Gate-side Chinese takeout in D: Panda Express
Concourse D’s Panda Express sits in the low-cost tier ($) and functions as IAD’s main Chinese-American stop for a fast “one box” meal to carry to your gate. It’s post-security in Terminal D, so this mostly serves United and partner departures using C/D. Expect the standard national-chain menu: orange chicken, Beijing beef, chow mein, fried rice, and the usual steam‑table sides.
The orange chicken and Beijing beef pull most of the orders here, and a 2- or 3‑item plate usually runs under what you’d pay for a burger, fries, and drink elsewhere in D. Travelers on Reddit and Google call it “standard airport Panda,” which lines up with the 3.4 rating: edible and familiar, not a destination meal. If you’re trying to feed two people cheaply, locals suggest one larger plate and splitting it.
Lines at this Panda Express in Terminal D move slowly at peak times (think 07:30–09:00 and 16:30–19:30), and several reviews mention waiting 10–20 minutes. The upside: portions are generous, and staff will box everything so you can walk straight to D20 or D32 and eat in peace. A lot of regulars order to go and carry it onto long United flights toward Denver, Houston, or the West Coast.
Quality swings with how long the trays have been sitting. Food can go lukewarm on quieter mid‑day banks, and pricing runs higher than street‑side Panda for the same orange chicken. Regulars hedge this by asking directly, “Any fresh orange chicken coming soon?” and waiting five minutes for a new batch instead of taking what’s in the pan.
Practical tip: if your connection in C/D is under 40 minutes, mobile‑check your onward gate first, then hit Panda only if the line has fewer than eight people; otherwise you risk boarding with cold noodles.