

I just got hired what should I expect or what are some tips that would help me early on? This is my first job so I’m really excited but also nervous. Anything helps!

Edit: I understand there are negative experiences. I do kinda want actual advice though, please!

I've only been working at Panda Express for about two weeks, but I already feel miserable. My manager gets on my back for every little thing, and it honestly feels like they just don't want me working (foh). They'll say they're taking over for me and send me to the lobby. When I finish everything out there, they tell me to stay in the lobby. Bro... there's only so much I can do before I'm basically sweeping invisible dust.

A week ago, someone sent me to parking. When I came back inside, my manager angrily pulled me aside and told me that if I'm sent to the parking lot, I'm also supposed to clean the lobby and restrooms. I tried explaining that I understood, but that no one had ever taught me that before. They just told me to be quiet and listen :(

Another time, I asked if I should take out the trash because it was completely full. They told me to ask a male coworker to help squish it down since he was stronger. I explained that I'd already been pressing the trash down for the last 30 minutes and there simply wasn't any more room. The manager called him over anyway. He came back and told the manager exactly what I had already said. The manager laughed and then told me to take the trash out. Like... I could've gotten that done way sooner. (Ik this is such a minor thing, but Im venting rn)

Whenever I'm serving customers, I'm apparently doing something wrong. A customer will ask for shrimp, and then a coworker will come back to me with the order saying I'm not putting enough in. I tell them I served 6–7 shrimp because that's what I was taught. They'll count them, realize that's exactly how many I put, say, "Oh," and either add one more or take it away.

I was cutting teriyaki chicken for a customer when my manager stopped me and said I was cutting it wrong. They asked how thick each slice was supposed to be, and I answered half an inch because that's what my shift leader had previously told me. The manager said my shift leader was wrong, that it was actually supposed to be an inch, and that I should listen to the training modules instead. I don't even think I've gotten to the module that covers that yet.

What frustrates me the most is when I'm assigned to P1. I'll be doing my job, and then whoever is supposed to be P2 disappears, leaving me to handle everything. While making someone'sfull order, I'm ordered to stick to P1. So I do. But then I get in trouble because no one else is there and I'm apparently supposed to finish the entire order. Pick a damn lane, please 🫩. One time, I even tried telling my manager that a coworker had specifically said they'd work as my P2, and all my manager did was cut me off saying, "No, no." Like... okay?

My next shift is a closing shift, but the day after that I'm scheduled for drive-thru. The problem is, I haven't been trained on drive-thru at all. 🫠

Lastly, I'm always told to be louder and use the place's full government name when welcoming people. Thing is, barely anyone says the full, "Hello, welcome to Panda Express", and most people say it at either the same or lower volume than I do. Sometimes I'm also the only one to doing it but am then told others are doing it louder. Um sorry, I don't think that's possible If I'm the only one saying it.

The only positive thing is that yesterday was basically the first time I actually left when my shift ended. Every other day, I've stayed 30–50 minutes past my scheduled time.

Obviously there's a little more to it, however, I'm tired.

I'm really just frustrated. The work itself isn't bad, but I dread every time I have to go in and spend my shifts counting down the minutes until I can go home. Maybe I'm being dramatic 🫤. My parents are telling me to stick with it for the rest of the month before I go back to school, but I hate it. Everyone is nice, but always full of criticism. It's my first job and the pay is good. I know things arent supposed to be easy and we constantly strive to improve and learn, but I just...dont know 😮‍💨.

I have a shellfish allergy and had a reaction. Just curious if from cross contamination or if yall use oyster/stir fry sauce on broccoli beef. TIA

I’m unable to work because something came up, and i found someone to cover my shift. that someone is just as capable as i am and we are both FOH. but why do managers get upset and not allow us to find coverages? does it mess with the time sheet/schedules? or are managers just being strict for no reason??

genuinely curious because my managers make it such a big deal. even will write us up or threaten to give us less hours. i just dont understand the reasonings. if any AM/GM can explain because my managers wont say anything besides “please show up as you are scheduled“ TYIA.

i just had two fortune cookies with no fortune. do they still do fortunes or did i get misfortune cookies

So my manager just told me that my store is gonna be one of five store where panda will be testing ai cameras for a year tbh can't believe how unlucky I am and I'm really hoping that he was exaggerating the amount of B's this thing will supposedly be able to do

Hi everyone,

I have a question about the Panda Express Assistant Manager bonus I hope to get some help here. So I was promoted to AM and officially started in the role during the first week of May.

Today (7/2), I received my first bonus, but it was only $360 which was much lower than I expected. My understanding was that I would receive a prorated bonus covering the time I was an Assistant Manager (roughly May and June).
Before I ask my GM, I wanted to see if anyone has had a similar experience. Is there a waiting period for new Assistant Managers, or is the bonus prorated differently than I assumed? Or is there another reason I might not be aware of?

Thanks in advance for any insight!

Hello all! I have a ginger allergy (upset stomach/ nausea) but I’ve really been wanting to try Panda. Are there any options that I would be able to have? Thank you in advance!

I work at panda and we’re getting dynamite back my question is why is the brisket gone? Is it on an individual location basis or is it a nation wide thing?

Did you guys know that the RDO from GCE got an ACO pregnant from the same region and all they did was move the RDO to GCW to protect him!!

Gripping the wok leaves me unbearable pain. Some days when I wake up, my hands are immobile and are sometime stuck in a certain position. It hurts to extend my fingers and I have to forcefully pry them open. Are there any exercises any cooks here do to relieve their wrist pain/finger joint pain?