Nando's Reading - Gateway — Restaurant in Reading

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Nando's with a party of five, and I must say that our experience was absolutely fantastic, thanks to the outstanding service provided by Waitress Simone! From the moment we walked through the door until the end of our meal, Simone went above and beyond to ensure that our dining experience was nothing short of extraordinary.

Simone's warm and welcoming demeanor immediately put us at ease. She greeted us with a genuine smile and guided us to our table, making us feel right at home. Her enthusiasm and passion for her job were evident throughout our entire visit, making us feel like valued guests.

Simone's knowledge of the menu was exceptional. She took the time to explain the various dishes, recommended her personal favorites, and even provided valuable insights on the different spice levels and flavor profiles. Her expertise and attention to detail helped us make informed choices, resulting in a delightful culinary journey for our taste buds.

What truly set Simone apart was her remarkable ability to cater to each of our individual preferences and dietary requirements. We had a diverse group with varying dietary restrictions, and she skillfully accommodated everyone's needs, ensuring that each person felt well taken care of and could fully enjoy their meal. Her patience, flexibility, and willingness to go the extra mile were truly commendable.

Simone's efficiency and attentiveness throughout the evening were outstanding. She anticipated our needs, regularly checked in on us, and promptly addressed any requests we had. Despite the restaurant being quite busy, she managed to make us feel like her top priority, never rushing us and always providing prompt service with a genuine smile.

Her exceptional multitasking skills were also evident as she effortlessly managed multiple tables, ensuring that everyone received the same high level of service. It was clear that Simone genuinely cared about the satisfaction of her guests, as she consistently exceeded our expectations.

In addition to her outstanding service, Simone's positive energy and infectious enthusiasm created a vibrant and enjoyable atmosphere. Her warmth and engaging personality added an extra layer of enjoyment to our dining experience, making it feel more like a gathering of friends rather than just a meal.

I cannot recommend Waitress Simone at Nando's highly enough. Her exceptional service, extensive knowledge, attention to detail, and genuine care for her guests make her an absolute gem in the hospitality industry. Our party of five left Nando's with full bellies, big smiles, and memories of a truly unforgettable dining experience, all thanks to the incredible service provided by Simone. We will most certainly be returning to Nando's and requesting Simone as our waitress again!

Thank you, Simone, for your exceptional service and for making our dining experience at Nando's truly memorable. You are an absolute asset to the restaurant, and we are grateful for the wonderful evening we had under your care. Keep shining and spreading joy to everyone who has the pleasure of dining with you!

Sincerely, A Delighted...

My expectations are based on my experience a couple of years ago in the centre of Reading. My overall rating for the gateway restaurant was that it was not perfect. Remember it doesn't matter how good the food is if it is not to place an order you end up with frustrated and annoyed customers. Imagine the scenario where grandparents want to treat their grandchildren, so not a small gathering. Firstly we had issues just booking a table, online website was not fit for purpose, at the door we were asked to scan the quote, this did not work with the NHS covid app, we realised that it was the wrong one for the app. When we tried without the app, all we got was a picture of the code. For security reasons many of phone features have been deliberately been blocked to reduce the risk of being hacked, so this method was blocked to me. It is a poor show if nandos expects customers to be hackable. Finally managed to book using son's phone. The waiter(ess) briefly explained about how to order and then disappeared, again thwarted by the qr code on the table. Again we managed to place the order but paying was again embarrassing as this was done via some one else's phone this was an unsatisfactory state of affairs. Another grip was that we ordered bottomless drinks but there was no one to serve us, so basically we had very expensive drinks. On the plus side, the food arrived quickly and was tasty. Cannot recommend this outlet until they rethink the discriminatory system of booking and ordering . Remember in the catering industry customer service...

Every time we go to Nando’s they are out of chicken livers. For my family and I this menu item is one of the main reasons we go to Nando’s.

The most recent trip to this Nando’s was comical: they ran out of chicken… it’s a chicken restaurant, haha!

This meant that they could not even take our order and we had to keep coming back to the counter to check as they wouldn’t even come round to tell us when we could order. It did not make sense why we couldn’t at least place the order and just wait for them to prepare more chicken for the grill. Eventually the manager came out and asked why the staff were not taking orders.

Half of the staff are friendly, and half of the staff are miserable and even rude.

The last 3 times I have been to this Nando’s, I’ve had the runs and so too have other people from our group. Not sure if this is slightly under cooked chicken, or hygiene issues, but it’s now made me not want to go back to Nando’s. At least not to this particular one. Which is a shame because there are no other halal Nando’s near to where we live.

I used to think Nando’s was nice, but to be honest it’s quite overpriced. You can get the same or better peri peri chicken at other places for much less. Okay they may not be the same sit down kind of restaurant as Nando’s, but strictly speaking on the food side of things there are cheaper yet better places.

Nando’s has become very popular but I personally feel it’s gone downhill from when they first opened up in the U.K. I’ve even had chicken come to our table...