I haven't eaten at PF Changs (PFC) for a long spell, but lately feel like doing new things, so decided to try PFC as I had a migraine, and was having trouble getting food down, and my head was killing me, and I couldn't take anything (Excedrin) since the migraine was making me expel anything ingested in addition to the freight train of a headache. I thought I could get down some lettuce wraps, and get some medicine in me.
I went online to check out the menu, but you can actually order online and pick up curbside, BONUS because I really want EASY right now. I know I want lettuce wraps, they are almost $10, but I can add a soup for $2, so that sounds good, I get Hot and Sour. It seems a bit expensive, but when something sounds good and you can get it down, you make comprises!
I was going to order and I saw Ginger Chicken Brocolli under lunch specials. I thought okay, lots of warm ginger might really soothe my tummy. I have always enjoyed Beef and Brocolli, so this sounded good, adding Ginger. I order and it's about a 40-minute wait to pick up. I arrive, go around the building and there's no pickup area like most restaurants. I see a sign that says call to order, that's about it. I thought this was advertising they offer car delivery, but just in case I sit my car there for about 5 minutes. No one comes out. I realize right next to me is some open spaces facing the door, no markings, but maybe this the unofficial delivery to the car area, since no one was greeting me right in front of the door. I park, and I have given a perfect description of my vehicle, and no one comes out. I wait until a couple minutes after my order was ready and decide to go inside and find out what's the hold-up.
I speak to the hostess, who just says, "Oh you just call the number, park in front and we deliver". I ask if my order is ready because if it's not I am just going to leave. She said she will call the take-out lady. She confirms my order is ready then offers to bring it my car if I want. I think this system is not well thought out for a place that charges a PREMIUM for food. Anyways, I get my bill, I added another soup with my Ginger Chicken so it's $25 w/ tax. I tip a couple of bucks and leave.
I get home and the soups are a good portion, so I am feeling good about my order. The Hot and Sour is just like any Hot and Sour I have had. I try the Egg Drop, and I didn't care for it. It was all egg and nothing else. The flavor wasn't great. I dig into the Ginger Chicken, the portion is small. It's about 7 cut up pieces of chicken, a few broccoli, some brown and white rice, and 1 tiny piece of ginger. The chicken flavor wasn't great. This dish is not good, nor well made. The lettuce wraps were good, what I was expecting. The flavor was there and there was enough lettuce.
I asked for chopsticks, didn't get any, I asked for 3 hot mustards, and 3 chili sauces, I got 2 hot mustards, and 3 chili sauces 1/2 full. Both of these were very good, I would give both 5 stars for flavors, and 2 stars for chili sauce portion.
Overall, for $25 I expect a much larger lunch portion and better tasting dish. Also, I expect to have someone check on cars that order, and clear signage setting expectations on how to receive food. I feel as though the hostess should be clued in on to-go orders, what car to look for to communicate, as well as the server, keeping an eye on orders to deliver. I would try PF Changs for an entree in the future and see if the portion is better, and order another meat. I do like the chicken lettuce wraps, not sure why those have good chicken flavor but this dish didn't. Last but not least, Ginger Chicken Brocolli, MUST HAVE AN ABUNDANCE of GINGER! read more