Panda Express Opens Kind Of Early — Here's What To Order For Breakfast

Panda Express is known for its Chinese fast-casual menu, featuring items like the signature orange chicken and black pepper Angus steak, which may be served in portion sizes large enough to leave you with enough leftovers for meal prep for the week. What you might not know about the restaurant chain, though, is its unexpected hours, which you may think would start serving its savory dishes around lunchtime. Surprisingly, some Panda Express locations open up pretty early for an eatery that doesn't serve any traditional breakfast dishes. Some restaurants open at 10 a.m., 9:30 a.m., and even 9 a.m. in some places.

Now, is Panda Express planning to serve breakfast, you might ask? The answer is no — at least, not anything the chain has announced publicly. However, you can order the usual menu whenever your local Panda Express opens, whether that's a hearty breakfast or a yummy lunchtime meal.

If you're team savory breakfast or brunch, you might enjoy a mid-morning trip to Panda Express. You can, of course, get all the menu favorites like a bowl of rice or chow mein noodles for some morning carbs. Then, you can fill your bowl with honey walnut shrimp, broccoli beef, or eggplant and tofu. However, as another option, you might want to look to the balanced protein plates, which allow you to meet your protein goals for the day while getting a full meal in. For example, the Power Packed Plate, which includes black pepper sirloin steak, broccoli beef, and super greens, has a whopping 43 grams of protein! Move over, protein smoothies. That might be enough to make Panda Express your go-to stop after the gym.

If a full meal at 9 a.m. isn't your jam, that's fine, too. Look to the Panda Express a la carte menu, where you can get a side of fried rice (which includes egg, a traditional breakfast option). Add on cream cheese wontons and start the day off right with a mango guava tea from the beverages menu.