The Only US State Without A Single Panda Express Isn't Alaska Or Hawaii
Out of all the states in the U.S., there's only one in which Panda Express doesn't have at least one outpost. Nope, it's not Alaska, which has six locations. And despite its island status, Hawaii has a surprising 35 of them. Even U.S. territory Guam has three, if you can believe it. Give up? It's Vermont. Vermont is the only state in which Panda Express doesn't exist, which is a fact you can whip out for rousing small talk at your next party (right alongside the Panda Express postdoctoral fellowship explainer).
Part of this might be because Vermont has one of the lowest populations in the United States, coming in second to last, just ahead of Wyoming. Funnily enough, despite having the smallest population in the states, Wyoming has two Panda Express locations, which means there are at least some people there who must be fans of its signature orange chicken. In contrast, California has a whopping 620 Panda Express locations, which makes sense not only due to the state's size, but also because the company's headquarters are situated in the city of Rosemead.
Montpelier is the only U.S. capital city without this major fast food brand
Not only is Vermont devoid of Panda Express stores, Montpelier (Vermont's capital) has the distinction of being the only U.S. capital city in which there are no McDonald's locations. (Could this be one of the changes coming to McDonald's in 2025? Probably not.) That being said, there is one in neighboring town of Barre, which means lawmakers don't actually have to travel that far to enjoy a Big Mac. Notably, there are plenty of Dunkin' locations in Montpelier, since it's a New England source of pride — the very first Dunkin' was established in Quincy, Massaschusetts.
The state doesn't have any Cheesecake Factory locations, either, and I'm guessing there's plenty of other corporations that just don't have a presence, despite being common elsewhere. The state is just not the most friendly environment for chain restaurants in general, as it has done things like ban the use of billboards entirely starting in 1968. Plus, since Vermont is known for delicious things like maple syrup, cheddar cheese, and good ol' Ben and Jerry's, its citizens have plenty of other things to enjoy rather than fast food.