Jonesboro, AR — (JonesboroRightNow.com) — May 9, 2025 — Fair Park Boulevard was buzzing bright and early Friday morning as Panda Express opened its doors to a line of customers, both outside the front door and in the drive-through in its official grand opening.

Among the early risers were Emma and Terry Kelly, a mother-daughter duo from Jonesboro. While mom Terry said, “I’m learning,” when it comes to Panda’s sprawling menu, her daughter Emma already had a favorite: “My favorite is the Teriyaki Chicken. It’s quick and really good for a fast food-based place. “

Right behind them were April and Jackie Ragan of Marked Tree. April has a go-to dish: the SweetFire Chicken.

Jackie is a Panda Express enthusiast.

“Panda Express is our favorite restaurant. We’ve been waiting years for it to come here, and we couldn’t be more excited. I’ve been through them all over the country, and they are always consistent. I’ve been here three times already and this is by far the best location I’ve been to all over the country. First time we walked in here, the line was out the door. We got our food within five minutes. And it was delicious. I guess my favorite menu item would be either Black Pepper Chicken or the Teriyaki Chicken.”

Chris Ashley, another early bird from Jonesboro, had a special mission.

“They have t-shirts for the first 80 people in line, and my niece is a huge fan, so I’m here to get a shirt for my niece. I’ll order the SweetFire Chicken.”

Inside, Travis McClure, area coach of operations, said he was thrilled with the turnout.

“The opening’s been going amazing,” he said. “We exceeded expectations. We had the second largest opening in company history, since 1983. We’ve been around for 40-plus years now. I think a lot of people have grown up with Panda. The Jonesboro community is coming out and showing their support.”

But it’s not just about orange chicken and egg rolls—there’s heart for the people here, too.

“We’ve got a lot of fundraisers planned. We have one today for the St. Bernards Foundation,” McClure said. “So, if you mention that you’re a part of the fundraiser, 50 percent of all sales are going to go to that fundraiser. We actually have six of those 50 percent fundraisers already scheduled in the next couple of months.”

As McClure put it, “We’re excited to be here in the Jonesboro community, and I hope you guys come out and see us.”