Panda Express started in California, and its menu still feels like a hometown favorite here. I went through the official menu and recent 2026 price listings so you can see every bowl, plate, side, and drink with prices and calories in one place. Planning a road trip? Browse more stops on CA Travel Times.

Below is the full Panda Express menu California guests order from, with starting prices, calories, allergens, and simple ordering tips.

Prices shown are starting prices from September 2026 listings. Each store sets its own, so the app shows your exact total.

Panda Express in California at a Glance

Panda Express is the largest American Chinese restaurant brand in the country. Andrew and Peggy Cherng opened the first restaurant at the Glendale Galleria in California in 1983, and the family-owned company is headquartered in Rosemead. Meals follow a simple pattern: pick a side, add wok-cooked entrees, and finish with a drink or appetizer.

Quick fact	Detail
Founded	1983, Glendale Galleria, California
Headquarters	Rosemead, California
Locations	2,500+ restaurants
Cuisine	American Chinese
Lowest price item	$2.10 (appetizers)
Bowl starting price	$9.30

Bowl, Plate and Bigger Plate Prices

The Panda Express menu California diners use most starts with three meal sizes. Each one includes a side, and you add the entrees. Bundles add a medium fountain drink for a small extra cost.

Meal	What’s included	Starting price	Calories
Bowl	1 side + 1 entree	$9.30+	280–1,130
Plate	1 side + 2 entrees	$11.10+	430–1,640
Bigger Plate	1 side + 3 entrees	$12.90+	580–2,150
Bowl Bundle	Bowl + medium drink	$11.60	280–2,560 (all bundles)
Plate Bundle	Plate + medium drink	$13.40	280–2,560 (all bundles)
Bigger Plate Bundle	Bigger Plate + medium drink	$15.20	280–2,560 (all bundles)

Entrees Menu With Prices and Calories

Entrees are the heart of the menu. Standard entrees are included in your bowl or plate price. Premium entrees add about $1.50 per scoop. Ordered a la carte, standard entrees start at $5.40 and premium entrees at $6.90.

Standard Entrees

Orange Chicken is the signature pick, and Grilled Teriyaki Chicken is a favorite for protein. Wok Smart items have 300 calories or less and at least 8 grams of protein.

Entree	A la carte price	Calories	Note
Orange Chicken	$5.40+	510	Signature
Beijing Beef	$5.40+	470	Sweet-tangy
Kung Pao Chicken	$5.40+	320	Spicy
Broccoli Beef	$5.40+	150	Wok Smart
Mushroom Chicken	$5.40+	220	Wok Smart
Grilled Teriyaki Chicken	$5.40+	275	Wok Smart
Sweet & Sour Chicken	$5.40+	400	Crispy
String Bean Chicken Breast	$5.40+	210	Wok Smart
Honey Sesame Chicken Breast	$5.40+	340	Mildly sweet
Black Pepper Chicken	$5.40+	280	Wok Smart
SweetFire Chicken Breast	$5.40+	380	Spicy

Allergens: Most sauces contain soy and wheat. Kung Pao Chicken contains peanuts. Check the official nutrition and allergen guide before ordering.

Premium Entrees

Premium entrees use shrimp, steak, and brisket. They add about $1.50 to a bowl or plate, and the brisket upcharge is a little higher.

Entree	A la carte price	Calories	Note
Honey Walnut Shrimp	$6.90+	430	Glazed walnuts
Black Pepper Sirloin Steak	$6.90+	180	Wok Smart
Cantonese BBQ Brisket	$6.90+	410	44g protein

Allergens: Honey Walnut Shrimp contains shellfish and walnuts. Cantonese BBQ Brisket contains sesame, soy, and wheat.

Sides Menu

Every meal starts with a side. You can ask for half-and-half, such as half Chow Mein and half Fried Rice, at no extra charge. A la carte sides start at $4.60.

Side	Price	Calories
White Steamed Rice	$4.60+	520
Brown Steamed Rice	$4.60+	420
Fried Rice	$4.60+	620
Chow Mein	$4.60+	600
Super Greens	$4.60+	130

Allergens: Chow Mein contains wheat and soy. Fried Rice contains soy and egg.

Appetizers and Soup

Appetizers are quick add-ons that start at $2.10. They are easy to share, and the Chicken Potsticker is the lightest at 160 calories.

Item	Price	Calories
Veggie Spring Roll (2 pcs)	$2.10	240
Cream Cheese Rangoon (3 pcs)	$2.10	190
Chicken Egg Roll (1 pc)	$2.10	200
Chicken Potsticker (3 pcs)	$2.10	160
Hot & Sour Soup (cup)	$2.50	120

Allergens: Wrappers contain wheat and soy. Cream Cheese Rangoon contains milk.

Family Meals, Party Trays and Catering

The 5-Person Family Meal starts at $43.00 with two large sides and three large entrees. That works out to about $8.60 per person. Party trays suit office lunches, school events, and celebrations. Catering orders are easiest to plan through the app or your local store.

Option	Serves	Starting price
5-Person Family Meal	5	$43.00+
Party Size Side	10–12	$17.00+
Party Size Entree	12–14	$42.00+
Party Size Appetizer	12–14	$42.00+
12–16 Person Party Bundle	12–16	$112.00+
18–22 Person Party Bundle	18–22	$159.00+
26–30 Person Party Bundle	26–30	$201.00+

Panda Cub Meal (Kids Menu)

The Panda Cub Meal costs $7.80 and includes a junior side, a junior entree, a fruit side, and bottled water or kid’s juice. Kids can also build their own.

Cub Meal	Price	Calories
Orange Chicken Cub Meal	$7.80	740
Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Cub Meal	$7.80	680
Broccoli Beef Cub Meal	$7.80	620
Build Your Own Cub Meal	$7.80	300–740

Balanced Protein Plates and Light Orders

Wok Smart entrees and Super Greens make it easy to build a lighter meal. Balanced Protein Plates are preset plates with a strong protein focus.

Plate	Price	Calories
Double Protein Plate	$10.90	875
Harmonious Macros Plate	$10.90	555
Build Your Own Plate	$10.50+	430–1,640

Lowest-calorie bowl: Super Greens + Broccoli Beef = about 280 calories
High-protein plate: Super Greens + Grilled Teriyaki Chicken + Black Pepper Sirloin Steak
Budget bowl: Broccoli Beef with Super Greens at about $9.30

Drinks Menu

Fountain drinks come in small, medium, and large. Crafted Beverages come in a 24 oz size and use real sugar and real fruit juice.

Drink	Price	Calories
Fountain drinks (S / M / L)	$2.30 / $2.50 / $2.70	0–390 (medium)
Crafted Beverages (24 oz)	$3.40+	195–240
Dasani Water (16 oz)	$2.50+	0
Powerade Berry Blast (20 oz)	$2.90+	130

Crafted flavors include Strawberry Dragonfruit Refresher, Watermelon Mango Refresher, Peach Lychee Refresher, Mango Guava Tea, and Pomegranate Lemonade.

What’s New on the Menu in 2026

Panda Express keeps the menu fresh with limited-time dishes. Here is where the 2026 lineup stands as of early October. Availability changes by store, so check the app before you go.

Item	What it is	Status
Cantonese BBQ Brisket	Slow-cooked brisket in Char Siu-style BBQ sauce, 410 calories, 44g protein	Back since September 1, 2026, while supplies last
Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken	Crispy dark-meat chicken with tamarind-tomato-garlic spice and Chili Crisp Aioli	Testing in 7 cities including Los Angeles, launched September 8
Hot Orange Chicken	Orange Chicken with two types of chili peppers	Summer run finished September 30, 2026
Typhoon Chili Shrimp	Tempura shrimp in spicy chili sauce	Tested at 20 stores in California, Louisiana, and Texas

Since July 2026, Panda Express has also removed all artificial colors and synthetic dyes from its recipes as part of The Panda Promise.

Calories by Menu Category

This chart-ready table helps you compare categories at a glance.

Category	Calorie range	Best for
Chicken entrees	210–510	Everyday favorites
Beef entrees	150–470	Lighter or crispy picks
Shrimp entree	430	Premium treat
Brisket entree	410	High protein
Sides	130–620	Base for any meal
Appetizers	120–240	Sharing
Crafted Beverages	195–240	Refreshing sips

Allergens, Gluten-Free and Vegetarian Options

Panda Express cooks with soybean oil and adds no MSG beyond what occurs naturally in ingredients like soy sauce. Soy sauce contains wheat and the kitchen shares equipment, so check the official allergen guide first if you follow a gluten-free diet or have a food allergy.

Vegetarian-friendly picks: Super Greens, Chow Mein, and Veggie Spring Rolls
Allergens to watch for: soy, wheat, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, milk, and egg

Allergens, Gluten-Free and Vegetarian Options

The Panda Promise

The Panda Promise is Panda Express’s ongoing recipe update program, started in 2020. It lowers sodium, trims sugar, raises protein, and keeps ingredient lists clean.

2020: Program begins across the menu
2024–2025: Protein boosted in entrees like Grilled Teriyaki Chicken
July 2026: All artificial colors and synthetic dyes removed
July 2026: Crafted Beverages use real sugar and real fruit juice

Panda Rewards: How Points Work

Panda Rewards members earn 10 points for every $1 spent on qualifying purchases. Points can be redeemed from 200 points, and they expire after 365 days without activity. The weekly Wok Wednesday game in the app adds bonus rewards.

Reward	Points
Premium entree upgrade	200
Bowl to Plate upgrade	250
Small appetizer	300
Medium drink	350
Bowl	1,250
Family Meal	5,000

How to Order and Payment Options

Panda Express offers several ways to order, and the app gives you base menu prices with rewards points. Delivery apps are handy at home, though they often add service fees.

Method	Best for
Dine-in	Fountain refills and relaxed meals
Drive-thru	Fast pickups
App or website pickup	Rewards points and skipping the line
Delivery (Uber Eats, DoorDash, Grubhub)	Meals at home

Accepted payments include credit and debit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, cash, and Panda Express gift cards.

Hours and Finding a California Store

Most restaurants open around 10:30 AM and close between 9:30 and 10:00 PM. Malls, airports, and campuses follow venue hours. Use the official store locator to see address, hours, and services for any California city.

Day	Typical opening	Typical closing
Monday–Thursday	10:30 AM	9:30 PM
Friday–Saturday	10:30 AM	10:00 PM
Sunday	10:30 AM	9:30 PM

Menu Hacks and Fan Favorites

Regulars have a few easy ways to make every order shine. Ask politely, since each store has its own flow.

Half-and-half sides, like Chow Mein plus Fried Rice
Extra Orange Sauce or Teriyaki Sauce on the side
Kung Pao Chicken with SweetFire Chicken for sweet-spicy contrast
Bigger Plate for the lowest cost per entree
Rewards redemption together with app offers

Final Thoughts

The Panda Express menu California diners love is simple once you know the three meal sizes. Pick a Bowl, Plate, or Bigger Plate, choose your side, and add entrees that match your calories and budget. Try the returning Cantonese BBQ Brisket for protein, use the app for rewards, and check your local store for exact prices. Enjoy the meal, and explore more food spots in our California Local Guides.