Abstract

This thesis examines how corporate labor can function as a religion by analyzing workplace culture at Panda Express.  Using the theories of the sacred and the profane, lived religion, and capitalism as religion from religious studies, this thesis argues that the practices and language of the company mirror elements of religious institutions.  The study uses an ethnographic approach, with my two years of experience as a shift lead at the Wooster, Ohio location and written narratives from twelve employees across different organizational levels.

I conducted a thematic analysis of the narratives that found three themes: belonging, mindset, and habit. Within these themes more specific subthemes of family, friends, new perspectives, and success appeared.  Participants described the workplace as a community that fosters personal transformation and a sense of purpose.  The findings show that Panda Express can be a way to get a paycheck, and the frameworks of identity and ethical formation. These frameworks are the same that comes from religion. By looking at fast-food labor with spirituality and meaning in mind, this thesis shows how every workplace can be a sacred space where belief, ritual, and community occur.  The workplace can fill the role of religion in a person’s life.

Advisor

Rapport, Jeremy

Department

Religious Studies

Disciplines

New Religious Movements | Practical Theology | Religion

Keywords

Panda Express, lived religion, workplace spirituality, capitalism, meaning-making, fast-food labor

Publication Date

2026

Degree Granted

Bachelor of Arts

Document Type

Senior Independent Study Thesis

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