The Panda Express Rival Chain That Shamelessly Called Out Its Competitors' Ingredients

When you think of the biggest war of words in history, maybe Tupac and Biggie come to mind. For sports history buffs, you might think of Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, and who can forget the famous Will Smith and Chris Rock beef at the Oscars that became the slap heard around the world.

All that said, when it comes to these types of battles, you probably don't think of Asian fast food chain restaurants. But that's exactly what happened with Panda Express and its plucky, up-and-coming rival, Teriyaki Madness. Founded in 2003 — and now with 150 locations across the U.S. – Teriyaki Madness is nowhere near the size of Panda Express, which has more than 2,600 locations and began as a family-run restaurant. But the smaller Teriyaki Madness is certainly not afraid to call out Panda Express about its ingredients.

Teriyaki Madness claims to dedicate itself to fresh ingredients in order to cater to health-conscious customers, stating on its website, "Unlike the frozen, poorly sourced ingredients from competitors, such as Panda Express, Teriyaki Madness uses fresh, never frozen ingredients." Just like that, Teriyaki Madness throws a wordy punch.

Teriyaki Madness uses fresh, never frozen ingredients it says are "made when you order, and not a single second sooner." But is its claim about Panda Express using frozen ingredients true? Panda Express makes it clear on its website it uses fresh vegetables that are prepared every day. It also states 45% of the eggs it uses are cage-free. But unlike Teriyaki Madness, Panda Express doesn't cook its food to order. The dishes are prepared in small batches throughout the day. It also serves frozen, not fresh, meat that is thawed in-house before being cooked. So, yes, when it comes to the meat, Teriyaki Madness is correct about Panda's process. 

In 2018, another rival called out Panda Express regarding its frozen meats. That's when Pei Wei created an ad campaign called "It's Cold," according to QSR Magazine, taking a shot at Panda Express' use of frozen, processed meat. While using frozen products has some benefits, like affordability and reducing food waste, it's a step down from fresh — especially when it comes to non-seafood related protein like beef and chicken. As a competitor to Panda Express in a multi-billion-dollar-a-year industry, you have to appreciate Teriyaki Madness for calling out what Pei Wei chief marketing officer Brandon Solano called the giant "800-pound panda in the room," while highlighting its use of fresh, never frozen, food.