Fast food workers have long used TikTok to expose how their respective restaurants make customers’ food. That trend, however, supposedly led one Panda Express employee to reveal how the chain makes its cream cheese rangoons, sparking controversy among viewers.
In a video posted to TikTok, user Nora (@sonoraq), who claimed to be a Panda Express cook, showed viewers how she makes the cheese-filled dumplings. As of Wednesday morning, her video had over 555,000 views.
@sonoraq What should I make next? ❗️PSA ❗️I made this video off the clock which isn’t violating policy 🫡. No the Rangoon do not contain crab which is why they taste not as good.☠️ #fyp #viral #tiktok #usa #fyp #pandaexpress #rangoons #chinese ♬ original sound – Nora Q
“Alright, so I’ve had this video in my drafts for a minute—maybe like two months,” Nora says as a coworker lurks in the background. “Y’all want cream cheese rangoons.”
Nora proceeds to walk viewers through the process of making the rangoons—only it doesn’t take much work. According to Nora, the rangoons are frozen and prepackaged. “But we do technically cook them,” she explains.
After she cuts the rangoons out of their plastic packaging, they go into a fryer and cook for one minute. “After they’re done frying, you put them in your little bowl,” Nora says. “That’s it.”
In the caption, Nora noted that she made the video while off the clock.
Viewers were all over the place in the comments. Some said that they were surprised at how little effort went into making the rangoons. Others, however, were more focused on the coworker planted in the back of Nora’s video.
“Are they fresh? NEVA NEVA NEVA,” wrote one viewer.
“This is like buying frozen foods at the grocery store. Why y’all complaining they’re not fresh?” said a second commenter.
“Person in the back is [definitely] a band kid,” wrote another user. To this comment, Nora responded: “Choir kid.*”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Nora via TikTok comment and Panda Express via its online contact form.
