With annual sales of over $1 billion and more than 1000 restaurant locations, the privately-held Panda Restaurant Group, based in Rosemead, Calif., dramatically outperforms its competitors. In the industry's benchmark measurement of growth, same-store sales have increased every year since 1996, and in 2007, Panda Express added 172 new locations throughout the United States.

Today, under the leadership of Andrew Cherng and his wife Peggy, Panda Restaurant Group employs a team of more than 13,000 people and oversees its successful concepts throughout 37 states, Puerto Rico and Japan. Both Andrew and Peggy remain actively involved with their company on a daily basis as Founder/Chairman and Chief Executive Officer/Co-Chairman, respectively.

Serving fine Mandarin and Szechuan cuisine in an upscale dining atmosphere, Panda Restaurant Group's first restaurant concept, Panda Inn, quickly won a loyal following with such original dishes as Tea Smoked Duck, Honey Walnut Shrimp and Lotus Leaf Rice. That provided the springboard and the inspiration for the launch of Panda Express in 1983, fulfilling Andrew Cherng's vision of a unique restaurant that combined the gourmet-style cuisine of Panda Inn with a quick-service format.

Panda Express is the growth engine of Panda Restaurant Group, designed for people who welcome the uncommon with gourmet Chinese food, served quickly and conveniently in an inviting dining environment. Panda's signature Orange Flavored Chicken is an irresistible favorite among consumers nationwide.

Using only the freshest ingredients, Panda Express prepares all of its entrées on-site and features many original recipes developed by Master Chef Ming-Tsai Cherng, who joined with his son, Andrew Cherng, in 1973 to open the first Panda Inn in Pasadena, Calif.

Success has been achieved in part due to the flexibility Panda Express provides by adapting to a variety of venues including malls, retail stores, neighborhood shopping centers, college campuses, airports, sports arenas and free-standing locations. It was also the first quick-service chain to open restaurant locations inside of a supermarket through its ongoing relationship with Vons/Pavilions.

Leveraging their wealth of knowledge about Asian cuisine and operations expertise, Panda Restaurant Group introduced Hibachi-San in 1992, a mall-based quick-service restaurant featuring a variety of Japanese grill and bowl entrees.

As the industry leader in Chinese foodservice, Panda Restaurant Group has become deeply committed to the communities it serves, and Panda's family of restaurants have even assisted one of the animals that inspired their name. In 1997, Panda Restaurant Group adopted Pei-Pei, now a full grown panda, living in the Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Center in China.

In 1999, the company established Panda Cares, a company-wide community involvement initiative that provides food and volunteer services to local public schools and children's help organizations and donates a portion of grand opening proceeds to local non-profits at each new restaurant opening.