Panda Express has retrained its staff and reinforced safety procedures after a video emerged showing an employee cleaning a fryer station with chemicals while food was being prepared nearby. The incident occurred at a Panda Express location in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in early July.
The video, shared by customer Paul Elisha Finger, purportedly shows a male employee stepping on a fryer that a female employee had just placed food into. The male worker is then seen spraying chemicals and wiping the area directly over the food.
"I could not believe my eyes," Finger told Storyful.
A spokesperson for Panda Express told FOX Business that the company acted immediately once the video was brought to their attention. "The behavior shown does not meet our food safety or workplace safety standards," the spokesperson stated. "We took corrective action, conducted retraining, and reinforced safety procedures with the restaurant team and in the region. The safety of our guests and associates remains our top priority."
Panda Express, founded in 1983, is described on its website as the nation's largest Asian restaurant chain, with over 2,600 locations worldwide. The company states it has revolutionized American Chinese cuisine by blending authentic Chinese flavors with American tastes.