Why is Panda Express the only Chinese fast food chain?

Panda Express Why is Panda Express the only Chinese fast food chain? There are tons of burger, pizza, and Mexican food chains. But Panda Express essentially has no competition. Is it because they literally invented orange chicken? Uh, kind of, but there's more to it. Let me explain. One, they were the first to do it. With almost a 20 year head start. When Panda Express opened in 1983, there were zero competitors in the Chinese fast food category. Their closest competitor, Pei Wei, didn't even open until 17 years later. By then, Panda already had hundreds of locations. Two, they never franchised. Just like In-N-Out, every single location is owned by the same company. That means all profits stay in-house, and every location meets the same standard. And three, new competitors don't just have to beat Panda Express. They also have to compete with the 45,000 mom and pop Chinese restaurants across the country. If you want cheap Chinese food, you already have a local spot. A new chain has to convince you to pick them over Panda, and over the place you've been ordering from for years.