First Philippine Panda Express branch to open in SM Megamall

Panda Express cofounders and co-CEOs Andrew and Peggy Cherng. Panda Express US

The first Philippine branch of California, USA-based Panda Express is going to be at the SM Megamall in Pasig City, local partner Jollibee Foods Corporation said Monday.

“Many speculated where its location would be, and now it’s official—the first store will be in SM Megamall, Ortigas Center, Pasig City,” according to a Jollibee-Panda Express joint statement.

No exact date has yet been set for when the store will open for business.

Philippine operations of Panda Express are under a joint venture deal between Panda Restaurant Group Inc. and homegrown fast food giant Jollibee.

Jollibee announced the joint venture in September 2018, citing at least five stores to be established in Metro Manila during the initial phase of operations.

Panda Express is known for its original recipes such as the Original Orange Chicken, Sweetfire Chicken Breast, Honey Walnut Shrimp, and Shanghai Angus Steak.

It currently has over 2,000 locations throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, Guam, Guatemala, El Salvador, Aruba, Canada, Mexico, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Korea, Japan, and Russia.

Panda Express is an immigrant success story. Cofounders and co-CEOs Andrew and Peggy Cherng both went to the US in pursuit of a better life.

In 1973, Andrew and his father Chef Ming Tsai Cherng opened the sit-down Chinese restaurant Panda Inn, the first dining concept that led to the creation of Panda Express in 1983.

Andrew and Peggy opened the first Panda Express in Glendale, California “with the goal of bringing together bold flavors, quality, and convenience to the dining experience.”

“Panda Express has successfully popularized American Chinese cuisine through authentic Chinese recipes adapted to global tastes, setting the brand up as the largest Asian dining concept in the US and the largest American Chinese concept in the world,” the statement read.

Jollibee is one of the largest and fastest growing Asian restaurant companies in the world.

It operates in 21 countries, with over 4,500 stores globally with branches in the Philippines, United States, Canada, China (including Hong Kong and Macau), United Kingdom, Italy, Vietnam, Brunei, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Indonesia, Costa Rica, Egypt, El Salvador, Panama, and Malaysia. —Jon Viktor Cabuenas/VDS, GMA News