Which is cheaper, Panda Express or Smoothie King?

Smoothie King is cheaper, averaging $4.83 per item versus $7.73 for Panda Express — a 38% difference. Based on 75 menu items as of April 2026.

Which has more menu items, Panda Express or Smoothie King?

Smoothie King has more menu items (64 vs 11). The total combined menu across both chains is 75 items.

Which has lower calories, Panda Express or Smoothie King?

Panda Express averages 479 calories per item, compared to 616 for Smoothie King. Both chains offer items under 500 calories.

Are Panda Express and Smoothie King similar?

Panda Express (2,500 US locations) and Smoothie King (1,300 US locations) compete on 0 similar menu categories. Cuisine overlap: 0%.

Panda Express vs Smoothie King (2026)

Side-by-side comparison of menu prices, calories, and value. 11 items at Panda Express vs 64 items at Smoothie King.

Quick answer: As of April 2026, Panda Express averages $7.73 per item across 11 menu items, while Smoothie King averages $4.83 across 64 items. Smoothie King is $2.90 cheaper per item (38% difference). Panda Express has lower average calories (479 vs 616 per item).

Quick Comparison

Panda Express vs Smoothie King: Quick Price & Menu Comparison
Metric	Panda Express	Smoothie King	Winner
Avg Price	$7.73	$4.83	Smoothie King
Menu Items	11	64	Smoothie King
Avg Calories	479	616	Panda Express
US Locations	2,500	1,300	Panda Express
Secret Menu	1	0	Panda Express

Smoothie King is 38% cheaper on average than Panda Express ($2.90 less per item).

Cheapest Items

Panda Express

Honey Walnut Shrimp $1.50

Bowl (1 entree + 1 side) $8.30

Plate (2 entrees + 1 side) $9.80

Bigger Plate (3 entrees + 1 side) $11.30

Smoothie King

Fitness – Muscle Builder or Protein $0.99

Slim Down – Diet Down $0.99

Wellness – Multi-vitamin, Antioxidant, Probiotic, Immune or Fiber Blend $0.99

Energy – Caffeine Charge, Pure Recharge or Energy Boost (No Caffeine) $0.99

Extras – Fruit/Fruit Juice, Yogurt/Ice Cream, Greek Yogurt or Veggies $0.99

Lowest Calorie Options

Panda Express

Broccoli Beef 150 cal

Kung Pao Chicken 290 cal

Honey Walnut Shrimp 360 cal

White Steamed Rice 380 cal

Beijing Beef 470 cal

Smoothie King

Apple Kiwi Bunga 150 cal

Strawberry Bluegurt Blitz 160 cal

Lil Angel™ 190 cal

Choc-A-Laka 200 cal

Gladiator (Vanilla, Chocolate or Strawberry) 230 cal

Deep Comparison: Panda Express vs Smoothie King

Calorie Value (cents per calorie)

Panda Express delivers 1.18¢/cal on average, while Smoothie King delivers 0.95¢/cal. Smoothie King gives more calories per dollar — a key metric for value-per-meal seekers.

Menu Category Overlap

Panda Express and Smoothie King share 0 menu categories (0% Jaccard overlap). Low overlap — these chains serve mostly different food categories.

What Fits in Your Budget

$10 budget: Panda Express fits 0 items, Smoothie King fits 3 items (1380 cal)
$15 budget: Panda Express fits 1 item (360 cal), Smoothie King fits 3 items (750 cal)
$20 budget: Panda Express fits 2 items (860 cal), Smoothie King fits 3 items (1530 cal)

Where They Rank in Our 414-Chain Dataset

Panda Express ranks #218 of 414 on price (pricier than 52% of tracked chains). Smoothie King ranks #86 of 414 (cheaper than 79% of chains).

Calorie Distribution (items under 500 cal)

At Panda Express, 55% of menu items with calorie data come in under 500 calories. At Smoothie King, 24% are under 500 calories. Panda Express offers more lower-calorie options proportionally.

Bottom Line

Budget pick: Smoothie King ($4.83 avg vs $7.73)
More variety: Smoothie King (64 items)
More locations: Panda Express (2,500 US locations)
Best calorie value: Smoothie King (0.95¢/cal)

Full Menus

Panda Express Menu Smoothie King Menu Cheapest Fast Food Low Calorie Guide