FAST-FOOD CHAIN OPENS AT EDWARDS.

Byline: RODNEY TANAKA Staff Writer

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE -- Panda Express has volunteered for military service, opening a new restaurant at Edwards Air Force Base.

The fast-food chain held a ribbon-cutting and luncheon Wednesday for 100 military family members, marking its first eatery at a military base.

``We're going to thank all the military folks here for their service,'' said Tom Davin, chief executive officer of Rosemead-based Panda Restaurant Group. Panda Express also plans to open stores at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Fla., and the Pentagon in Arlington, Va. Panda Express has few restaurants in Washington, D.C., and none in Pensacola, Fla., Davin said. Panda Express hopes to follow the Naval Air Station restaurant with additional store openings in Pensacola, he said. Company officials began talking with various military posts about 18 months ago, and Edwards Air Force Base was the first opportunity to arise, Davin said.

The goal is to significantly enhance the dining experience for base workers and those living in the enlisted quarters, he said.

``It's an exciting opportunity to bring Panda Express to Edwards Air Force Base,'' said Davin, who served in the Marine Corps for six years.

Base personnel will embrace Panda's Chinese dishes, said Susan Haseltine, chief of community support flight at Edwards Air Force Base.

``Panda's unique concept adds a new dimension to the base's overall eating experience and is sure to be popular for dining in, take out and catering,'' she said.

People at military sites generally want convenience without having to leave the base, Davin said. Panda Express joins other chain restaurants serving military in the U.S. and abroad. Panda Express will donate its opening-day revenue -- an amount expected to range between $3,000 and $4,000 -- to the base's Teen Outdoor Youth Program.