Panda Express: A Legacy of Grocerant Growth

 

In the ever-evolving world of food retail, one brand continues to exemplify the rise of grocerants—hybrid foodservice destinations that blend grocery and restaurant experiences. That brand is Panda Express. As a hallmark of American Chinese cuisine, Panda Express has not only carved out a unique space in the restaurant industry but has also helped define the success trajectory of grocerant concepts according to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

Let’s explore the historical roots of Panda Express, analyze why Chinese takeout resonates so deeply with U.S. consumers, and unpack the five foundational platforms of its success—along with five compelling reasons its growth will continue.

 

A Brief History of Panda Express

Panda Express was founded in 1983 by Andrew and Peggy Cherng, who had already built a successful sit-down restaurant, Panda Inn, in Pasadena, California. They saw the opportunity to offer flavorful, fast, and consistent Chinese-American cuisine in a limited-service format—what we now recognize as a grocerant cornerstone: portability, flavor-forward food, and affordability.

Their first location opened in the Glendale Galleria mall, and by leveraging high-traffic, convenience-focused environments like food courts and later Walmart and airport locations, Panda Express flourished. As of 2025, it operates over 2,300 locations and is the largest family-owned Chinese restaurant chain in the United States, with estimated annual revenue exceeding $3.5 billion.

 

Why Consumers Crave Takeout Chinese Food

Chinese takeout occupies a nostalgic and practical place in the American consumer psyche. The reasons are rooted in psychology, convenience, and culinary satisfaction:

·       Familiar Flavor Profiles: Sweet, savory, umami-heavy sauces like Orange Chicken and Beijing Beef hit multiple taste triggers.

·       Affordability & Portion Size: Generous servings at a reasonable price have long made Chinese takeout a family-friendly option.

·       Speed & Portability: It’s easy to carry, fast to prepare, and holds up well during travel—key to grocerant success.

·       Customizability: Consumers can mix and match entrees and sides, appealing to diverse dietary needs.

·       Emotional Comfort: With deep ties to both urban and suburban American dining culture, Chinese takeout is synonymous with comfort and celebration.

 

Five Pillars of Panda Express' Grocerant Success

1. Strategic Location Deployment

Panda Express leverages non-traditional spaces—malls, airports, college campuses, and Walmart stores—where time-pressed consumers crave quality, ready-to-eat meals. It anticipates need, rather than waits for diners to seek it out.

2. Menu Engineering and Innovation

Signature dishes like Orange Chicken (responsible for ~30% of sales) combine Chinese culinary heritage with American flavor preferences. Seasonal LTOs (limited-time offers) like Honey Sesame Chicken and plant-based Beyond™ offerings keep the menu fresh.

3. Operational Efficiency

Their kitchen model—wok-cooked meals in high volumes—allows speed and consistency. Combined with a vertically integrated supply chain, this drives both quality control and margin protection.

4. Tech and Loyalty Integration

Panda Express has seen mobile ordering increase by 55% YoY thanks to its well-designed app, third-party delivery partnerships, and the Panda Rewards loyalty program, which engages users with gamified experiences and exclusive offers.

5. Brand Authenticity and Family Ownership

Unlike many competitors, Panda remains family-owned, allowing for long-term strategy over short-term investor returns. The Cherng family’s commitment to values, training, and innovation echoes throughout its 47,000+ employees worldwide.

 

Five Reasons Panda Express Will Continue to Grow

1. Global Expansion Momentum

With new stores opening in Canada, South Korea, and the UAE, Panda Express is tapping into the growing global appetite for fast-casual Asian cuisine—projected to grow 6.8% CAGR through 2028.

2. Grocerant Synergy with Retailers

Panda Express's partnerships with large-format retailers, such as Walmart and Target, enhance foot traffic and offer built-in grocerant ecosystems, fulfilling the “meals instead of ingredients” consumer mindset.

3. Health-Conscious Menu Evolution

Healthier offerings like Super Greens sides, grilled teriyaki chicken, and low-sodium sauces align with consumer trends toward mindful eating—important when 42% of millennials claim they eat “mostly healthy” food.

4. Digital and Delivery Scale-Up

Panda’s investment in AI-based personalization, order-ahead tech, and a proprietary delivery ecosystem ensures they stay competitive in the $45B online food delivery market, projected to grow at 10.4% CAGR through 2030.

5. Cultural Relevance and Gen Z Appeal

Younger generations favor brands that blend tradition with creativity. Panda’s TikTok collaborations, anime-inspired campaigns, and Lunar New Year promotions resonate with a diverse and engaged Gen Z audience, now accounting for ~20% of all fast-casual traffic.

 

Think About This: A Grocerant Titan

Panda Express has done more than serve Chinese-American food—it has helped shape a category. As a grocerant pioneer, it has built a scalable, customer-centric, flavor-forward model that continues to evolve with changing demographics and habits. Whether through cultural resonance, tech-savvy operations, or international expansion, Panda Express embodies what the modern grocerant can and should be.

In a landscape where 71% of consumers say they prefer meals prepared outside the home, Panda Express is not just surviving—it's thriving. And as The Grocerant Guru™, I can tell you this: the orange glow of Panda’s legacy is only getting brighter.

Elevate Your Brand with Expert Insights

For corporate presentations, regional chain strategies, educational forums, or keynote speaking, Steven Johnson, the Grocerant Guru®, delivers actionable insights that fuel success.

With deep experience in restaurant operations, brand positioning, and strategic consulting, Steven provides valuable takeaways that inspire and drive results.

💡 Visit GrocerantGuru.com or FoodserviceSolutions.US
📞 Call 1-253-759-7869

 

Chinese Food Grocerant Niche Growth Build or Classic Roll-Up

 

When Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® read about Yong Zhao, co-founder and CEO of Junzi Kitchen and Nice Day, was out to change the way Americans eat Chinese food he was inspired see others join the grocerant niche platform driving Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh food sales. 

Back in the day, Johnson assisted Tim Glass, James Brimhall, and Ford Smith develop the first national online food platform cybermeals, then he assisted the same team in the national 65 restaurant food delivery services Roll-up for EZT2GET.com.  

Yong sees that consumers are tired of having to call up the local Chinese restaurants every time a craving hits while surfing the Net wondering what ‘flavor of Chinese will I be getting? Across the country today close to, 70 percent of its Chinese restaurants are independently run.

Now, Yong he’s hoping to strike some deals with family-owned Chinese restaurants at the same time. Many of those families are looking to retire, so Zhao’s company is hoping to grow its brands by buying out those operators and modernizing their restaurants with today’s technology and tastes in mind using a classic roll-up strategy. Is your food sector ready to evolve?

The grocerant niche is still in its infancy foodservice sector after foodservice sector continues to evolve all migrating from the past to the future filled with Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food. in order to garner both Gen Z and Millennial consumers in search of food discovery at the same time in search of a new level of standardization, consistency, and delivery. The roll-up strategy is perfect for this sector.

Foodservice Solutions® specializes in outsourced business development. We can help you identify, quantify and qualify additional food retail segment opportunities or a new menu product segment and brand and menu integration strategy.  Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma WA is the global leader in the Grocerant niche visit us on our social media sites by clicking one of the following links: Facebook,  LinkedIn, or Twitter

Grocerant niche Mix & Match Meal Components are America’s Melting Pot

 

Conversation and food, meals, snacking, and beverages has become the one universal commonality that really has the power to bring everyone together. No matter what country, culture, or climate, eating inside or eating outside around the world, people get together to eat. Then we talk about wither what we ate or what we cooked and how according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solution®.

Today the U.S. multicultural population is projected to grow by 98 million people in the coming decades, multicultural shoppers will continue to have significant influence in determining what’s for dinner; according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

I was looking back at some research titled Multicultural The Why? The Behind The Buy™ that provided insight into the preferences of U.S. Hispanic, African American and Asian American shoppers that will continue to drive change.  Here is some of what they found:

·         More multicultural shoppers enjoy grocery shopping. Seventy-two percent of African American shoppers, 65 percent of U.S. Hispanic shoppers and 61 percent of Asian American shoppers reported this versus 56 percent of White/Caucasian (Non-Hispanic) shoppers.

·         Shopping with other people is more common among multicultural groups. Seventy-two percent of Asian American shoppers, 67 percent of U.S. Hispanic shoppers and 63 percent of African American shoppers reported shopping with others during their routine, regular grocery trips versus 55 percent of White/Caucasian (Non-Hispanic) shoppers.

·         Multicultural shoppers purchase groceries across more channels than total U.S. shoppers. Twenty-three percent of U.S. Hispanic shoppers reported shopping in a Hispanic/Ethnic grocery store in the past six months versus three percent of total U.S. shoppers.

Multicultural Shoppers Are Engaged with Brands

·         Forty-nine percent of U.S. Hispanic shoppers and 46 percent of Asian American shoppers agreed that they buy grocery brands that are authentic to their ethnic heritage.

·         Sixty-five percent of African American shoppers and 59 percent of U.S. Hispanic shoppers agreed that they are passionate about their favorite grocery brands.

·         Compared to total U.S. shoppers, more multicultural shoppers agreed that they buy brands that are socially responsible.

Convenient Meal Solutions Are Important

·         More multicultural shoppers brought grocery prepared foods home in the past thirty days. Seventy-six percent of U.S. Hispanic shoppers reported doing this in the past month versus 59 percent of White/Caucasian (Non-Hispanic) shoppers.

·         Seventy-six percent of Asian American shoppers reported ordering from a restaurant for pick-up/carry-out in the past 30 days versus 53 percent of White/Caucasian (Non-Hispanic) shoppers.

Multicultural Shoppers Comfortable with Grocery Digital

·         Forty-four percent of U.S. Hispanic shoppers reported reading a digital grocery flyer versus 35 percent of total U.S. shoppers.

·         Thirty-eight percent of African American shoppers reported using a search engine to find recipes online versus 28 percent of total U.S. shoppers.

·         Thirty-seven percent of Asian American shoppers reported using a shopping list on their mobile device versus 26 percent of total U.S. shoppers.

Do your food marketing ideations reflect the inclusion of today’s population? Or do you marketing ideation look more like yesterday than tomorrow? Interested in learning how www.FoodserviceSolutions.us can edify your retail food brand while creating a platform for consumer convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization?  Email us at: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or visit:  www.FoodserviceSolutions.us for more information.

Tired of Cooking Try Snacking for New Years Eve and New Year’s Day

 

So, Junzi Kitchen recently dropped their first holiday snack box. Hand-picked by junzi team members, the box includes a collection of 12 iconic East Asian snacks a perfect way to change things up in the New Year according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

The box provides a balance of sweet and savory:

·         Chinese Lay's chips

·         Matcha Pocky

·         GGE crackers

·         Master Kang 3+2 crackers

·         Candied hawthorn flakes

·         White rabbit taffies

·         Vita Soy juice box

·         Banana-flavored yogurt drink from Korea

·         Spicy Peanuts

 

This gift box, along with all other Junzi merchandise, will be available on Junzi's brand new online store www.shopjunzi.com/ .

With 2021 its time to think forward, we still have to continue social distancing but we don’t have to cook from scratch every day according to Johnson. 

So, in the meantime, check out Junzi Kitchen on Instagram, Facebook or at their website.  Expand you comfort food zone to try snacking in the New Year. Yong Zhao, CEO and Co-founder of Junzi. "We made this launch to upgrade our system to create a much better online engagement experience. As a brand committed to connecting people from different cultures globally with Chinese culture, this is a great opportunity to extend our offering with interesting food products that we love, including our fan-favorite chili oils handcrafted in our store."

Invite Foodservice Solutions® to complete a Grocerant Program Assessment, Grocerant ScoreCard, or for product positioning or placement assistance, or call our Grocerant Guru®.  Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche. Contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or 253-759-7869

Dinner America’s Melting Pot Forces Change for All Food Retailers

Most of you have hear this quote from Guy Fieri “Cooking is all about people. Food is maybe the only universal thing that really has the power to bring everyone together. No matter what culture, everywhere around the world, people get together to eat.”

Today the U.S. multicultural population is projected to grow by 98 million people in the coming decades, multicultural shoppers will continue to have significant influence in determining what’s for dinner; according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

Recent research titled Multicultural The Why? The Behind The Buy™ provides insight into the preferences of U.S. Hispanic, African American and Asian American shoppers that will continue to drive change.  Here is some of what they found:

·         More multicultural shoppers enjoy grocery shopping. Seventy-two percent of African American shoppers, 65 percent of U.S. Hispanic shoppers and 61 percent of Asian American shoppers reported this versus 56 percent of White/Caucasian (Non-Hispanic) shoppers.

·         Shopping with other people is more common among multicultural groups. Seventy-two percent of Asian American shoppers, 67 percent of U.S. Hispanic shoppers and 63 percent of African American shoppers reported shopping with others during their routine, regular grocery trips versus 55 percent of White/Caucasian (Non-Hispanic) shoppers.

·         Multicultural shoppers purchase groceries across more channels than total U.S. shoppers. Twenty-three percent of U.S. Hispanic shoppers reported shopping in a Hispanic/Ethnic grocery store in the past six months versus three percent of total U.S. shoppers.

Multicultural Shoppers Are Engaged with Brands

·         Forty-nine percent of U.S. Hispanic shoppers and 46 percent of Asian American shoppers agreed that they buy grocery brands that are authentic to their ethnic heritage.

·         Sixty-five percent of African American shoppers and 59 percent of U.S. Hispanic shoppers agreed that they are passionate about their favorite grocery brands.

·         Compared to total U.S. shoppers, more multicultural shoppers agreed that they buy brands that are socially responsible.

Convenient Meal Solutions Are Important

·         More multicultural shoppers brought grocery prepared foods home in the past thirty days. Seventy-six percent of U.S. Hispanic shoppers reported doing this in the past month versus 59 percent of White/Caucasian (Non-Hispanic) shoppers.

·         Seventy-six percent of Asian American shoppers reported ordering from a restaurant for pick-up/carry-out in the past 30 days versus 53 percent of White/Caucasian (Non-Hispanic) shoppers.

Multicultural Shoppers Comfortable with Grocery Digital

·         Forty-four percent of U.S. Hispanic shoppers reported reading a digital grocery flyer versus 35 percent of total U.S. shoppers.

·         Thirty-eight percent of African American shoppers reported using a search engine to find recipes online versus 28 percent of total U.S. shoppers.

·         Thirty-seven percent of Asian American shoppers reported using a shopping list on their mobile device versus 26 percent of total U.S. shoppers.

If you are looking for a new partnership to drive sales consider Acosta? Do your food marketing ideations look more like yesterday than tomorrow? Interested in learning how www.FoodserviceSolutions.us can edify your retail food brand while creating a platform for consumer convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization?  Email us at: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or visit:  www.FoodserviceSolutions.us for more information.