Nando’s is one of our favorite fast-food joints with chargrilled chicken that is to die for.
Nando’s is a bit of an outlier that rests somewhere between fast-food and normal restaurant service.
On one hand, you have to go to the counter to order (like you do at a fast-food joint) but on the other, your food is brought to your table (like a restaurant).
No wonder we’re left questioning whether we should be tipping.
To clear this up once and for all, we’ve looked into this question and will bring you up to speed with what the custom is, how much to tip, what Nando’s employees earn, and much more.
Do You Need to Tip at Nando’s? In Short
There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to tipping at Nando’s as you don’t receive full restaurant service. Some people do tip and some don’t. However, given Nando’s workers’ fairly modest salaries, we’d suggest stretching to a tip if you can afford it.
We’ve covered how much to tip below.
What Do Nando’s Workers Earn?
One of the key factors when looking at whether to tip is how much the worker earns.
If a worker earns close to minimum wage or even below the average annual wage, then people are generally more inclined to tip.
Certain jobs just call out for tips such as food delivery, pizza delivery, and diners due to their workers’ modest earnings.
But what about Nando’s?
Whether you’re ordering in the US, EU, or UK, Nando’s servers and cashiers generally earn close to minimum wage.
We’ve pulled up the data from Indeed in the UK and their counterpart site in the USA.
As you’ll note, on both sets of data, servers, and cashiers at Nando’s are earning less than 30k a year which is below the average annual earnings in most first-world countries.
Therefore, on earnings alone, we think a tip is justified at Nando’s.
How Much to Tip at Nando’s?
The standard rate for a tip at restaurants is 15-20% of the total cost of the bill.
However, given Nando’s isn’t really providing a full restaurant service because you have to order at the counter, you might think those percentages are too high.
We’d say that’s fair and suggest dropping the tip to 5-10% of the bill for that reason.
The other option is to just tip a fixed amount and not apply a percentage at all.
Leaving a few coins on the table at the end of your meal is more than enough to brighten up your server’s day given that tips aren’t generally left all the time.
You could also show your gratitude in other ways such as:
- By leaving a positive review on Google or elsewhere
- By giving verbal praise
- By referring a friend
When to Tip and Not to Tip?
There will be some occasions when you definitely think dipping into your pocket is justified but also others when you might want to think twice about tipping.
Here’s when we think you should tip:
- Around Christmas or other holidays
- If you receive exceptional and professional service
- If the server or worker goes beyond the call of duty to help you
- If you’ve received a discount on your food
You might also want to tip less or not at all if:
- The server or rude or unprofessional
- Your order is wrong
- Food is not available
Final Thoughts
Nando’s blurs the lines when it comes to tipping as it sits somewhere between fast-food and restaurant service.
Whether you tip is entirely a matter for you. However, given Nando’s employees earn very basic salaries, we think tipping is a nice gesture even if you’re not receiving full restaurant service.
The food is well priced and tasty and it is brought to your table so you are receiving a higher level of service than, say, McDonald’s or Golden Corral.
For those reasons, we’d encourage you to tip but don’t feel obliged as it’s not set in stone that you should like at other more traditional restaurants.
