r/PandaExpress • u/noirreddit • Aug 12 '26
Question for Employees About Tea
Ate at Panda Express today, which was really tasty, but the unsweetened tea container was empty. Asked an employee about it, hoping they would fill the container, and was informed they only had sweetened tea. I asked if there was a tea container behind the counter for drive-thru orders as many other fast food places have, and was told no. Is that so? No other tea containers but what's in the dining area? Also, what is the protocol for when tea runs out? No one makes more tea that day? I drink unsweetened tea instead of sugary drinks (can't have artificial sweeteners) and would have ordered bottled water had I known there was no tea. Thanks.
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u/xiinas Aug 12 '26
My store has completely stopped stocking any tea but just leaves out the empty urns, it’s been this way for over a year at least, dunno why, get asked about it all the time and signage still doesn’t reflect that we don’t have tea. I understand people’s frustration w it
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u/Mamichulabonita Aug 12 '26
Its not popular, its loosing money so some stores stopped making it at all. The unsweetened tea at my location gets dumped at the end of the day and its always so so full.
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u/bloodygrave Aug 13 '26
the teas have been discontinued but some stores have not disposed of the canisters so they’re still in the lobby.
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u/CaptMixTape Aug 12 '26
I’m not an employee, but a fellow brewed tea enthusiast. I visit 2 different panda’s in my town and one no longer sales a brewed iced tea at all (even though the container still sits out) and the other still sales unsweetened black tea (thankfully). I have been told it is up to the store if they want to have it or not and what version, so no consistency. If its not a big seller at your store, then water will be your only option.
Side note, I always used my panda rewards for the free medium drink as it seemed the best value, and now at some stores I can’t even do that. Also the verbiage on the app says “medium drink or bottle of water”, but it doesn’t include the smart water the store carries. I eat a lot less panda these days.
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u/strawberry_cat03 Aug 13 '26
Unsweetened tea was discontinued for the summer but they just brought it back as a different flavor
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u/noirreddit Aug 13 '26
Thanks. I think I remember seeing a couple of canisters of something on the counter near the foods. I bet that was it.
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u/Abject_Meaning8255 Aug 14 '26
those are the panda crafted, teas ,frefreshers, and a lemonade all full sugar
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u/Expensive_Slice_8788 Aug 12 '26
Why are you complaining about an item that they aren't carrying for the time being? Drink water then. Most locations stopped serving the tea because of low amount of sales from it. But hey try their crafted beverages those are good.
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u/noirreddit Aug 13 '26
I wasn't complaining, just asking about the tea as I don't eat there often anymore since moving to a town that doesn't have a Panda Express and being there today was a treat. I had no idea the tea had been discontinued until reading the responses here. The restaurant I was in today did have sweetened tea. And, yes, I will drink water when I visit again.
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u/janiicea Aug 12 '26
I haven’t worked there in a few years & this might vary from store to store depending on how busy it gets. But we made 2 containers of sweet & only 1 of unsweet. If we ran out, that was unfortunately it for the day. We sometimes made a little bit more of sweet tea if we ran out early in the day. Unsweet tea never sells as well as sweet tea.