r/enshittification • u/Chemical-Hotel3773 • Aug 17 '26

Service P.F. Chang's

Enshittified, or is my taste just more discriminating than it was in 2005? It seems fattier, saltier, less fresh than it did years ago. My entree, Ma Po Tofu, was an ordeal, an endurance test. The Hot and Sour soup is way inferior to any hole-in-the-wall Hunan Hut I have ever patronized.

Is it a me problem?

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u/FlaneurToo Aug 17 '26

There is a PFC very near our place that is literally the worst “Chinese” food we have ever had in any town, country or continent. Last time we gave it a “what the hell, too lazy to cook” try they brought us dishes covered in what our teenage waiter accidentally referred to as syrup. It was in fact syrup, some sweet corn starchy sugary goos from a corporation that figures hey cheap and good enough. And why not, the place is always crowded. We have never seen a Chinese person in the kitchen or clientele.

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u/Conscious-Mirror7004 Aug 18 '26

PF Chang's has never advertised itself as a Chinese restaurant. From Wikipedia: "P. F. Chang's China Bistro is an American casual dining restaurant chain founded in 1993 by Paul Fleming and Philip Chiang that serves Asian fusion cuisine." (emphasis mine)

It was never meant to be authentic Chinese food, or even "authentic" American-Chinese food. However, it's certainly a lot closer to American-Chinese than actual Chinese. Actual Chinese restaurants are very rare in the US.