Panda Express Lawsuit: The $2.45 Million Data Breach Settlement
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The Panda Express lawsuit in the news is a data breach case, not a food case. The lawsuit alleges an outside attacker got into Panda Restaurant Group's systems in March 2024, and the records exposed were mostly those of current and former employees — names, dates of birth and Social Security numbers. Panda settled for $2.45 million. The claim deadline was April 10, 2026 and has passed; if you filed, the question is when your payment arrives.
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Reviewed by Leonard Goldberg, Editor · Last updated
What the Lawsuit Said Happened
Panda Restaurant Group, the Rosemead, California company behind Panda Express, runs roughly 2,300 restaurants in 34 states, per the complaint. The lawsuit alleges that Panda failed to keep reasonable cybersecurity in place and that an outside attacker got into its systems around March 7–11, 2024, reaching files with full names, dates of birth and Social Security numbers. On April 30, 2024, Panda mailed breach notices to approximately 215,000 current and former employees. The plaintiffs pleaded negligence, breach of implied contract, unjust enrichment and violations of the California Consumer Privacy Act and California's Unfair Competition Law. Panda denies any wrongdoing and settled without admitting liability.
Case Details
The case is Halliday, et al. v. Panda Restaurant Group, Inc., Case No. 24STCV12667, in the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, before Judge Theresa M. Traber. It is a state-court class action, not a federal one. The operative complaint is the amended complaint dated April 23, 2025. The court granted preliminary approval of the settlement on January 6, 2026 and heard the final approval motion on April 20, 2026. The court-approved settlement website is PRGBreachSettlement.com, run by the administrator A.B. Data (phone 1-866-302-7373).
Status: Approved, Claims Closed, Payments Going Out
Who Was Covered
The settlement class is people in the United States whose personal information was accessed or potentially accessed in the incident — in practice, anyone who was mailed Panda's breach notice. The court's order puts the class at an estimated 240,295 people, 81,216 of them with California addresses. Most were Panda employees past and present, not restaurant customers; eating at Panda Express does not by itself put you in this case.
The test is the letter. If you received a notice from Panda Restaurant Group about the 2024 incident, you were in the class. You will see a different date on the settlement site's home page: its summary refers to an incident “in or around March 2023,” while the complaint, the court order and the site's own FAQ point to March 2024. The notices mailed April 30, 2024 are the ones that count.
What the Settlement Pays
The cash amounts are estimates. They move up or down depending on how many people claimed, after the fund pays attorneys' fees of $816,667.67 (one-third of the fund), $28,643.40 in costs, service awards and administration. If you did not file by April 10, 2026, you receive nothing — but, because no one opted out of this class, you have also released your claims against Panda over this incident. To estimate what similar cases pay, see our data breach settlement calculator.
Panda Express Data Breach Timeline
- 1
March 7–11, 2024 — The Breach
Per the complaint, an outside attacker gets into Panda Restaurant Group's systems and reaches files with names, dates of birth and Social Security numbers.
- 2
April 30, 2024 — Notice Letters Go Out
Panda mails breach notices to approximately 215,000 current and former employees. Class action suits follow in Los Angeles Superior Court.
- 3
January 6, 2026 — Preliminary Approval
The court preliminarily approves the $2.45 million settlement for an estimated 240,295 people. Notices and claim forms go out.
- 4
April 10, 2026 — Claim Deadline
Last day to submit or postmark a claim form. The opt-out and objection deadline was March 23, 2026; no one objected or opted out.
- 5
June 30, 2026 — Final Approval
Per ClaimDepot, the court grants final approval after the April 20, 2026 hearing. Payments to approved claimants begin Aug. 28, 2026.
- 6
May 17, 2027 — Distribution Review
The court's scheduled check on whether settlement payments have been made. Nothing is required from class members.
Three Things to Watch For
This class is mostly restaurant workers whose Social Security numbers were exposed, and a well-publicized payout gives scammers a script:
“Late claim” or “reopened claims” offers
The claim deadline was April 10, 2026. Nobody can file a Panda Express settlement claim for you now, and no legitimate party charges a fee to “release” a payment. A site asking for your Social Security number to “secure your share” is harvesting it.
Texts saying your payment is “on hold”
Payments are going out, which makes “verify your bank details to receive your Panda settlement” texts believable. Check status only by calling the administrator at 1-866-302-7373 or through PRGBreachSettlement.com — typed in yourself, not a link from a message.
Coupon and free-meal “settlement” posts
This settlement paid cash and credit monitoring to people who got a breach letter. It never offered free food or gift cards to customers. Social posts promising Panda Express meals “from the lawsuit” are survey and phishing bait.
Panda Express Lawsuit — Questions People Actually Ask
What is the Panda Express lawsuit about?
The one in the news is a data breach class action, Halliday v. Panda Restaurant Group, No. 24STCV12667 in Los Angeles Superior Court. It alleged Panda failed to protect personal data that was exposed in a March 2024 cyberattack. Panda denied wrongdoing and agreed to the Panda Express settlement of $2.45 million.
Was the breach about customers or employees?
Mainly employees. The court order says Panda sent notices to approximately 215,000 current and former employees on April 30, 2024. The settlement class is anyone in the United States whose data was involved, estimated at 240,295 people.
Can I still file a Panda Express settlement claim?
No. Claims had to be submitted or postmarked by April 10, 2026, and the official site confirms the deadline has passed. There is no late-claim process.
When will I get paid?
According to ClaimDepot, the administrator began issuing payments to approved claimants on Aug. 28, 2026, after final approval on June 30, 2026. If you filed and have heard nothing, call the administrator, A.B. Data, at 1-866-302-7373.
How much is the payment?
It depends on what you claimed: documented losses up to $5,000, or a flat payment estimated at $100, plus an estimated $125 for California residents. The flat amounts are adjusted up or down based on the number of claims and what remains after fees and costs.
Why does the settlement website say March 2023?
The home page summary on PRGBreachSettlement.com refers to an incident “in or around March 2023.” The amended complaint, the court's order and the site's own FAQ all date the breach to March 2024 and the notices to April 30, 2024. It is the same incident; go by your notice letter.
I didn't file. Can I sue Panda myself?
Probably not over this breach. The opt-out deadline was March 23, 2026, and the proposed final approval order states that no one opted out. Class members who stayed in gave up their right to sue Panda over claims related to this incident once the settlement became final.
Are there other Panda Express lawsuits?
This page covers only the data breach case. For settlements you can still claim, see our list of open class action settlements.
Separate from this case: were you injured in the last 2 years?
Class-action payouts are fixed amounts through an administrator. A personal injury claim is a different case — and often worth far more. Free estimate, no obligation.
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