Why the Pryz Needs A Panda Express

Image courtesy of pandaexpressmenus.com.

By Alexandra Berrick

This is an independently submitted op-ed and does not necessarily reflect the views of The Tower.

Catholic University is among the few privileged universities with both a Starbucks and a Chick-fil-A in our main student center. Privilege, however, is like Jesus—you can always have more of it. One such privilege that we would benefit from having more of is food options; specifically, a Panda Express would greatly benefit our campus.

First, I will begin to explain why another on-campus restaurant would be beneficial to the university community. It’s clear that meals are a key aspect of university life, where friendships are forged, and memories are made. Current on-campus dining options include Garvey Hall, the Pryz Market, Starbucks, Murphy’s Grill, and the Pryz Food Court. But while the choices are plentiful, the seating is not.

Garvey Hall, which first opened in November 2022, has a main dining room that only seats 400, plus a few outdoor seating options. The Catholic University of America has an undergraduate student population of 3,139, plus over 2000 graduate students, faculty, and other campus visitors who may find themselves eating in the dining hall.

Ideally, there would be one large building where all of those affiliated with CUA could get a variety of meal options. However, that is just not feasible with our current infrastructure. And when people don’t eat in the dining hall, they will eat in their rooms or off-campus, eliminating a key social aspect of campus life.

It is unlikely that the University will renovate a building that was only recently finished to make room for more seating. Therefore, the next best option would be to have more areas where one can sit and eat on campus.

As a new building is not likely, this hypothetical Panda Express would go in the Pryz. Unless it were to replace something already in the food court, the ideal spot would be on the third floor, either in the Nest or replacing the conference room next to Starbucks.

The question remains: why not just add more seating instead of a new restaurant? The answer is that many students are unsatisfied with the dining options on campus. Certain gems do shine through, such as Chick-fil-A or the recently installed permanent taco station in Garvey. However, this does not change the fact that on-campus dining is, at best, average. Panda Express would fill a gap in our current cuisine, as Chinese food is only offered sporadically in Garvey Hall. Known for its innovation in American-style Chinese food, Panda Restaurant Group owns the trademark for the widely popular orange chicken.

When on-campus events order Panda Express, they will often advertise it in the flyer because they know people are more likely to be somewhere where Panda Express is. Speaking for myself, seeing a Panda Express when I first visited campus would certainly have made the decision to commit to CUA easier. This is because college oftentimes is not one major thing done right, but a bunch of smaller things put together. Panda Express would bring the joy of food to campus, and it would help both current and prospective students fall in love with this school once again.

In addition to how happy it would make students, a Panda Express would also serve the University mission. The Catholic University of America strives to serve both Church and nation. Panda Express was founded as a family business, and it is highly involved in philanthropy. Its philanthropic branch, Panda Cares, raised $34 million in 2025 alone through in-store donations and other fundraising programs. A majority of this money goes towards health and education for underserved youth. Another portion of it goes toward disaster relief, with hot meals being served to first responders, volunteers, and displaced persons. By supporting Panda Express, Catholic University would be sending a message that we support companies that align with our values.

Overall, CUA should get a Panda Express because it tastes good, as made evident by its enduring popularity. As a residential university, Catholic University should not only provide intellectual enrichment but also facilities and amenities that draw in new students. A Panda Express just might do the trick.