Panda Express is celebrating 40 years, and in honor of its major milestone, the Chinese fast food company is venturing into uncharted territory: dessert.
In honor of its 40th anniversary, Panda Express has unveiled its first dessert item in the company’s history.
Beginning now at locations across the country, customers can get their hands on fast food staple with a Chinese-inspired twist with Panda Express’ new Apple Pie Roll.
The sweet treat takes the classic fall flavors found in a traditional apple pie and presents it in a new and unique way. The all-American apple pie comes wrapped in a crisply, flaky wonton wrapper that one would find when eating a Chinese egg roll.
Andrea Cherng, Chief Brand Officer at Panda Express, said the company is hopeful that the Apple Pie Roll will catch on and become as beloved as Panda’s other entrees that helped popularize American Chinese food.
To celebrate the new dessert, Panda Express will be giving Apple Pie Rolls away for free to all members of the fast food company’s rewards program, while supplies last.
Those interested in trying out the new dessert and want to take advantage of the giveaway will need to sign up on the Panda Express website, or download the Panda Express app.
Panda Express was founded in Glendale, California in 1983 and has continued to experiment with the well-known flavors that Americans have come to expect from the fast food company.
In September, the company launched a new limited-time entree across the country, and Panda has also experimented with variations on its beloved orange chicken recipe, offering an orange chicken sandwich at select locations in California.
Panda Express operates a test kitchen in Pasadena, where many entrees, sides — and now desserts — get introduced to the public for evaluation before the company decided to expand the product to the rest of its nearly 2,500 locations worldwide.
The Apple Pie Roll had a soft release in some stores in Southern California before becoming part of the nationwide menu.