Wednesday, March 9, 2022

When Panda Express is too casual for date night

A P.F. Chang's is in the works for the SE corner of 13th Street at University Place (officially 113 University Place). 

This will reportedly be the chain's first sitdown restaurant in NYC. And it will be a big one: 4,777 square feet of space across three floors. 

The company opened several P.F. Chang's To Go outposts during the pandemic. 

Italian restaurant brand Vapiano was previously in this University Place space. 

Oh, and the Panda Express reference is in regards to the one coming to 14th Street and First Avenue.

Thanks to Bayou for the photo AND the headline... and H/T to Gregg for a previous email about this pending arrival.

8 comments:

Glenn said...

No thanks. I'll stick to non-corporate, non-chain restaurants in Chinatown.

Anonymous said...

@Glenn - Second that.

Mark White said...

How Sad, Mee Noodle is right there. as well as dozens more

Anonymous said...

These kind of corporate eateries don't just pop up on a whim. There is research. They know something about this neighborhood, that we perhaps are unwilling to countenance. They are coming.

Anonymous said...

Yes how sad. The local economy is far worse than most of America. It's sad this giant space has been rented and that jobs have been created. It's sad that they think this is a viable area to open a business.

Anonymous said...

I worked for PF Changs in West Hollywood and North Miami Beach before moving here to the city in 2000. What I will say about this company is how well they treat their staff. The management always gave us as FOH a great amount of respect and agency. We weren't micro managed nor given too many shifts. They prided themselves by offering an open door policy about anything that was plaguing anyone. When we were in the weeds, managers always came to ask us if we needed support by starting a table, delivering drinks to customers, or dropping of a check, etc. They didn't guilt us afterwards like some places or question our aptitude. The money wasn't life changing, but it was consistent, it paid the bills and there was job security. I was even given an automatic job transfer when I had a creative work opportunity in Miami. They were quite accommodating then with the transfer and my schedule. So nice and welcoming. Not many businesses do this. Not certain what the climate is like now. The work like any job could become a bit repetitive given its corporate nature and how everything had to be completed according to their standards. But out of all the numerous shitty positions I've held throughout here in Manhattan at some of the most upscale, in demand restaurants as a waiter and bartender in the most toxic and abusive of environments, PF Changs was the antithesis of abuse and toxicity. The food is actually good, familiar, and yes it is indicative of what we probably might see in a suburban setting or at a mall, but who cares. They will infuse life into that hood with that idle space just sitting there not to mention low to moderate price points in a flailing economy. Let's be positive and welcome them without grieving. Best of luck to PF Changs!

Anonymous said...

terrible news for the upstairs residents of that building - the smell and noise they will have to endure!

Anonymous said...

I care. If I’d wanted to live in the suburbs I’d have moved there rather than here. I’m glad you had a good experience, but employers that are toxic or exploitative, etc., should be regulated and fined for that. We don’t have to turn NYC into a suburban mall to have that.