Panda Express Co-CEO Attributes Success to Hard Work Over Work-Life Balance

By Adrian Cole

Andrew Cherng, the co-CEO of Panda Express, stated in a recent interview with Fortune that he has never experienced burnout despite working 12-hour days for years. Cherng, 78, attributes his success to a relentless work ethic, which he believes was crucial in building the nearly $7 billion-a-year global chain with his wife, Peggy.

The Panda Express empire, known for its popular orange chicken, operates over 2,600 locations worldwide and employs more than 55,000 people. In 2025 alone, the chain served approximately 148 million pounds of its signature dish.

Despite minor discrepancies in reported figures, such as annual revenue and net worth estimates, the Cherngs maintain full ownership of the family-controlled business, emphasizing continuous improvement in both operations and personnel as part of their leadership philosophy.