Panda Express Dr Pepper

Dr Pepper is the distinctive option at the Panda Express fountain: 360 calories with 98 g of sugar in the published serving, $2.20 for a small. Its blend of twenty three flavors makes it the one soda on the machine nobody confuses with anything else.

The taste sits between a cola and a cherry soda with a spiced note underneath, sweeter than Coca Cola and rounder on the finish. It pairs unusually well with the savory wok dishes, where its complexity has something to work against, and less well with the glazed entrees that are already sweet.

At 360 calories it lands just under Coca Cola at 370 and well under the Fanta flavors at 410. It still adds more than a serving of Broccoli Beef at 150 calories to any meal. Diet Dr Pepper availability depends on the machine, so the reliable zero calorie fallbacks are Diet Coke and Coke Zero Sugar.

It suits anyone who orders it by loyalty, which is most Dr Pepper drinkers. Pair it with Black Pepper Chicken at 280 calories or Kung Pao Chicken at 320 calories rather than the sweeter dishes. The full lineup is on the drinks menu.