Updated 01 August 2026
Working there
Panda Express Careers
What the roles actually involve, how the application process runs, and which states carry the most stores. No invented pay figures.
- 2,224Stores Nationwide
- 51States With Locations
- 5Role Levels
Before You Read On
PandaExpressNutritionCalculator.org is not Panda Express and does not hire anyone. We are an independent site publishing menu, nutrition and location information. We cannot take an application, check the status of one, or pass a message to a hiring manager. Openings are posted on the brand's own careers site, and individual stores hire locally.
Roles and What They Involve
The structure is consistent across the chain, from the serving line up to the support centre.
| Role | What the job is | What it usually needs |
|---|---|---|
| Service and Kitchen Team | Front counter, serving line and wok station. The entry point into the company and the largest group by headcount. | Availability across evenings and weekends, comfort in a fast queue, food-safety basics learned on the job. |
| Shift Leader | Runs a shift: opening or closing, cash handling, food quality and keeping the line moving through a rush. | Usually promoted from the team. Reliability and the ability to direct people without friction. |
| Assistant Manager | Scheduling, inventory, training new team members and standing in for the general manager. | Prior restaurant supervision, or a strong internal record as a shift leader. |
| General Manager | Full responsibility for one store: profit and loss, hiring, standards and local performance. | Multi-year restaurant management experience, with a track record on labour cost and staff retention. |
| Multi-unit and corporate | Area leadership, plus support functions such as supply chain, marketing, real estate and technology at the support centre. | Relevant professional experience; these are posted separately from restaurant roles. |
How the Application Process Works
Restaurant and corporate openings are listed on the brand's own careers site, filtered by location. Individual stores also post openings on their doors.
Applications run through the careers portal rather than by email. Expect basic contact details, availability and work history.
Restaurant roles are usually interviewed by the general manager at the location you applied to. Availability and reliability come up early.
Food-safety and station training happen on the job. Progression to shift leader is the common internal path.
Where the Jobs Are
Restaurant hiring follows the store map. These are the eight states with the most locations in our data, covering a large share of the 2,224 stores we track across 51 states.
| State | Locations | Browse |
|---|---|---|
| California | 405 | Panda Express locations in California |
| Texas | 320 | Panda Express locations in Texas |
| Florida | 134 | Panda Express locations in Florida |
| Arizona | 111 | Panda Express locations in Arizona |
| Illinois | 76 | Panda Express locations in Illinois |
| Washington | 73 | Panda Express locations in Washington |
| Georgia | 72 | Panda Express locations in Georgia |
| Nevada | 72 | Panda Express locations in Nevada |
Every store page carries its address, phone number and opening hours, which is the practical way to ask a specific location whether it is hiring. Start from the Panda Express store locator.
On Pay and Benefits
We deliberately publish no pay figures. Rates differ by role, by state minimum wage, and between company-operated and franchise locations, and they change often enough that a number written here would mislead more people than it helped. The listing for a specific store is the only figure worth acting on, and postings state the range for that location.
The same applies to benefits. Eligibility usually depends on hours worked and on whether the location is company-operated, so the offer letter and the posting are the documents that matter rather than a summary on a third-party site.
What the Work Is Really Like
Counter service runs in waves. A lunch rush concentrates most of a shift's work into ninety minutes, and the skills that matter are pace, accuracy on the line and staying pleasant while a queue builds. Everything else is trained on the job.
Progression is genuinely internal: most shift leaders came off the serving line, and most assistant managers were shift leaders. If you are applying, knowing the menu helps more than people expect, and the Panda Express full menu is the fastest way to learn it before an interview.
Panda Express Careers FAQ
How do I apply for a job at Panda Express?
Through the brand's own careers site, which lists restaurant and corporate roles by location. PandaExpressNutritionCalculator.org is an independent resource: we do not take applications, hold openings or pass CVs on, and no one here can influence a hiring decision.
How much does the job pay?
Pay is set by role, state and, at franchise locations, by the operator, and it changes with local minimum wage law. Any single figure published on a site like this one would be wrong for most readers, so the posting itself is the only reliable source. Each listing states the range for that specific location.
What is the minimum age to work there?
It varies by state employment law and by role. Restaurant listings state the requirement for that location, and stores can confirm before you apply.
Where are most of the jobs?
Where the stores are. California has the most locations at 405, followed by Texas at 320. Browse any state on the Panda Express store locator to see which stores are near you.
Do I need restaurant experience?
Not for team roles, which are designed as an entry point and trained on the job. Supervisory and management roles do expect prior experience, either in the company or in comparable restaurant operations.
Can this site tell me if my local store is hiring?
No. We publish menu, nutrition and store information, not vacancies. What we can give you is the store's own phone number and hours on its page under Panda Express locations, which is the fastest way to ask directly.