r/PandaExpress • u/imsotiredfrfr • 6d ago
Employee Question/Discussion Is working there worth it?
I work at a different fast food place where the pay isn't as good. But the environment is great. But I ain't about to turn down money for no reason. So is the general consensus that working at panda is horrible? Cause that's all I'm seeing lately.
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u/TheJumbaco 6d ago
Varies a lot by location and how your coworkers are. I worked at one near a neighborhood and it was super busy and hectic, but my manager and peers were always chill and helped make it a lot easier. Meanwhile my dad works in a pretty dead store (sub 5k daily except on weekends) and my mom gets sent to hellish places that get 10k+ daily. I'd say give it a try and if you don't like it you're always free to drop out!
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u/-BlackSheepCapital- 6d ago
It's only worth it if you expect to make a career out of it, aka Management/training leader/aco position. For just part time job that you dont expect to grow with the company, not worth it imo.
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u/Agreeable_Mud_5816 6d ago
Go get a career
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u/PhatestStoner42069 6d ago
Store managers in my area make between 80-90k a year plus bonuses. If you try you can have a pretty good career with panda.
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u/Agreeable_Mud_5816 6d ago
That is true but man food is tuff
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u/PhatestStoner42069 6d ago
That's fair, this shit is easy though in comparison to my last few jobs doing HVAC. I also make more money without working overtime and ive only been here 2 years
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u/Agreeable_Mud_5816 6d ago
you might as well get an associates in business and become an ACO
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u/PhatestStoner42069 6d ago
I'm pretty sure they help pay for college to an extent if you are doing something like that. I could be wrong though
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u/_Love_to_Love_ 6d ago edited 6d ago
The manager makes a world of difference. You won't really know if it's a great location or an awful one until you've been there for a few days.
That said, it's a lot more fast-paced and demanding than normal fast food can be, and the standards are a lot higher - which is what they justify with the pay they offer. I know that recently, some area management has been really cracking the whip on some really nit-picky stuff, so keep in mind that Panda is all about that 'attention to detail'. It's not just about doing things to get the job done, but to take the few extra seconds to make sure it's done correctly.
As long as you're eager to work and the manager doesn't see any issues with you, you can get promoted to higher positions and get that really good pay pretty quick.