rev:text
| - Okay, so we all know that Panda isn't really Chinese food - just like Taco Bell isn't really Mexican food. Although good luck telling that to a group of screaming kids riding in the back of Mom's oversized SUV and ordering disturbingly large amounts of meat and rice. The fact is, people love their Panda, even though I didn't realize just how much until recently.
You see, I used to occasionally go to this location years ago, during the earlier days of this Lake Pleasant area before most people knew it existed. Things were different back then and from what I can remember, ran much more smoothly.
As you can see from other reviews, this particular location has quickly developed a well-known reputation for notoriously long drive-thru wait times. I chuckled when one reviewer complained about it taking ten minutes. Another clocked in at thirteen minutes. Oh, the horror!
Try a solid 45 minutes that I clocked from the time it took to get through the line and acquire my food on a recent Tuesday night at 7pm. And that is not an exaggeration. In fact, the only reason I was forced to endure the wait was because I was trapped in the line and unable to leave.
No apology. No acknowledgement that anything was wrong. And no attempt to rectify the situation. Apparently, the "Express" in Panda is a failed attempt at humor, because that's the absolutely last thing they seem to be able to provide here.
The food itself is fine. As I was eating my orange chicken and fried rice, I briefly wondered why I don't work Panda into my weekly rotations more often. But then, I glanced at the clock and realized how late I was eating dinner as a result of their frustratingly slow service.
Come on, guys! If you can't accommodate the crowds, then just abolish drive-thru all together and rebrand yourself as a sit-down restaurant.
|