Panda Express

High quality! We beat the rush by about 1 minute, but must've just missed the one before us as well because they were still making fresh fried rice and we had to wait. Great orange chicken here, honey sesame was meh. THE WAIT WAS FOREVER. Probably 14 other people came in after us and we were all waiting around for our food after ordering. Hard to be socially distant like that, and a lot of those other customers didn't seem to care. Self-serve drinks, kinda yikes. Watched an employee refill a few used cups for the break room. There's a "warm rack" loosely wrapped in flimsy foil that was flapping in the breeze of the direct vent from the AC... If you're ordering for pickup, expect it to be cold even if it's fresh off the line.

The food is good but they need to seperate the online orders from the in person orders. I ordered 1 item and my order was done and sitting in line on the counter with about 9 orders in front of it and most of the orders where from online orders. I do not like cold food. I expect to get my food hot. So several of the orders in front of mine were waiting for an item to be refilled. My food was cold when I got it. And I ordered the Fire Shrimp... not good cold. At least they should have someone to be pushing out the orders that are completed. I had already paid when I ordered from the girl electronically taking the orders at the front of the line. So I couldn't just walk out. It would be pretty simple to assign one staff member to get the orders out to the customer as soon as it's complete. Just check the orders and since they are paid already just get it out. So I will not be dining here if it's like this again. It would have been good hot!!! The last couple times here is been much better! Fresh hot food and better service!

Cleona Bautista

The food is good but they need to seperate the online orders from the in person orders. I ordered 1 item and my order was done and sitting in line on the counter with about 9 orders in front of it and most of the orders where from online orders. I do not like cold food. I expect to get my food hot. So several of the orders in front of mine were waiting for an item to be refilled. My food was cold when I got it. And I ordered the Fire Shrimp... not good cold. At least they should have someone to be pushing out the orders that are completed. I had already paid when I ordered from the girl electronically taking the orders at the front of the line. So I couldn't just walk out. It would be pretty simple to assign one staff member to get the orders out to the customer as soon as it's complete. Just check the orders and since they are paid already just get it out. So I will not be dining here if it's like this again. It would have been good hot!!! The last couple times here is been much better! Fresh hot food and better service!

The lesson of the day is always order online. In person ordering is extremely slow.

Always packed and dirty. Despite the large number of staff you'll get ignored unless you cut off other customers or get in an employee's face. They consistently forget the teriyaki sauce for the teriyaki chicken every time for the past several years. A whole lot of action going on but not a lot of productivity. Never leave without checking your food.

Food was good, everything seemed freshly made. I rated 3 stars due to the service. The tea is also labeled sweet and had no sweetener in it. I got egg rolls with no sauce which I specifically ask for. You cannot hear them call your name over the music and talking within the restaurant. I mentioned this to the lady at the cash register that she needs to speak louder and it seemed like her and her co-worker handled the feedback I gave poorly. When my food got called I noticed that it was served for in restaurant when I asked for it to go and the egg roll sauce was there and then when i got home I noticed that it was not in the bag. Seemed to me like the server purposely withheld the sauce when I asked for my food to be placed into a to go bad. I’m a veteran and my hearing is not too great, on top of that the background noise did not help, but regardless they should be speaking loud enough for every customer to hear.

I've been here several times in the afternoon. Each time they've been busy and they just don't seem to be able to handle the busyness. Currently they only allow a few people inside. Often they forget to bring people in when someone goes out. They don't have anyone telling the cooks that they at running out of certain items so this causes huge delays. The tall Cook is constantly looking back to see how much food is out but that really shouldn't be his job They need a manager or supervisor that can multitask and someone on the line that can notify the cooks what they need frequently. If you see they are busy then you can pretty much figure you'll be spending a minimum time of 30 minutes. Great food UPDATE - May 8th 2022 Service was a little slow but the staff was really working hard to get the food out. Staff member Brandon was amazing He was not only on register but checking on the mobile orders and answering questions for customers. Really great guy

Grossest food ever . I’ve been to A lot of Pandas . And this one is so gross I had to warn anyone thinking of going there. Food burnt , nice servers but food is disgusting:/

S Fisch

Grossest food ever . I’ve been to A lot of Pandas . And this one is so gross I had to warn anyone thinking of going there. Food burnt , nice servers but food is disgusting:/

There is always a long line to place your order, then you have to wait a long time to recieve your order, they always run out of food, I have to wait for hot orange chicken all the time.

Kain Tayo

There is always a long line to place your order, then you have to wait a long time to recieve your order, they always run out of food, I have to wait for hot orange chicken all the time.

This Panda is a mess. It is super busy. When I got there to pick my food order online, there were people everywhere. There is no order - people standing in all the isles waiting, confused about how to get their food or where to order. The staff was working hard, but the wait was long and there seems to be a lack of leadership. 3 stars for pretty standard food.

They always have had good food and service in the past, but today I had an order to pick up and my order was given to someone else. That was dissapointing but at the end they gave me my order. Waiting was super long. They have to check the order names better so this won't happen to someone else. Specially if it's a big order like mine.

Maria Gomez

They always have had good food and service in the past, but today I had an order to pick up and my order was given to someone else. That was dissapointing but at the end they gave me my order. Waiting was super long. They have to check the order names better so this won't happen to someone else. Specially if it's a big order like mine.

I've been coming here once a week since they've been open. Seems like customer service has really dropped in the past few months. I do a mobile order and most of the time I don't get my requested silverware or sweet and sour sauce. I get a handful of other sauces I don't want and seldom get cookies. It used to be nice walking in and being greeted by name, but the current crew can barely make eye contact, much less conversation

Went to the panda here in Santa Maria to get my son something to eat after school and ordered him the kids meal and this is what we received once I payed and left!! That’s ridiculous! Never going back to that Panda Express! If I could give zero stars I would!

The only thing that makes people come back is there food? Their service is horribly slow one of the worst places in town considering wait times. the long service time can be a bit more bearable if there was a place to stand or sit, but instead, you have people standing in the middle of the walkway, all trying to fight about who can get their food first it’s turned into a madhouse of hungry people

Waiting 45 minutes not once but numerous times, and the wait isn't even worth the food. It's good if you get it in a timely manner. It takes 15 people to put together one order of honey walnut shrimp and a single order of rice. Every time I go there is a circus. Poor management....big time.

It’s not even packed they are just always slow. 5-10 people lined up waiting to order while no foods being prepared or no ones being taken care of at the register. What is everyone else doing?

This place blows. We ordered 3 bowls and 1 plate using DoorDash. We got two bowls and 1 plate and the order contained none of the sauces. They also didn’t include 1 of the side orders. If you are in the mood for Chinese food, look anywhere else.

The only thing that is good about panda express in Santa Maria is the fact that the chow mein is vegetarian friendly. It used to be, when you would walk into the restaurant, that you walked up to the counter and placed your order. Not so anymore. Now, they have you go over to the registers, where it is already crowded with customers, and you place your order with them there. Add to that the confusion of having to wait for your order in the same place, which also interrupts the soda station, and all of the phone in and web orders that have been placed Adding to the confusion. The only thing redeeming about this place, is the fact that you can get a single order of chow mein or less than seven dollars. The employees are rude, do not know how to count change, and don’t even know how to create a duplicate receipt.

Did a mobile order, went in to pick it up and after waiting about 10 minutes I finally was able to ask about my pickup only to be told that there was nothing under my name. Everyone was being rude to me the entire time and even though I showed them everything it took me having to pull up an email and showing them to get them to give me my order. What should've taken a couple minutes took 20 because of the terrible customer service. Don't go here unless you're just as rude and miserable as the people working here.

I ordered delivery and the website said to pick my order up. And I couldn't get in touch with anyone to switch it. Not to mention im out of state for work. Not going to get a Uber to go pick up food I ordered to be delivered

I usually love panda and it’s never bad, but today i decided to order online to pick it up. My food should’ve been done by 6:55 as the website said that. I was waiting there for about 40 minutes well after my food should’ve been ready. I didn’t get my food until 7:38. Very disappointed.

Was the next person in line when the employee says to move the line a group of mex moved over in front of me so I moved back in front becuz I was next in line. Then the employee at panda conviently lost my order so the mex got their order first. After they found my order no problem. That discrimination big time. Never been treated so badly at a food place. I will never go to any panda express again ever

Granted they were busy when I walked in, but the floor was a sticky mess. I ordered a place with orange chicken and blazing bourbon. Both taste like they were cooked in the burned remnants of the dish before. The food it's self wasn't burned, but something was. It was terrible. I don't expect much from fast food Chinese, but this was subpar even for Panda. In addition, I stood there trying to order my side, and the guy in front of me conpletely ignored me. He went from helping the cashier to the next person in line. All I wanted was an egg roll and rangoons. Egg roll was also over cooked. Rangoons were clearly rushed and borderline undercooked. Its really hard to mess everything up this bad. Hoping it was a single off day for them. I give every restaurant 2 chances.

I personally work at a food work place and GEEZ, that customer services when taking my order was not welcoming. I understand we have our hard days but hey, it can always be worse. Ps. Joanna look pretty all you want but your attitude for customers AKA soft skills you need some work girl.

Sat there for 30 minutes waiting on my food which they had just sitting on the counter as they made the "easy orders" instead of packing and handing me mine. Not until I said something did they even attempt to bag my food. Asked for a refund which I obviously did not get.

The first time I was a walk-in. They ran out of 5 main entrees. So I had to wait about 30 minutes to get my food. On top of that, they served some entrees and we’re sitting on the plates for 30 min. By the time I got my food, it was cold. I gave them the benefit and thought that is the risk of walking in. Now today I ordered my food online to make sure I would get my food more quickly. Application said food would be ready at 7:23pm. I arrived at 7:15pm and I did not receive my food until 8:05pm. It is ridiculous. Food was once again cold. They need to get better organized and fix application when they start getting behind. It’s sad as my wife and I love the food but this type of service sucks.

Food probably would have been good. But frickin terrible service to watch your food go cold waiting to pay due to 1 cashier. More worried about online orders than the customers right in front of you. Pathetic spent nothing and walked out. To much waiting.

Not sure what express means to this location but I had to wait 45 minutes even though there were only 3 customers ahead of me. Not much to expect if the manager is probably the one working at the slowest pace. How is it possible that after having 20 people in line they give priority to the online orders. We all had to wait until they caught up with online orders, which makes no sense if as a restaurant you read your covid guidelines. How is it possible that a fast food restaurant takes 45 min to serve 3 people? Worst experience! I feel bad for the franchise which has great quality food. The cooks work really hard and the problem are the employees serving. Seriously not even 1 star.

I've known fastfoods are a little behind these days, so after I ordered online I arrived ten minutes after it was suppose to be ready. Turns out my food was still not ready. So I asked if I was skipped over after 30 mins of still waiting. They just said they are working on it. I was the last to get my food after all the other patrons have left. I felt discriminated here. Understandably, everyone who works there are just kids, petty kids. I still have my receipt.

Well it had been a while since I have Panda and what a disappointment. I had Conpowchkn and lemon sesame. I had 2 pieces of chicken in the Conpowchkn and the lemon sesame had pea size chicken and a hole lot of green beans. I will never go there again.

The worst Panda ever. The manager needs training or to be replaced ....an absolute disaster.. you walk in and can't look at what there is to order, Then you are asked to go to the register, The girls in the front act like no one is there waiting and don't take your order because they are trying to figure out the order process for previous orders, 20 minutes I waited for my food. The cook doesn't cook the food properly if you know you know This chow mein and rice taste like nothing... Please train workers.. There were 14 people behind the counter, and they still couldn't get it together. New Management Needed.

By far the worst place never going again last time I went was a year ago with another bad reviews.. thought things would have changed. Rude emplee name Lizbet.J worst employee asked her what was my change she points to the register thats your change after I asked her 4 times what my change was. With attitude she responded. Prior to that I asked the same lady I just want to pay for my food and she ignored me kept working picking up food and calling out names.. doesnt communicat the new system they have in place RUDE person. As a critic ive reviewed many placed and this by far the worst even a year later it's bad. 👎 terrible terrible terrible hire better people!!!

Ordered delivery today, both my husband and I ordered broccoli beef. The broccoli was in huge size pieces(we got mostly broccoli) and each got 3 small pieces of beef each. The broccoli beef had no flavor to mention. I also had the honey walnut shrimp which I found a small metal piece. It the worst meal We have ever had. So disappointed. I don’t know who was cooking or in charge today, but someone needs to pay better attention to detail and employees. This was from the Panda location in Santa Maria, Ca.

Ordered for pickup using online app @ 11:10 am for 11:45am pick up .Arrived @11:50 and still had to wait 15 minutes for my food while 5 people who arrived after I did , got to order and all got their food . The whole point of mobile orders for pick up is to arrive and pickup . Additionally the cashier gave no update on the wait time for my order and kept giggling and talking with her co workers .ONTOP OF THAT. They didn’t even give me my correct order. Very very disappointed in the service here .

Not ONE piece of beef in my BEEF and broccoli. On top of spending almost 100$ at this location tonight, I remained calm and tried to contact them by calling their store. It rang and rang until it told me “no one is available, goodbye!”. When I order in store I usually anxiously watch their meat to vegetable ratio and now knowing they rip you off not only in front of your face but COMPLETELY behind your back for pickup orders. Needless to say I will probably never revisit this location again. Let alone another Panda Express.

Live Life

The worst Panda ever. The manager needs training or to be replaced ....an absolute disaster.. you walk in and can't look at what there is to order, Then you are asked to go to the register, The girls in the front act like no one is there waiting and don't take your order because they are trying to figure out the order process for previous orders, 20 minutes I waited for my food. The cook doesn't cook the food properly if you know you know This chow mein and rice taste like nothing... Please train workers.. There were 14 people behind the counter, and they still couldn't get it together. New Management Needed.

L Bustamante

Ordered delivery today, both my husband and I ordered broccoli beef. The broccoli was in huge size pieces(we got mostly broccoli) and each got 3 small pieces of beef each. The broccoli beef had no flavor to mention. I also had the honey walnut shrimp which I found a small metal piece. It the worst meal We have ever had. So disappointed. I don’t know who was cooking or in charge today, but someone needs to pay better attention to detail and employees. This was from the Panda location in Santa Maria, Ca.

Gicela Mendez

Ordered for pickup using online app @ 11:10 am for 11:45am pick up .Arrived @11:50 and still had to wait 15 minutes for my food while 5 people who arrived after I did , got to order and all got their food . The whole point of mobile orders for pick up is to arrive and pickup . Additionally the cashier gave no update on the wait time for my order and kept giggling and talking with her co workers .ONTOP OF THAT. They didn’t even give me my correct order. Very very disappointed in the service here .

Kalani-Marie Arvik

Not ONE piece of beef in my BEEF and broccoli. On top of spending almost 100$ at this location tonight, I remained calm and tried to contact them by calling their store. It rang and rang until it told me “no one is available, goodbye!”. When I order in store I usually anxiously watch their meat to vegetable ratio and now knowing they rip you off not only in front of your face but COMPLETELY behind your back for pickup orders. Needless to say I will probably never revisit this location again. Let alone another Panda Express.

Orange chicken was very old, cold, & had hardly any flavor. Haven't had a good meal from this Panda in a very long time. Not going back.

The service in this location is terrible. The times I've come to eat here, have me regretting it after. The staff are friendly, but friendly isn't getting my order right. The portions you get are just laughable for the prices they charge. The food is either overcooked or undercooked and has little to no flavor. Unless you add sauces. Overall you're much better off going elsewhere. Literally anywhere, than this place.

Who every implemented the way they serve order is a really bad manager. No costumer service workers socialize way to much when they should be taking orders. No hurry to serve people. Other people after me got there order ahead of me doesn't look professional at all

WORST MONEY AND TIME SPENT EVER. Horrible service from the cashier as well. We came home to sit down for dinner just to eat noodles that were hard as rocks, no flavor at all and the same for our main sides. Beef and broccoli had NO BEEF. Chicken teriyaki had absolutely no flavor. The pork meat with peanuts was sour and tasted disappointing and disgusting. We went back for a refund and the shift leader or manager was very nice and helpful. However the cashier who initially charged us was extremely rude. Some young dude with tattoos all over his arms. He rudely told his manager out loud “what was wrong with it?” And if they were getting the food back? Yes dude why would we ask for a refund and keep the horrible food? He was extremely rude when handling the money back to us. Would definitely NEVER return to this location or any other Panda Express in my life. I recommend the place in the mall Combo expresses or Magic Dragon on broadway. 👍🏼

The customer service was absolutely terrible. The staff were rude, unhelpful, and just overall the worst. I felt completely ignored and disrespected. Nayeli was not so pleasant. After going this past week I will not be going back.

I'd give this place a big fat ZERO if I could and still leave a review! We ordered dinner for the family and 1 whole dinner was missing, 1 order of spring rolls was missing, there was no teriyaki sauce for the teriyaki bowl and no sauce for any of the rolls we did recieve. The food we did get was not very good either. This was the 2nd time I've ordered from here and they completely messed up the 1st time as well. I gave it a second chance more than a year later and it was even worse this time! I will NEVER order from this place again! I do NOT recommend it! Eat anywhere else!

I got my order today and they missed a lot of items my girl didn’t got her honey sesame chicken is crazy I pay a lot for this crab no never ordering anything from this panda bad order

I dont know what is going on with the drive through like service. you just have a bunch of people standing around waiting for their food. I stood there for 15 minutes looking at my order just sitting there. People were ok but the new system in horrible.

DO NOT DINE IN at this location, mobile orders are prioritized and there is zero customer service here. You walk in and instead of being able walk down to look at the food like a normal order, someone stands at the door with a tablet and takes your order. I watched the last scoop of honey walnut shrimp get scooped and am used to waiting for new because most locations cook it in smaller batches, so I expected a little wait. I had two other people with my order, and there was plenty of everything they chose. What I didn’t expect was 30 minutes waiting for my food as mobile order after order was scooped and put onto a metal rack, 3/4 of orders sitting there the entire time I waited for my food. After 15 minutes, I finally walked to the register to ask for my fountain drink cup, and was ignored. No “hi I’ll be right with you”, flat out ignored, until I finally said excuse me can I please have my cup from my order? They didn’t offer me a receipt when I paid, so I could’ve asked for multiple cups and they would’ve been none the wiser, honestly I could’ve walked in without ordering and asked for one and they would’ve had no clue. When they finally called our name, our food was lukewarm, with some entrees cold. I’m not understanding why they don’t have a couple employees to focus on dine in orders only, instead everyone acts like robots on a factory line. I will give them credit, everyone was moving constantly and they were doing a great job at staying afloat, the cooks were in the back working their hands off and the store was clean. The worst experience I’ve ever had with trying to get food that was already cooked though, I would expect that wait time at a sit down restaurant, NOT a Panda Express. I’m sure management will do nothing to remedy this because with it being busy thanks to mobile orders, sales goals are likely being met at the cost of customer service. You’d think this was a drive thru location and it’s not.

Naruto milenio

Who every implemented the way they serve order is a really bad manager. No costumer service workers socialize way to much when they should be taking orders. No hurry to serve people. Other people after me got there order ahead of me doesn't look professional at all

Vanessa Santiago

The customer service was absolutely terrible. The staff were rude, unhelpful, and just overall the worst. I felt completely ignored and disrespected. Nayeli was not so pleasant. After going this past week I will not be going back.

irving lopez

The service in this location is terrible. The times I've come to eat here, have me regretting it after. The staff are friendly, but friendly isn't getting my order right. The portions you get are just laughable for the prices they charge. The food is either overcooked or undercooked and has little to no flavor. Unless you add sauces. Overall you're much better off going elsewhere. Literally anywhere, than this place.

Terry Molinere

I ordered delivery and the website said to pick my order up. And I couldn't get in touch with anyone to switch it. Not to mention im out of state for work. Not going to get a Uber to go pick up food I ordered to be delivered

maura

I dont know what is going on with the drive through like service. you just have a bunch of people standing around waiting for their food. I stood there for 15 minutes looking at my order just sitting there. People were ok but the new system in horrible.

Breeanna Sahagun

WORST MONEY AND TIME SPENT EVER. Horrible service from the cashier as well. We came home to sit down for dinner just to eat noodles that were hard as rocks, no flavor at all and the same for our main sides. Beef and broccoli had NO BEEF. Chicken teriyaki had absolutely no flavor. The pork meat with peanuts was sour and tasted disappointing and disgusting. We went back for a refund and the shift leader or manager was very nice and helpful. However the cashier who initially charged us was extremely rude. Some young dude with tattoos all over his arms. He rudely told his manager out loud “what was wrong with it?” And if they were getting the food back? Yes dude why would we ask for a refund and keep the horrible food? He was extremely rude when handling the money back to us. Would definitely NEVER return to this location or any other Panda Express in my life. I recommend the place in the mall Combo expresses or Magic Dragon on broadway. 👍🏼

Monica Delgado

I'd give this place a big fat ZERO if I could and still leave a review! We ordered dinner for the family and 1 whole dinner was missing, 1 order of spring rolls was missing, there was no teriyaki sauce for the teriyaki bowl and no sauce for any of the rolls we did recieve. The food we did get was not very good either. This was the 2nd time I've ordered from here and they completely messed up the 1st time as well. I gave it a second chance more than a year later and it was even worse this time! I will NEVER order from this place again! I do NOT recommend it! Eat anywhere else!

Dave Roush

This place blows. We ordered 3 bowls and 1 plate using DoorDash. We got two bowls and 1 plate and the order contained none of the sauces. They also didn’t include 1 of the side orders. If you are in the mood for Chinese food, look anywhere else.

Thomas Lawson

It’s not even packed they are just always slow. 5-10 people lined up waiting to order while no foods being prepared or no ones being taken care of at the register. What is everyone else doing?