Which is cheaper, Panda Express or Wawa?

Wawa is cheaper, averaging $3.62 per item versus $7.73 for Panda Express — a 53% difference. Based on 70 menu items as of April 2026.

Which has more menu items, Panda Express or Wawa?

Wawa has more menu items (59 vs 11). The total combined menu across both chains is 70 items.

Which has lower calories, Panda Express or Wawa?

Panda Express averages 479 calories per item, compared to 693 for Wawa. Both chains offer items under 500 calories.

Are Panda Express and Wawa similar?

Panda Express (2,500 US locations) and Wawa (1,200 US locations) compete on 1 similar menu categories. Cuisine overlap: 11%.

Panda Express vs Wawa (2026)

Side-by-side comparison of menu prices, calories, and value. 11 items at Panda Express vs 59 items at Wawa.

Quick answer: As of April 2026, Panda Express averages $7.73 per item across 11 menu items, while Wawa averages $3.62 across 59 items. Wawa is $4.10 cheaper per item (53% difference). Panda Express has lower average calories (479 vs 693 per item).

Quick Comparison

Panda Express vs Wawa: Quick Price & Menu Comparison
Metric	Panda Express	Wawa	Winner
Avg Price	$7.73	$3.62	Wawa
Menu Items	11	59	Wawa
Avg Calories	479	693	Panda Express
US Locations	2,500	1,200	Panda Express
Secret Menu	1	0	Panda Express

Wawa is 53% cheaper on average than Panda Express ($4.10 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

Wawa

Bagel $0.95

Chocolate Chip Cookie $0.99

Coffee 16 Oz $1.45

Bagel with Cream $1.59

Coffee 24 Oz $1.65

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

Wawa

Mac Cheese Small 100 cal

Mac Cheese Medium 100 cal

Mac Cheese Large 100 cal

Salad 120 cal

Stuffed Pretzels 270 cal

Deep Comparison: Panda Express vs Wawa

Calorie Value (cents per calorie)

Panda Express delivers 1.18¢/cal on average, while Wawa delivers 0.86¢/cal. Wawa gives more calories per dollar — a key metric for value-per-meal seekers.

Menu Category Overlap

Panda Express and Wawa share 1 menu categories (11% Jaccard overlap). Shared categories: sides. Low overlap — these chains serve mostly different food categories.

What Fits in Your Budget

$10 budget: Panda Express fits 0 items, Wawa fits 3 items (450 cal)
$15 budget: Panda Express fits 1 item (360 cal), Wawa fits 2 items (530 cal)
$20 budget: Panda Express fits 2 items (860 cal), Wawa fits 3 items (650 cal)

Where They Rank in Our 414-Chain Dataset

Panda Express ranks #218 of 414 on price (pricier than 52% of tracked chains). Wawa ranks #29 of 414 (cheaper than 93% of chains).

Calorie Distribution (items under 500 cal)

At Panda Express, 55% of menu items with calorie data come in under 500 calories. At Wawa, 38% are under 500 calories. Panda Express offers more lower-calorie options proportionally.

Bottom Line

Budget pick: Wawa ($3.62 avg vs $7.73)
More variety: Wawa (59 items)
More locations: Panda Express (2,500 US locations)
Best calorie value: Wawa (0.86¢/cal)

Full Menus

Panda Express Menu Wawa Menu Cheapest Fast Food Low Calorie Guide