Panda Express Sprite

Sprite is the lemon lime option at the Panda Express fountain: 250 calories with 67 g of sugar in the published serving, a store-set price for a small. It is the lightest of the regular sodas on the machine, carrying meaningfully fewer calories than the colas.

Clear, crisp and citrus forward, it cuts through fried food better than any cola does, which is why it is the common pairing for the battered entrees. There is no caffeine in it either, which makes it the default order for kids and for anyone eating here late. The flavor is sharp enough to reset the palate between bites of something heavily glazed.

At 250 calories the cup sits below Coca Cola at 370 and well below Fanta Orange at 410, though it is still a real addition to a meal. Sprite Zero at 5 calories delivers the same citrus profile for nothing, at the same a store-set price price.

It suits fried food, kids orders and anyone avoiding caffeine. Pair it with Orange Chicken at 510 calories or the Cream Cheese Rangoon at 190 calories, where the acidity does real work. The full drinks lineup is on the Panda Express drinks menu.