You go into McDonald’s and most people will know what to do, what to order, right? Well not always! Despite McD being a massive chain. (Heck, we even have an economic index based on one of its products, the Big Mac index.) Yet, the restaurants are laid out to make it easy for the customer to recognise the flow: order and pay, sit (or take-out), eat, tidy up after yourself.
Following a lovely day at the Science Museum we were meeting a friend in Notting Hill Gate.
We spotted a Nando’s after we parked.
Dadonthebrink popped in to ask if they had a spare table. They did, as it was a relatively quiet Sunday evening. He came back to get us from the car and we followed him in.
Eating out at Nando’s
The waitress pointed to a table for us, a bit tucked away. She didn’t see us in.
We sat down and waited.
… And waited.
… And waited.
There were some menus on the table so we were ready to order and we needed a highchair for Max.
A member of staff stood a meter or so from our table when I spotted his uniform and asked him if he could take our order. He pointed around the corner, not saying anything though. I took this to mean that our waitress was just coming.
We waited a bit longer.
…And a bit more.
Kids were getting really hungry and grating on each other’s (our and fellow dinners’) nerves. Hugo kept asking when he can get a drink, Max was being a little monkey with the salt shakers.
There was a guy clearing a table near us and I asked him:
“Can we place order please?”
He looked at us surprised: ” Is this your first time at Nando’s?” to which we nodded “You need to order at the tills.”
The waiter was about to turn around, when I asked him: “Do I get the high chair at the till too?”
“No. How many do you need?” We had a healthy 6 and 7 year old with us besides the 2 year old. What was this guy thinking?!
“Just one, thank you.” He left and brought a highchair back pretty promptly.
You order at the till
I went to order. The process was straight forward. I was cottoning on that Nando’s might be a restaurant with an identity crisis- it’s really a fast food restaurant, not a dining restaurant. So I approached the till by asking whether I needed to pay immediately.
Yes indeed, you go to order, you pay on ordering.
We ordered a whole chicken, a liver and 10 chicken wings. For each of these we were offered a choice of dressing which ranged from mild to, what I gather is, VERY spicy hot.
Sides of two chips, some coleslaw and a corn on the cob. I asked the corn to be split in 3, and added three soft drinks to the order.
The kids, by this point, were really getting restless. The glasses of water with ice and a dash of our fizzy soft drinks were needed to divert their attention from salt shakers and one another.
Again we waited
…And waited
…And waited.
Thankfully the guy was clearing the tables near us again, so I asked him:
“Do I need to go and collect my order myself too?”
“No!” – he replied and promptly headed off to check. He was back very soon telling us it was ready in a minute.
The food did arrive soon after. I needed to send the corn on the cob back to get it sliced in 3 as I had originally asked, but it arrived back quickly.
It was lucky we were sitting right next to the cutlery section, as I wouldn’t have, otherwise, known that we have to get our own cutlery and that all the sauces lined up weren’t decorations, but there for self-service. I got everyone cutlery, and chose some of the sauces. Most of the dishes we were sharing and there was a distinct shortage of spare plates on the cutlery counter.
The food was nice. The kids had the wings, which were in no marinade or in a lemon and mango sauce (a gently spicy one). They ate well and enjoyed the food, as did we. The spiciness was nice, just a gentle kick to it.
We had free refills on our soft drinks, so kids kept commuting between the drinks station and our table. That was fun for them.
We finished leisurely. At times we had to convince smallest that not everything was “Ouch! spicy!”, as he was saying that to everything with the slightest bit of flavour. (My super, non-picky eater is developing an aversion to all things with the slightest bit of spice or hotness to them… sad really, as he used to be so adventurous with flavours.)
A quick pit stop followed, hoping that we wouldn’t be stopping every 10 miles on the way home because of all the fluids the kids consumed. (The rest rooms needed a bit of staff attention, but I couldn’t be bothered to tell the staff, as I’d have to have hunted one down or go to the counter.)
What? There’s a Kids’ Meal they didn’t tell us about?
As we were heading out the door Angelina spotted some crayons and some activity sheets too. She took an activity sheet. On it, sitting in the car, we discovered that Nando’s has a kids meal too. Not something that was mentioned at any point during our time in the restaurant. It would’ve been better value with more variety for the kids and included frozen yoghurt, the source of which my kids were forced to look at throughout their meal. I found it really disappointing the option was not pointed out, or highlighted on the main menu!
On this rare evening eating out we had some good food, in a nice enough restaurant/fast food joint.
However, the service was very unimpressive at Nando’s.
From the moment when the restaurant thinks that they are so big and well-known (are they?) that everyone knows how they work, it becomes unwelcoming and confusing for new customers. If it did say on the menu about ordering at the tills, then I totally missed it, as I did with it stating anywhere about a children’s menu.
Nando’s get your act together!
Have you ever been to a restaurant chain where they expected you to know how they operate?
Info: We went to Nando’s at Notting Hill Gate. The cost of the meal was just under £50 for the 3 mains- one a sharing platter-, side of 2 chips, a corn on the cob and a coleslaw. No alcohol, just soft drinks.
Original article Jan 2015; Updated December 2018
Wow, that’s a bit on the pricey side! I have never encountered a nandos, so wouldn’t have known how to deal with it either, and menus on tables would lead me to think that you ordered at table – only place it works otherwise is a pub. Is it more like a pub?
I have to admit I’ve never understood where Nandos sees itself, either. I have no problem ordering and paying at the counter before I eat, but it is always useful to be told this rather than just be left to your own devices. It’s bad none of the staff noticed you were obviously sat there waiting for something – even somewhere where you order yourself should have attentive staff. To be honest I don’t really rate the food there either – it’s rather expensive in my opinion.
Ugh. I hate restaurants like that. So presumptuous and pretentious.
Feb 11, 19:45
We have been subjected to what I suggest to be a racial and age discrimination by the staff members of Nando’s of colliers wood. I t was quite clear the all coloured people were given a small table. I addition to the fact that we are coloured we were old as well. When we asked why we can not get a nicer table. The host Ricardo replied they are for the customers as if we are from another planet. The MOD was settling another complain from the table next to us ( they are off course coloured people as well) I asked the lady if she is the manager. She replied in a very aggressive way, YES. I told her well not to worry I will report my complain on line. She left us to come back with a paper written in it her name and the host name.
She said sarcastically I am the one who will call you….
We were so upset and humiliated that we could not finish our food and half the plate was full and we left.
Upon leaving she stood in front of us looking proud of what she did, I asked her so you don’t care. She replied defiantly, No I don’t care.
That was the nightmare at Colliers wood
Simply the staff need re-training
if the MOD is the one to call me please do not bother… but I will write this review in the social media
You’re pretty dumb to not understand that this is a fast-food joint & not a sit-down restaurant. It’s a chipotle, but only with chicken. It’s a 5 guys, but with chicken. Don’t care if you have a toddler, it is what it is (get a clue, and google your restaurants before expecting at-table service).
You aren’t a food critic, you are a complainer. You are the type of person that gives a negative review on an Amazon item because the SHIPPING COMPANY put a dent in the box (but the item was 100% fine).
For those reviewers that ‘claim’ racial or age discrimination…….you are just full of yourselves. Nobody cares about you, and you are mad about that. Get over it. Move forward like everyone else – You have so much free time that you have nothing to do but complain – live your life. Or just complain because someone didn’t lick your *tnt* like you wanted – my message is…..get a life & stop worrying about a fast-food restaurant.
Go away please.
Sorry Terry that you have such a negative, vile outlook in life! Not everyone frequents chain restaurants and knows all about how they work, unlike you seem to.
Enjoy your chain experiences and those of us, more disconcerting, customers will just find restaurants that are attentive to our needs.
And for your information- the shipping company is part and parcel of an expereince when shopping online. If they are unattentive and delay or damage the goods that reflects on the vendor too… who should choose better, based on quality not just price. Personally I will avoid any vendor who uses Yodel. They have been appalling in our area.
My wife and I went to the one in Basingstoke and we had the same ‘waiting game experience’. So much so we walked out and went next door. I am all for freedom of movement to live and work wherever, but, in a service industry i.e. restaurant that has bizarre chaotic ordering systems that if you’re not familiar with is frustrating to say the least, why can’t they have just one person who can speak English. Actually just someone who is polite and friendly might be a start. Awful place. Heard the food is good and inexpensive but that does not make me want to go there. We film-go regularly and Nandos is one of a few restaurants right next to the cinema. However, I have made it a principle not to return.
Sound like life must be a bit of a struggle for you…
hahaha! Why do you think this blog is called Mum on the brink?!
Had the same experience. Luckily I found your blog while I was waiting for someone to take my order (somethig seemed suspicous). I hated the experience. Tasted nothing special for the price and inconvenience. Thanks for the blog !
Glad the blog post helped, Matty!
I’ve had such rude comments about not knowing what to to so at Nando’s, but it’s not obvious at all for a first-timer.
I’m reading your blog post because I’m thinking of going tomorrow with the kids and had no idea how it works so thank you for all the info. So, its basically McDonalds but where they show you to the table and then leave you to fend for yourself. PS. Ignore idiots that post vile responses, they aren’t worth the effort.
O.M.G!
I feel you sister! We had the exact same experience with our two lovelies!
Thanks for the lovely article!