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© History Oasis
Discontinued: 2013
This dish featured chicken pieces engulfed in a sweet citrus sauce made with soy sauce, lemon juice, garlic, and ginger. When Panda Express replaced Mandarin Chicken with Grilled Teriyaki Chicken in 2013, fans had a meltdown. And many stopped eating at the chain after losing Mandarin Chicken.
Discontinued: 2014-2015
Samurai Surf & Turf paired shrimp and Angus sirloin with green beans, potatoes, and red bell peppers. It was drenched in a special Samurai sauce. At 230 calories, it qualified as Wok Smart. The name created a problem: samurai were Japanese warriors, not Chinese. This mix-up likely killed any chance of bringing Samurai Surf & Turf back.
Discontinued: 2018
8 Treasure Chicken Breast appeared as a Chinese New Year special in 2018 and never returned. Eight ingredients made up the dish: chicken breast, red bell peppers, green bell peppers, whole dried chili peppers, Chinese sausage, celery, fermented black beans, and savory sauce. Reviews split. Some called the 8 Treasure Chicken Breast bland. Others called it the best thing on the menu. The Chinese sausage won fans, but complaints about too many vegetables piled up.
Discontinued: 2024
Sichuan Hot Chicken brought Sichuan pepper heat to the menu in 2019. It couldn’t touch Orange Chicken’s numbers. The fast food menu item was discontinued by 2024.
Discontinued: 2024
Hot Szechuan Tofu offered spicy tofu with Szechuan seasonings. A supposed Panda Express employee wrote that vegetarian dishes don’t sell well at the fast food chain. The chain made too many dishes during the day that just ended up stale.
Discontinued: 2014
Sweet and Sour Pork served as an early menu item for the chain. But it was gone by 2014. Customers spoke of it in the past tense that year. Pork rarely appears at US locations. Cost and weak demand keep Sweet and Sour Pork off menus.
Discontinued: Late 2021/Early 2022
Crispy Almond Chicken Breast launched August 16, 2021. Large chicken pieces in crunchy puffed rice breading, tossed with sliced almonds and green onions in soy garlic sauce. Each serving packed over 23 grams of protein. Reviewers compared Crispy Almond Chicken Breast to Korean fried chicken. One gave it 9 out of 10 and called it “Orange Chicken level delicious.” The limited run ended after 2021. It was so good that many people are drooling for its return.
Status: Rotating Menu Item
Shanghai Angus Steak features wok-seared Angus beef with string beans, onions, and mushrooms in a savory sauce.About 300-400 calories per serving. Shanghai Angus Steak comes and goes based on demand and season.
Discontinued: 2021
Firecracker Chicken Breast combined spicy chicken with peppers and onions. In April 2021, a customer found Black Pepper Chicken still listed online after stores stopped serving it. It turned out that Panda Express failed to update their website.
Discontinued: 2021
Black Pepper Chicken served chicken with onions in black pepper sauce. The chain removed Black Pepper Chicken around 2021 without warning.
Discontinued: 2022
Plum Sauce blended plums, apricots, and pineapples as a sweet dipping option. Social media erupted when Plum Sauce vanished around 2022. Some customers even said they would take their business elsewhere. But it probably didn’t happen, as most are still addicted to Panda’s Orange Chicken.
Discontinued: January 2023
Beyond Orange Chicken rolled out in July 2021 at select stores, then expanded to 70 locations across 10 states in October 2021. Plant-based Beyond Meat bites in sweet and spicy orange sauce. On its debut, over 1,300 pounds of Beyond Orange Chicken were sold in one day. Southern California stores sold out in two weeks. But the chain always meant Beyond Orange Chicken for a limited time only.
Discontinued: Unknown
Peking Pork shows up in nutrition databases. But almost no public information exists about Peking Pork. Mystery dish. Nor could we find anyone who has ever tried it.
Discontinued: Unknown
Wok Seared Steak & Shrimp tried the surf and turf angle. It didn’t stick either.
Status: Seasonal/Rotating
Firecracker Shrimp brings fried spicy shrimp with peppers and onions. It appears at some locations by season. Despite being fried, Firecracker Shrimp counts as lower-calorie. Seafood fans wanting healthier picks choose it when they can.
Discontinued: 2012
Crispy Shrimp with Asparagus appeared for a limited time in February 2012. Panda Express brought Crispy Shrimp with Asparagus back that July, paired with Shanghai Angus Steak as Surf & Turf. People who tried it thought Crispy Shrimp with Asparagus was fine, but wouldn’t order it again. Asparagus just can’t compete with carrots, broccoli, and onions.
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