The country’s favorite fast-casual Chinese concept is continuing its steady pursuit of DFW domination. Panda Express has filed paperwork to begin erecting a new restaurant in Hillsboro this summer.
The ground-up construction will be located at the intersection of I-35 and Old Brandon Road. According to the documents submitted to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, the Panda Express will occupy 2,697 square feet.
Construction is set to begin on the eatery on August 1 of this year, with an estimated wrap of August 1 of 2026. While this doesn’t guarantee that diners will have to wait until next summer to dig into a hot dish of orange chicken, it is relatively certain the restaurant will not open sooner than mid-2026.
Panda Express, founded in 1983, has been making a relatively concerted push into Texas in general, and the DFW region specifically this year. The chain is an absolute juggernaut and relatively unique to the fast-casual restaurant scene-the Chinese-American market is under-represented among the large chains.
The California-based brand has more than 2,400 locations worldwide.
