Panda Express: A History
Nation’s Restaurant News’ annual Brand Icon award honors major restaurant companies that live at the intersection of legacy and innovation, recognizing their past while also maintaining relevance among modern-day consumers.
Trace the history of this Brand Icon from its predecessor’s 1973 inception to the creation of its loyalty program.
July 9, 2026
While Panda Express’s origins date to 1983, the story of the brand reaches back to the late 1960s, when Andrew and Peggy Cherng first met as immigrants at Baker University in Kansas, and then to 1973, the year Andrew Cherng opened Panda Inn with his father, Chef Ming-Tsai Cherng, in Pasadena, California.
Today, with more than 2,600 locations in the U.S. and 20 million loyalty users, Panda sits at the intersection of cultural origin and original expression.
The chain is NRN’s 2026 Brand Icon. Click through the slideshow above to revisit its history.
About the Author
Sam Oches
Editor in Chief
Sam Oches is an award-winning Editorial Director with Informa Connect Foodservice and editor in chief of Nation's Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality. A graduate of the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, Sam previously served as Editorial Director of Food News Media, publisher of QSR and FSR magazines. He’s a past president of the International Foodservice Editorial Council (IFEC) and a past board member with the American Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE). His foodservice insights have been shared in national media outlets such as the New York Times, USA Today, National Public Radio, and CNBC. He lives in Columbus, Ohio, with his wife and three kids.
Content Spotlight
The Technomic Top 500: Another tough year for chain restaurants
Top 500 chain restaurant sales slowed again in 2025 as consumers cut back on dining, but sectors like coffee, beverages and snacks and chicken thrived
Featured
Jul 8, 2026
Jul 2, 2026
Recent News
Content Spotlight
Get to know Rick Cardenas, the Darden CEO who started there as a busser
The executive shares his advice, along with his most-binged TV show, favorite sports team, and most-used app
Source: This story originated with Nation's Restaurant News.
View Original Article →