The first Nando’s restaurant in the UK opened in 1992. Together with other casual dining restaurant chains such as GBK and Wagamama, it’s brought about a sea change in how we eat out in this country. But I would argue that the significance of Nando’s goes way beyond that.

Nando’s, National Identity & Culture

Nando’s is both extremely British and not British at all (it’s South African, and peri-peri chicken is at least nominally Portuguese). Well actually – let’s face it, it’s more English than British. Of the 468 Nando’s restaurants in the UK as of March 2024, 411 are in England. In fact, it’s also very much urban English, with large numbers of branches being concentrated in big cities (more than 100 in London alone).

Nando’s is enjoyed by diners from all backgrounds and all walks of life and even if you’re too snobby to go to, say, McDonalds or KFC, you probably aren’t too snobby for a cheeky Nando’s.

Speaking of the term “cheeky Nando’s”, it has been around for more than a decade and if you have the time to enjoy falling down a very entertaining rabbit hole you should really go check out some of the threads on Tumblr and Reddit where non Brits are trying to understand what it means. Urban Dictionary puts it very succinctly – “A term used by Brits to linguistically torment confused Americans“.

Nando’s & Local Geography

“Is there a Nando’s?” is a question that means a bit more than just whether peri peri chicken is on the menu. It says a lot about the nature of the place. If there ISN’T a Nando’s, you are likely to be somewhere rural where you need a car to go anywhere useful – or else in a town that’s too small or poor for there to be anything interesting going on.

A intriguing (though not entirely serious) suggestion I recently heard was to use the “Nando’s Index” (the number of Nando’s within walking distance) when scouting out possible locations for an event or destinations for a trip. A Nando’s Index of 0 means there’s little or no choice of places to eat out, a Nando’s Index of 1 means a limited choice and probably mostly chain restaurants, and a Nando’s Index of 2+ means there’s lots of choice.

Olympia has a Nando’s Index of 4, so it’s a good bet there are lots of other places to eat as well!

The Nando’s Index is also a useful metric for students trying to work out which universities to put on their UCAS form. What you’re going to be studying is of course much more important than access to peri peri chicken, but you’re also going to be spending 3+ years in the location and its Nando’s Index speaks volumes about what that location is like (big city? medium sized town? back of beyond?) and therefore whether the vibe is going to suit you.

It’s easy to understand why there’s no Nando’s in a country village (not enough people), but what about in a medium sized town? There, it’s a matter of economics.

Nando’s & Economics

If the cost of living in that town (rent, energy, transport) is too high compared to earning potential, then ordinary people can’t afford to go to Nando’s (or any other restaurant) and the town, therefore, can’t support a Nando’s because it won’t get enough customers.

But in a town without a Nando’s (and other eateries on the same level) employment opportunities are curtailed. And the people who would have been gainfully employed in those places can’t find work, which makes the economic even worse because none of those people can now afford to spend any money either.

The presence of a Nando’s in a population centre, then, is an (albeit very basic) indicator of economic health as well as of how lively the place is. Nando’s = prosperity. No Nando’s = penury. An indicator that one would do well to take note of when deciding where to relocate or buy property!