Oh, What a Place! Inside Nando’s 38-Year Legacy

Now, 38 years later, the menu has grown to include everything from full, half, or quarter butterfly-cut chicken to burgers, pitas, salads, and a variety of other innovative bites. Not only has the brand become a spicy household name, but it has grown into the largest South African restaurant group to expand beyond our borders. Best known for its authentic peri-peri flame-grilled chicken, Nando’s now delights guests in many markets the world over, with all recipes — from the extensive range of chicken-bastings to sauces, spices, and more — remaining a closely guarded secret. 

The brand has just launched a new ad campaign, tagged ‘Oh, What a Place!’ to capture its ethos of ‘Rooted in people, powered by Culture.’ This initiative aims to reignite the flame that has made South Africa love Nando’s for 38 years, focusing on the people behind the brand and that famous taste. It celebrates Nando’s foundations: great food, warm people, and a space that feels unmistakably South African.    

According to Nando’s CEO Mike Cathie, “We’ve been rebuilding from the kitchen out — to focus on what gives us our real fire: exceptional food, a better total experience, and a brand that reflects the true spirit of South Africa.” 

Cathie points out that everything — from service rituals to design to the menu — has been engineered, optimised, and in many instances, reimagined to signal a return to what really matters to customers. This includes more generous meals: Louder laughs, bigger sauce bottles, and in some restaurants, that even means bottomless soft serve and drinks. He describes it as a deliberate shift from ‘fast to full’. 

We visited a branch in Sandton, and it was ‘Oh What a Place’! Nando’s has become a vibey and colourful space, with premium decor and finishes, and waitrons who come to your table – no having to order at the till. Sure, takeaways are still on offer, but you can start thinking about Nando’s for a date night versus only a pop-by-for-a-burger kind of place.  

We spent two hours relaxing and working through the vast menu in three courses. I firmly believe that if you told someone three decades ago that they could get grilled halloumi at Nando’s, they would have told you that you had the wrong brand in mind. We also saw the realisation of the ‘more generous meals and bigger sauce bottles’ promise. The meal felt hearty and healthy, and the brand is succeeding at getting that homegrown South African feel through both the menu and the ambience. 

Look out for the new ad campaign, which has that Nando’s flavour to it. Also, try to visit a branch over the holidays, you may be surprised at what you find in look, taste, and feel.