Panda Express calls police on customer wearing MAGA hat, vlogger says

A conservative vlogger says he and a fellow content creator were removed from a Washington state Panda Express and had police called on them over a MAGA hat.

Chris Sims, who describes himself as a conservative vlogger, claims Panda Express staff called police on him after he wore a MAGA hat and gave a thumbs-up to a cook at the restaurant. Mr. Sims and his fellow streamer, who goes by the handle Danny Rebel, were livestreaming their visit when a cook appeared to stare at them, prompting Mr. Sims to ask if there was a problem.

“I asked if there was an issue and the cook said ’Your Hat’ so I asked if he supported it,” Mr. Sims wrote on X on May 11.

Mr. Sims says staff then called police and falsely claimed the pair had refused to leave. He told Fox News he walked out and stood on the public sidewalk, where he says multiple employees followed and tried to get him to stop filming.

Video posted by Mr. Sims shows two Panda Express employees outside the restaurant telling the pair to leave. Police arrived and spoke with employees, who told officers the pair had refused to leave — an account Mr. Sims and Danny Rebel denied. According to Fox News, the Lakewood Police Department confirmed the incident occurred on May 10, and that after speaking with the streamers, officers concluded they had done nothing wrong, leaving the employees’ conduct as a matter for restaurant leadership to address.

Panda Restaurant Group acknowledged the incident in a statement.

“We want everyone who walks into Panda Express to feel welcome and treated with respect,” a spokesperson told Fox News. The company said it had been reviewing the details and that the matter had been handled at the restaurant level, adding that it had reminded staff of the importance of providing a welcoming experience for every guest.