Nandos has lost the plot!

Dear Nando’s Customer Care Team,

I am writing to express my absolute disgust and profound disappointment with the meal I received from your Westville branch in Durban. Despite spending close to R 500 in the expectation of the bold flavour and consistent quality for which Nando’s is renowned, what arrived at my table was nothing short of a soggy, tasteless disaster.

What went wrong – in detail No basting sauce, only watery residue The chicken appeared to have been boiled rather than flame‑grilled. Whatever should have been a rich peri‑peri basting had separated into a thin, flavourless liquid that pooled in the packaging.

Texture and presentation Instead of the signature crisp‑charred skin, the meat was lifeless and limp. The pieces collapsed under their own weight, suggesting zero care in preparation.

Complete lack of flavour I could detect none of the peri‑peri spice, herbs, or smoky notes Nando’s promises. In effect, I paid premium prices for something blander than plain rotisserie chicken.

Overall value For the amount charged, the meal not only failed to satisfy—it left me feeling cheated.

Post‑purchase experience After lodging an immediate complaint, I received several follow‑up calls—both from the Westville store and your call centre. Yet, instead of offering a genuine solution, I was instructed to collect a replacement chicken in person from the same branch:

Impractical remedy: I live in Durban North, not Westville, and had only ordered from that branch because I was in a meeting nearby at the time.

No alternative offered: Your staff dismissed my request for delivery of a replacement or any other accommodation.

Customer‑service lapse: Their tone was indifferent, and not one representative acknowledged the inconvenience or cost I had already borne.

How this affects my loyalty This ordeal has eroded the trust I once placed in your brand. Nando’s has been my go‑to for reliably tasty, flame‑grilled chicken; now I am left questioning whether to return at all. Worse, the friends and colleagues who shared in that disastrous meal have echoed similar sentiments.

What I expect Full refund of the ~R 500 spent on the order.

Replacement meal delivered to my address in Durban North at a time convenient to me, if you wish to restore my confidence in your product.

Assurance of corrective action—including staff training on proper grilling, saucing, and customer‑service protocols—so future patrons do not endure the same experience.

I trust Nando’s will treat this matter with the seriousness it deserves. I look forward to your prompt response and a satisfactory resolution within seven (7) days of this email.