Panama City - Post Report Question and Answers

What typical restaurants, food delivery services, and/or takeout options are popular among expatriates?

Deliveries were alive and well, and with the pandemic, they became the only means of restaurant survival. Rappi, Pedidos Ya, Uber Eats, etc, will deliver everything. From Peruvian chicken to prosecco to Salvadorean pupusas, all are available. - Dec 2021


Take-out is not that great, but the general sushi/pizza options exist and are pretty good. - Oct 2018


Almost everything can be delivered. Sushi, fast food, TGI Friday's, Hooters, and the list goes on. Appetito 24 is available 24/7 and will deliver quite a wide range of food. Local restaurants are varied and tasty, so no real lacking of options. - Sep 2018


Quite a lot of restaurants and American franchise fast food. - May 2017


Panama City is an excellent foodie city, though dining out prices are very high at most places. As a melting pot, there is also many varieties of restaurants and foods from all over the world. Apps like Degusta are a good way of finding restaurants that have been rated by locals. There are many restaurants that deliver or offer takeout, and also a wave of third-party delivery companies who deliver right to your door- such as Apetito24 or Delicentro. - Mar 2017


ALL of them! Lots of good restaurants, too. Costs are more than in the U.S. - Oct 2015


McDonald's, Wendy's, Taco Bell, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Papa John's, Dominoes. Indian, Thai, Chinese, Mediterranean, Italian, French, Mexican etc - Jun 2015


Chains like McDonald's, Popeye's, Baskin Robbins, Carls, Jr, Taco Bell, Dominos, KFC, Papa Johns are available here but they not cheap. In some cases the prices are similar to DC but higher in other cases. Also, fast food is not fast here at all--it usually takes 30-45 minutes between ordering your food and receicing it. There are nice restaurants available but they are expensive. If you like pork, chicken, rice and fried plaintains then you can find inexpensive food at Panamanian cuisine restaurants. Inexpensive street food of dubious quality is available. - May 2015


All the usual and some really good sushi and Lebanese. - Sep 2014


All American fast foods and chains. Also very good and pricey restaurant, all sorts (i.e. Indian, Thai, Chinese, Mediterranean, Italian, French, Mexican etc). Prices range from US$5 to $60 depending on your budget. - Jul 2014


All the American staples are down here (McDonald's, Wendy's, Taco Bell, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Papa John's, Dominoes, etc). Some decent Colombian chains are here too (Juan Valdez coffee shops, Crepes y Waffles). Lots of good independent restaurants, too, of all kinds, although SE Asian foods are hard to find. Lots of Chinese restaurants, but generally low quality and bland. Prices are comparable to major cities in the U.S. - Mar 2014


All fast food chains are here with about same prices as the U.S. There are several good restaurants here, usually a bit cheaper or the same as a U.S. equivalent. I haven't been overly impressed by the dining scene here, but there are some decent choices. Look elsewhere for good Thai or Indian though! - Jan 2013


Panama city has a wide variety of ethnic diversity due to the canal and families of the former laborers settling here. You can get excellent Chinese and Indian food. The sushi - Sep 2011


Everything you want. - Apr 2010


McDonals, Burger King, Popeyes, KFC and recently Taco Bellprices are similar to the US - Dec 2009


At night Panama looks like any other city in the States with its bright fast food signs glowing. They have them all except Taco Bell and Arby's. They do have very good restaurants here though. Ten Bistro is good, and Mi Ranchito on the causeway has a nice atmosphere with decent food. - May 2008


Everything and anything. Prices generally about the same as the U.S. but maybe about 10% less than major U.S. cities. It is expensive compared to other countries we've been in Latin America. - Apr 2008


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