Comparison

Panda Express vs Carl's Jr. Mobile Ordering

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Panda Express

Order your favorite Chinese-American dishes for dine-in, takeout, or delivery. Earn points with every purchase to unlock exclusive rewards and surprise offers. Save your go-to meals for quick reordering and explore catering options for your next event.

Highlights
  • Mobile ordering for dine-in, takeout, delivery
  • Earn Panda Points with purchases
  • Redeem points for rewards and offers
  • Save and reorder favorite meals
  • Catering options available
  • Join Panda Rewards program
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Good Fortune Awaits with Panda Rewards and the Panda Express® App. Order your Panda favorites on the fly for dine-in, take out, or delivery. And you can earn Panda Points when you satisfy your Panda cravings! Features: * Join Panda Rewards and earn Panda Points with qualifying purchases by ordering in the app or scanning your QR code in store or in our drive-thru! * Get surprise offers and use your Panda Points to unlock more rewards and redeem them for your Panda favorites. * Order for dine-in, take-out, or delivery and get your food whenever you want—whether it's ASAP or scheduled for later. * Save and reorder your favorites with a single tap in your account! * Having a party? Our catering options are second to none. Just pick your sides + entrees and we’ve got you covered!

About

Carl's Jr. Mobile Ordering

Order your favorite charbroiled burgers and sides ahead of time for pickup or delivery. Earn rewards points on every purchase to redeem for free food and access exclusive app-only deals to save money.

Highlights
  • Order ahead for pickup or delivery
  • Customize orders
  • Exclusive app-only deals
  • Earn rewards points
  • Redeem points for free food
  • Schedule pickup times
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Real ones have the Carl’s Jr. app and MyRewards. Earning points towards free food? Check. Exclusive, app-only deals for even more ways to save? You bet. Skip the line by ordering ahead? Obviously. Download it now or keep paying full price like a rookie. Your cravings deserve better. JUICY, EXCLUSIVE WAYS TO SAVE The REALLY good deals are in here. Browse through a list of deals on our legendary charbroiled burger flavors, sides, drinks and more, add a deal to your order, and get ready to stuff your face for way less. ORDER EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT, SKIP THE LINE It’s not just about skipping the line (though that part’s pretty awesome). You can also fully customize your order and check out quickly with a saved credit card or gift card, you can schedule a pick-up time, and with location services enabled, we’ll be notified when you’re close so we can make sure your burgers are hot and fresh, the drinks are cold, and that your cravings aren’t left waiting. GET REWARDED WITH EVERY BITE When you become a MyRewards member, you can earn 10 Stars for every $1 spent. Then, cash 'em in for your favorites, like a 5pc French Toast Dips or Any Size Fountain Drink for 150 Stars. Spicy Chicken Sandwich or Any Size French Fries? 300 Stars. Want a 5pc Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders or Beyond Famous Star? 500 Stars and it’s yours. But that’s not all - check out the rest for yourself and start earning!

Screenshots

Panda Express4 screens
Carl's Jr. Mobile Ordering4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Panda Express at none against Carl's Jr. Mobile Ordering's shown. Panda Express also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and ratings volume (633K vs 174K). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Panda Express against 4.8 for Carl's Jr. Mobile Ordering. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 633K and 174K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 54% of Panda Express's written reviews are positive against 47% of Carl's Jr. Mobile Ordering's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Panda Express ships an update every 3 weeks, Carl's Jr. Mobile Ordering every 5 weeks. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
Panda Express versus Carl's Jr. Mobile Ordering: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPanda ExpressCarl's Jr. Mobile Ordering
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (633K ratings) — better4.8 (174K ratings)
Positive reviews54.4% of reviews — better46.6% of reviews
Number of ratings633K — better174K
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 5 weeks
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#24 — better#78
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.5
Further details — not scored
Size151 MB170 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperPanda ExpressCKE RESTAURANTS HOLDINGS, INC.

Customer experience

Panda Express

All ratings630,156 ratings
Positive96.7%
Neutral1.3%
Negative1.9%
Written reviews1,598 reviews
Positive54.4%
Neutral6.8%
Negative38.9%

Carl's Jr. Mobile Ordering

All ratings174,023 ratings
Positive96.4%
Neutral1.9%
Negative1.8%
Written reviews1,125 reviews
Positive46.6%
Neutral4.4%
Negative49.1%

User reviews

Panda Express

From 633K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Convenient mobile ordering
  • 👍 Friendly staff at some locations
  • 💡 Rewards program

Room to improve

  • 🐛 App crashes and freezes
  • 🔍 Inconsistent order fulfillment
  • 🤔 Confusing app functionality
  • 😤 Poor customer service
  • 🚫 Unavailable features for Canadian users

Carl's Jr. Mobile Ordering

From 174K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🍔 Great food
  • 👍 Easy to use app
  • 🤑 Good deals and offers
  • 🎉 Rewards program

Room to improve

  • 🐛 App crashes and glitches
  • 🤔 Difficulty redeeming rewards and applying offers
  • 🤯 Confusing and unintuitive UI
  • 🚫 Unavailable for Canadian locations
  • 💰 Overpriced menu items

Bugs and requests

Panda Express

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App login issues
  • Incorrect order information displayed
  • Delivery address changes without user input
  • Inability to cancel orders

Requested features

4 requests
  • Option to pay with cash
  • Ability to contact delivery driver
  • Improved order tracking and status updates
  • More customization options for orders

Carl's Jr. Mobile Ordering

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Login and account creation issues
  • Rewards not properly tracking or applying
  • Inconsistent behavior when adding items to cart
  • Location search and selection not working properly

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add Apple Pay option
  • Improve order tracking and status updates
  • Allow cancellation and modification of orders
  • Integrate loyalty program better with app
  • Expand app functionality beyond just ordering

In-app purchases

None

Panda Express

No in-app purchases

None

Carl's Jr. Mobile Ordering

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Panda Express free?
Panda Express is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Carl's Jr. Mobile Ordering free?
Carl's Jr. Mobile Ordering is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Panda Express or Carl's Jr. Mobile Ordering?
Panda Express is rated higher. Panda Express averages 4.8 out of 5 from 633K ratings, while Carl's Jr. Mobile Ordering averages 4.8 from 174K ratings.
Do Panda Express or Carl's Jr. Mobile Ordering have ads?
Carl's Jr. Mobile Ordering shows ads; Panda Express does not.
Which is updated more often, Panda Express or Carl's Jr. Mobile Ordering?
Panda Express ships an update every 3 weeks, and Carl's Jr. Mobile Ordering every 5 weeks. Most recently, Panda Express was updated on November 6, 2026 and Carl's Jr. Mobile Ordering on November 6, 2026.
Which is more popular, Panda Express or Carl's Jr. Mobile Ordering?
Panda Express currently peaks at #24 in the App Store charts, and Carl's Jr. Mobile Ordering at #78. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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