TIGHT-fisted chicken giant Nando’s has been slammed for ditching free Peri-Peri sauces from its takeaway delivery orders.
The chicken chain is also telling customers to buy their own bottle instead.
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The South African restaurant chain is famed for offering diners an array of spicy and flavoursome sauce options.
But eagle-eyed Sun investigators have spotted the famous condiments including Lemon and Herb, Peri-Peri Extra Hot and Garlic, have been missing from recent home deliveries orders.
And to make matters worse cash-strapped punters are being advised by the firm’s customer service team to “treat themselves” to their own 125ml bottle of sauce at a cost of around £2.
Apparently customer feedback was that the sauces – which were introduced to “enhance the home delivery experience during Covid” – were no longer being used.
But customers are far from impressed by the move – which the chain claims is about “reducing waste” and not saving cash.
Disgusted Terry Morrison, 44, father of two from Ashtead in Surrey, told us: “It started a couple of months ago – suddenly all the sauces they used to throw in the bag have been missing.
“What is a Nando’s without the Peri-Peri sauce? We have been improvising with what we have in the cupboard but it is really not the same. No one wants a dry chicken for dinner.
“As for telling people to go out and buy their own bottle of sauce – that’s a real tight-fisted move.”
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The decision comes just months after sales surged by almost £20million at the maker of Nando’s Peri-Peri sauces as customers attempted to “recreate the experience at home” during the Covid lockdown.
All About Food, based in Lancashire, saw its turnover soar to £61.2m for its latest financial year, up from £41.8m it achieved in the prior 12 months.
The sauces are sold in most major supermarkets for between £2 and £4 a pop depending on size.
Last night, Martyn James, independent consumer champion, backed disgruntled Nando’s fans.
He told us: “Instead of going for a ‘cheeky Nandos’ outraged customers will be talking about ‘the cheek of Nandos’ when they discover the firm has withdrawn free sauces from takeaway delivery orders.
“People will not forgive penny-pinching businesses that cut corners or charge more during the cost-of-living crisis. This decision is nothing to crow about.”
Last night Nando’s claimed the “trial” move had been made to “cut waste”.
A Nando’s spokeswoman, said: “We started providing sachets of our Peri-Peri sauces with deliveries as a way of enhancing the experience for customers while our restaurants were closed.
“Since re-opening, customers have told us that only a small proportion of these sachets are being used.
“As a result, we’ve been running a small trial to remove these sachets from delivery orders.”
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