Nando's PERi-PERi — Restaurant in Hamilton

I hate to do this and be "that customer", but I am currently sitting in a Nando's in Hamilton, Ontario, and I have major concerns. I have dined at locations in Canada, the UK, and the US, and I don't remember the last time I've had such a poor experience. This is especially disappointing to me because this location is so close to home and convenient and I was really excited when it opened.

Right now, it is a Wednesday night, the restaurant is maybe 1/4 full, and not only have I received cold food that had been sitting under a heat lamp long enough that the bread for my sandwich is hard enough that I can't even eat it, but I have been made to feel like I am unwelcome to dine in at the restaurant on more than one occasion.

When I walked in to the restaurant, solo, I purposely walked to the host stand because I wanted to dine in instead of ordering takeout. After a number of minutes of standing there as staff walked by and ignored me, I flagged somebody down and asked for a table number so that I could place an order. That staff member looked at me, surprised, and walked me to a table, telling me that he saw me there, but didn't think I'd want a table because I was on my own. Okay, fine, that's a bit annoying, but alright. I came into the restaurant knowing what I wanted, so I walked up to the lineup for the cash registers to place my order and purposely stood in the line that was there and not the open register for "pickup orders only". The staff member at the pickup register called me over and asked for a name for my takeout order. I told him that I was dining in and gave him my table number instead. I waited, and waited, and waited for about 20 minutes (looking at the times that I sent messages to people on my phone to put together timelines) before the staff member who took my order walks up to me with my food in a takeout bag and looks surprised to see me sitting at a table with a dine-in glass with a fountain drink in it. He asked me if I wanted to dine in, which again I confirmed before commenting that it seemed like they didn't want me to eat at the restaurant. He responded that he could put my food on a plate or I could take the bag and go, but it was up to me. I reiterated again that I wanted to dine in, so he took my bag of food, dropped it off, then proceeded to seat two tables of customers and take at least one more order on cash before my food finally made it back to my table almost ten minutes later.

As I mentioned, by the time my food got to me, the bread for my sandwich was hard enough that it wasn't edible and the chicken was cold. To add to that, the sauce that I ordered was not on the sandwich.

When that same staff member came to the table to ask how everything was, I told him that I was very disappointed and I told him why. His only response was "somebody called in sick and sometimes you just have a bad day." He didn't offer to fix my sandwich. He didn't even offer to bring me a little cup of the mango-lime sauce that wasn't on my sandwich so that I could put it on myself. He essentially brushed it off by saying "we appreciate your feedback" and had nothing to say when I asked him if anything would actually be done about it.

I do enjoy Nando's, but doubt that I will be back at...

Family and friends in the UK have told me over the years how much they like Nando's, so I was delighted to be handed a card offering me a free quarter chicken dinner with one side. This was to be my first visit to any Nando's and I had high expectations. Last week I made the trip to the restaurant to take them up on the free offer. The restaurant itself is very nice inside and the staff that I interacted with were very pleasant and explained to me the options that they offer. I opted for a quarter chicken leg and an order of fries and was told to wait for 15 minutes whilst it was prepared. The food was handed to me in a way over the top paper carrier bag, the chicken was in its own box as was the fries, a surfeit of packaging that was not necessary. In regards to the food that I was given, all I can really say is "oh dear". The chicken leg was the smallest piece of chicken that I have ever been served, it was tiny, think Cornish game hen size. The fries were hot but bullet hard and had obviously been re-fried as they were mostly hollow and filled with grease. The chicken was wet and slimy, the skin slid off and the texture of the meat was stringy and had the mouth feel of cotton wool, there was no discernible sauce flavour, none. To add insult, no serviettes or condiments were provided even though asked for. Even though the chicken was so small I could not bring myself to finish it as it was truly awful, I hesitate to say "disgusting" but it was very close. When I learned that the meal that I had would have cost me nigh on thirteen bucks with tax, the true meaning of rotten value for money hit home. I can not believe that the reputation this chain has internationally could possibly be based upon the absolute rubbish that I was served as it was gross. To summarise: Pros: Nice looking place with pleasant staff. Cons: The food they serve, over the top packaging, no serviettes, no condiments and a 15 minute wait

I don't think that I'll return and will share my experience with my friends in the UK and also here as no one needs to be given such poor quality food at the prices charged; for me this place was a total letdown especially as I was truly looking forwards to trying it especially after so many recommendations from friends in the UK.

Seriously, give it a miss as there are far better places at lower cost and...

Nando's hq if you are listening. Are you truly making a mockery of us all especially South Africans who know Nando's from when it started. I know Nando's even before it was called Nando's How to begin... I came to this location after seven years. Ordered full chicken with two.thighs. Plus salad and two fries. What I got was beyond shocking. ...the question was full size chicken??? WhAt full chicken. Are you buying not decent size chicken but more on the small to medium. One full chicken means one full chicken. What we got was only fit for one person!!! Have you started to orders chicken which are under 900gms. The side thighs... Same issue.. small portion and undercooked.

Truly disappointed.

You guys need to be ashamed. If I post photos of Nando's meals from SA or Botswana from last year November. People will stop coming to Nando here. Portions are good sized back as per Nando's standard... not those of starvation diet plus one third what Nando's is charging here. I spent around 80$. For what?? Even a fortinos full roasted chicken feeds five people.

Stop ripping off people.

Please have Nando's reach out to me directly. As a south African I expect better from my country franchise. You represent brand excellence not what I found.

Something is seriously wrong when Nando's in a rural city of Botswana can provide better quality and quantity that in Canada for less than half the price.

Will be very happy to send photos directly to the Hq.

Nando's Canada definitely is missing the original cluc not going to any further Nando's until I get an explanation and apology. I rather support Nando's back home than here.

UPDATE...

I LOGGED THE COMPLAINT AS SHOWN BY NANDOS ONE MONTH BACK. Nothing heard.

No more doing business with their Canadian operation. Reporting this matter directly to Nando's South African head office.

This is a matter of brand loyalty and not about greed that is afflicting Nando's Canada. Small portions and 3x what is charge for full size meals back in south Africa and Botswana.

Shame on you..

Photo of full size chicken in...