Panda Express - Fort Smith

Let’s start with the positives. The portion sizes are generous and depend on your meal selection, allowing for a great pick-and-choose experience with options for 1 to 3 entrées and a side. They take pride in delivering plenty of flavor. Even the Lo Mein, which was just a simple noodle dish with oil and vegetables, paired well with the few spicy items I tried. Everything complemented each other nicely. Now for the downsides. Be prepared to wait for a table. As a new establishment, they are still getting settled, and the drive-thru and dining area were both crowded. It’s not the best choice for a quick dine-in or takeout meal. Unfortunately, they also don’t allow samples, so if you’re unsure about the menu, you’ll have to dive in without a taste test—either you’ll enjoy it, or you won’t. There were also a few dishes my partner wasn’t fond of, but that’s more a matter of personal taste rather than a flaw in the food. For instance, the cream cheese rangoons lean towards the savory side, so if you prefer sweet ones, this might not be the spot for you. Additionally, both tea options—black and passion fruit & mango—are unsweetened, with the passion fruit & mango essentially tasting like black tea with a hint of fruit. My partner also ordered the honey walnut shrimp, which they found decent, but preferred versions from other places. Overall, we had a positive experience. Time will tell if this restaurant can maintain its momentum and build a loyal customer base. I encourage you to give it a try. Welcome to Fort Smith, Panda Express!

They recently opened, and as expected, the crowds came in—including us. We arrived right when they opened, but ran into a significant issue, primarily related to training. There was a girl in front of us placing at least 15 to-go orders, and she insisted on paying for each one individually. Meanwhile, our food was already ordered and sat there getting cold as the one and only register processed those 15 separate transactions. So, MANAGEMENT, if you're reading this (and I hope you are), please take action when you see this happening: open a second register and pull the customer aside to handle all those individual payments. The food itself was decent, but unfortunately, it was already lukewarm by the time we got it.

I've always enjoyed Panda Express, so I was thrilled to see a new location open in Fort Smith. However, I was surprised by how small the portion sizes were compared to other locations—it barely filled the small compartments in the box. On the plus side, the restaurant is clean, and the staff is friendly.