Yes, Panda Express Is Really Giving Its Customers Milk — Just Not the Way You Think
This April Fools’ Day prank is actually kind of real.
Image Courtesy of Panda Express
There is no shortage of April Fools’ Day pranks being pulled today, especially by restaurants and food brands looking for some social media cache. But while your feed will surely be filled with dozens of fake products and announcements, one American Chinese food chain is taking its joke seriously.
What was Panda Express's April Fools' Day prank?
The chain's initial April Fools’ announcement on March 31 was one of those surprising moments just believable enough to be real: The brand announced on social media that it would be removing its restaurants’ soda machines and replacing them with milk dispensers.
The reason? Last summer Panda Express launched a fiery take on a menu staple, Dynamite Sweet & Sour Chicken featuring the kick of beloved spicy South Korean noodle brand Buldak. Apparently, fans loved the heat but were begging for some kind of relief.
And that was just the latest in a wave of new eye-watering entrees, including Blazing Bourbon Chicken and a spicier version of another Panda Express classic, Hot Orange Chicken. With all these peppery possibilities now on the menu, perhaps milk went from relieving life hack to total necessity. But was the demand for cold cups of milk really enough to overtake Diet Coke?
How is Panda Express actually giving customers milk?
OK, it should be clear at this point that milk dispensers aren’t actually happening. But Panda Express is, in fact, making good on its promise to serve more milk to customers.
Starting tomorrow, Thursday, April 2, anyone who orders Dynamite Sweet and Sour Chicken will receive a free bottle of Fairlife 2% milk. The offer is good at select locations while supplies last.
Does milk actually help with spicy food?
If you’re wondering whether milk will actually do something to cool down that burning sensation in your mouth, we previously confirmed and debunked which methods of taming tingling spices actually work, and this one rings true. Milk contains a protein called casein which helps temper the bond capsaicin (the compound that makes peppers spicy) has with the nerve receptors in your mouth.
Any dairy product will work. However, the more fat (and less water), the better — so Panda Express’ offer of 2% milk is still going to let some spice slip through. But hey, you paid for Dynamite Sweet & Sour Chicken, so you probably wanted some of that heat to linger.
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