Cape Town - Nando’s is famous for its funny TV ads and posters, but one customer says there is nothing funny about their “shrinking portions”.
The fast food chain has come under fire for its tiny leg pieces, breasts, and chips portions and steep prices.
One “peri” angry customer took to Facebook this week to complain about the little chips he got at Nando’s Parktown in Joburg.
Jasveer Morar posted a picture of his sad-looking Nando’s meal and till slip on Monday, explaining that he paid R34.90 for a large chips, but received only a small bowl.
He told Nando’s that he loved their food, but their tiny portions are making it hard to swallow.
He wrote: “Dear Nando’s. I have always been a fan of your jokes, great food and hearty portions. But after going ordering chips yesterday I felt that the joke was on me. After ordering a large chips and being told it was R34.90.
“I paid with the intention it will be enough. When the order arrived I even asked the waiter is this correct. She told me that’s the size. I spoke to the manager and he said Nandos changed the menu and this was the chip sizes they sold. [sic]”
He then explained that Nando’s appears to have no clucking clue about the price of potatoes.
“I am a farmer. I know that potatoes were R120 a bag meaning they were R12 per kg. But the prices have dropped,” he added.
“Currently potatoes are R80 a bag for the best potatoes. That’s R8 a kg but after you make the chips you charging R100 a kg for your chips. And we know you buying in bulk so you not paying R80 for a bag of potatoes.”
He added that the chips portions weren’t the only things shrinking.
“Yes you are trying to make money on sides but even your chicken sizes are smaller meaning that you ripping off your customers off even on your meat. I will support Nandos again but only after you drop your prices.[sic]”
Nando’s did not respond to Jasveer on Facebook, but confirmed they have contacted him.
In a statement to the Daily Voice, Nando’s said: “We have contacted the consumer in question and offered our apologies for the fact that our standard operating procedure was not followed. We have given him Nando’s vouchers to allow him to have a better Nando’s experience.
“At Nando’s we take quality standards and customer experience very seriously. In this case, it seems our standard operating procedure was not followed and an incorrect portion size was served.”
They say they rectified the matter: “We have immediately implemented corrective training across our system, to make sure this never happens again.
“Like everyone, we are feeling the effects of a severe drought, food inflation, a falling rand and a shake-up in the global economic markets. We have not changed our pricing strategy and continue to work hard to make sure we deliver a great quality experience at reasonable prices.”
The Daily Voice decided to do its own size-and-price check in the Cape and bought a mild quarter chicken and chips from Nando’s.
We compared it with a tandoori quarter chicken and chips bought from another restaurant.
The Nando’s meal cost R49.90 while the other meal cost R40.
And judging by the picture, Nando’s has some serious catching up to do.
@DailyVoiceSA did its own size and price check after a @NandosSA customer's complaint pic.twitter.com/waLFwTamXr