Nando’s vs Galito’s: Prices, Menus and Which One to Pick (2026)
Quick answer: is Galito’s cheaper than Nando’s?
Yes, on nearly everything. A full flame-grilled chicken costs R175 at Galito’s and R205 at Nando’s, so you save R30. A quarter chicken with chips and a roll is R69 at Galito’s (the Laduma Meal) and R82 at Nando’s. The biggest gaps are on burgers, R49 against R79, and on chicken livers, where Galito’s charges about half. Nando’s is the better pick if you need vegetarian food, wraps, a kids’ menu, dessert or table service. The only thing Nando’s sells for less is bread rolls, and only if you buy its four-pack.
Galito’s exists because of Nando’s. Nando’s opened in Rosettenville, Johannesburg, in 1987. In 1996 Louis Germishuys, who had been a Nando’s franchisee, left when the company started buying out its franchise owners. He worked out his own sauces at home in Nelspruit (now Mbombela) and opened the first Galito’s next door to a Nando’s. Both chains still sell Portuguese-style peri-peri chicken cooked over a flame, but the menus and prices are now quite different.
We took every price below from the two brands’ official South African menus in September 2026. Both run franchises, so your branch may be a few rand off. If you are weighing Nando’s vs Galito’s for one particular order, the budget table and the verdict are probably all you need.
Chicken on its own
Bare chicken with no sides is the fairest test, because it is the same product in the same portion at both chains.
| Portion | Galito’s | Nando’s | Saving at Galito’s |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/4 Chicken | R49 | R60 | R11 (18%) |
| 1/2 Chicken | R89 | R105 | R16 (15%) |
| Full Chicken | R175 | R205 | R30 (15%) |
Galito’s is 15 to 18 percent cheaper at every size. That is a steady discount, much smaller than the one Pedros offers (we compare all three further down). Because the rand gap grows with the portion, you notice it most when you are buying for a family.
Chicken meals with sides
At Galito’s you can swap chips for jumbo pap or spicy rice at no extra cost. Nando’s has a longer list of sides to choose from, and its family bundles use bigger sharing-size portions.
| Meal | Galito’s | Nando’s | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/4 chicken + one side | R64 | R70 | R6 |
| 1/4 chicken + chips + roll | R69 (Laduma Meal) | R82 | R13 |
| 1/2 chicken + one side | R104 | R125 | R21 |
| Full chicken + two sides | R199 (Value Pack, regular sides) | R279 (sharing sides) | R80 |
| Full chicken + four sides | R299 (Full Pack: 2 large chips, 4 rolls, salad) | R339 (four sharing sides) | R40 |
A quarter chicken with one side is only R6 apart, the closest the two chains get anywhere on the menu. The R80 gap on a full chicken with two sides needs a caveat: Galito’s Value Pack comes with two regular chips or two jumbo pap, while Nando’s charges for two larger sharing sides. Even so, a whole-chicken dinner costs less at Galito’s.
What R100, R200 and R300 buy
Most people order with a budget in mind rather than a percentage, so here is what each common amount gets you.
| Budget | At Galito’s | At Nando’s |
|---|---|---|
| R100 | Two R39 Value Meals for two people (R78), or a 1/4 Mkhulu Meal for one big appetite (R99: quarter chicken, side, livers and a roll) | One 1/4 chicken, chips and roll (R82), with R18 change |
| R200 | Value Pack (R199): a full chicken with two sides, enough for three or four | Not enough for a bare full chicken (R205). Closest fit: 1/2 chicken with a side plus an extra single side (R160) |
| R300 | Full Pack (R299): full chicken, two large chips, four rolls and a garden salad | Full chicken with two sharing sides (R279) |
For families, R200 is the number to look at. It buys a whole chicken with sides at Galito’s, and it falls R5 short of a plain chicken at Nando’s.
Buying whole vs buying in pieces
Both chains charge less per portion when you buy the whole bird, and Nando’s charges more when you don’t. Four separate quarters cost R196 at Galito’s, against R175 for a full chicken, which is about 12 percent extra. At Nando’s four quarters come to R240 against R205, about 17 percent extra. Two halves barely cost more at either: R178 against R175 at Galito’s, and R210 against R205 at Nando’s.
Galito’s also sells chicken by the piece in its Hotbox range: three pieces with a side for R84, five for R124, and seven with two sides for R179. Nando’s main menu has nothing sold by piece count apart from winglets. If your group can’t agree on quarters or halves, a Hotbox is the easy way out.
Burgers, bowls and salads
Galito’s prices its burgers as a budget item. Nando’s prices them closer to a restaurant main.
| Item | Galito’s | Nando’s |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest burger | Chicken Burger, R49 | Pulled Chicken Burger with Cheese, R61 |
| Chicken fillet burger | R49 | R79 |
| Chicken burger + chips or side | R64 | R96 |
| Double chicken burger | R74 | R119 |
| Double chicken burger + chips or side | R89 | R135 |
| Chicken strips and spicy rice bowl | R65 regular, R99 large | R82 |
| Chicken salad | R69 | R90 (Grilled Chicken Salad) |
A standard chicken burger is R30 more at Nando’s, and a double is R45 more. Galito’s adds chips to any burger for a flat R15, which is R10 less than buying regular chips on their own. Nando’s has more choice, though. Every burger has a veg version at the same price, and it also sells Grande burgers, pitas and wraps, none of which Galito’s makes.
Chicken livers
Livers show the widest gap on either menu. Galito’s Chicken Livers Meal costs R39 and comes with a Portuguese roll, jumbo pap or spicy rice. Nando’s charges R79 for a full portion of livers with a roll and R67 for the starter size, so you pay about double.
Galito’s also puts livers in its Mkhulu Meals (mkhulu is isiZulu for grandfather). The quarter version is R99 for chicken, a side, livers and a roll, and the half version is R159 with two rolls. Nando’s has no equivalent.
Sides and extras
An order of three or four sides can add more to the bill than people expect, so the unit prices are worth a look.
| Side | Galito’s | Nando’s |
|---|---|---|
| Regular chips | R25 | R35 |
| Large or sharing chips | R45 | R48 |
| Spicy rice | R25 | R35 |
| Pap | Jumbo Pap R20, with sishebo R25 | Casa Pap R35 |
| Coleslaw | R25 | R35 |
| Bread rolls | R15 each | 4 for R48 (R12 each) |
| Garden salad | R49 | Nando’s Salad R35 single, R48 sharing |
| Chilli bean or morogo | R35 (Galito’s only) | Not sold |
| Mac ‘n Cheese, mielie or PERi-Spinach | Not sold | R35 to R40 (Nando’s only) |
Most single sides are R10 cheaper at Galito’s. Large chips are the exception, only R3 apart. Rolls go the other way: if you want four or more, the Nando’s four-pack is cheaper per roll. Jumbo Pap at R20 is the cheapest side at either chain, and we think the extra R5 for sishebo on top is money well spent.
Feeding a family or a group
| Group order | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Galito’s Mega Roll Deal | R155 | 4 snack rolls + 2 large chips |
| Galito’s Value Pack | R199 | Full chicken + 2 sides |
| Galito’s Power Feast | R229 | Full chicken + 2 jumbo pap + chilli bean |
| Nando’s Full Chicken + 2 Sharing Sides | R279 | Full chicken + 2 sharing sides |
| Galito’s Full Pack | R299 | Full chicken + 2 large chips + 4 rolls + garden salad |
| Nando’s Full Chicken + 4 Sharing Sides | R339 | Full chicken + 4 sharing sides |
| Galito’s Kings Feast Platter | R469 | 2 full chickens + 2 snack rolls + 4 sides + free sauce |
| Nando’s full platters | R695 each | Four varieties, built for six to eight people |
For a family of four, compare the Galito’s Full Pack at R299 with a Nando’s full chicken and four sharing sides at R339. Nando’s gives you more sides by volume. Galito’s gives you rolls and a salad, and you keep R40. For a bigger group, the Kings Feast gets you two whole chickens for R226 less than a Nando’s platter, although the Nando’s platters include wings, sosaties and a veg option.
Flavour, basting and sauces
Both chains grill over an open flame and baste with peri-peri, so what differs is the flavour range. Galito’s has five bastings at no charge: Lemon and Herb, BBQ, Mild, Hot and Extra Hot. The BBQ option is one Nando’s doesn’t have. You can also buy any of eight bottled Galito’s sauces for R29 each.
Nando’s calls its scale the PERi-ometer. It starts at Plain…ish and Lemon and Herb, then goes through Mango and Lime, Mild and Hot to Extra Hot, all made with African Bird’s Eye chilli. Nando’s also sells its bottled sauces in supermarkets, where Galito’s has a much smaller presence.
Taste is harder to settle. Nando’s regulars tend to say the chicken tastes the same at every branch. Galito’s fans more often mention the price and the size of the portions. When The Washington Post reviewed a Galito’s in Maryland in 2022, its critic thought it might be better than Nando’s. Both are franchised, though, so how well a branch is run can matter as much as the name on the sign.
What only one of them sells
You will only find these at Galito’s: the R39 Value Meals, Mkhulu Meals, Snack Rolls with the Double Up and Mega Roll deals, Hotbox piece boxes, the Galibowl (grilled strips over spicy rice, spinach and potato morogo and sishebo), chilli bean, jumbo pap with sishebo and the BBQ basting. Some stores also make Pizzalito’s pizza.
Nando’s has pitas and wraps, a veg version of every burger, pita and wrap, Boujee Bowls, Hotpots, Cabo Sosatie skewers, winglets, Cheesy Rissoles and Mac ‘n Cheese. It also has the Nandinos kids’ menu at R53, churros and Da Malva Pudding, espresso and milkshakes, and breakfast at a few restaurants.
Vegetarians, kids and wings
For vegetarians, Nando’s is the easy choice. Every burger, pita and wrap comes in a meat-free version at the same price, and there is a veg platter too. Galito’s official menu has no meat-free main apart from the R49 garden salad, though you could make a meal of chips, pap, chilli bean, morogo and coleslaw.
Nando’s also has a kids’ range, the Nandinos, with four options at R53 each, all with chips. Galito’s doesn’t list a kids’ menu, so for children a quarter chicken with a side (R64) or one of the R39 Value Meals makes more sense.
Wings are Nando’s only: R55 for six winglets or R85 for ten. The South African Galito’s menu doesn’t sell wings, and the Hotbox pieces are the closest thing to them.
Format, reach and halaal
| Galito’s | Nando’s | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1996, Nelspruit (Mbombela) | 1987, Rosettenville, Johannesburg |
| Size | 260+ stores across 14+ countries | 300+ restaurants in South Africa alone |
| Format | Quick-service counter, eat-in seating varies by store | Sit-down with table service at most restaurants |
| Online ordering | Own app, plus delivery apps | Own app and website, plus Uber Eats and Mr D |
| Halaal | Varies by branch | Many branches certified, varies |
The format explains a lot of the price difference. At Nando’s you pay for a restaurant, with table service, a longer menu, coffee, desserts and a liquor licence at many branches. Galito’s is set up for quick counter orders and takeaway. In 2024 BusinessTech reported MAPS research naming Galito’s among the chains that gained customers as people moved to cheaper options. Halaal status depends on the branch, so ask yours, and see our halaal fast food guide for how to check.
Where Pedros fits in
Pedros is cheaper than both, and Galito’s sits roughly halfway between Pedros and Nando’s.
| Item | Pedros | Galito’s | Nando’s |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/4 Chicken | R32.99 | R49 | R60 |
| 1/2 Chicken | R64.99 | R89 | R105 |
| Full Chicken | R124.99 | R175 | R205 |
| 1/4 chicken, chips and roll | R49.99 | R69 | R82 |
| Chicken burger | R35.99 | R49 | R79 |
If price is all you care about, go to Pedros. Galito’s is worth the extra when you want livers, a Mkhulu Meal, morogo or chilli bean, none of which Pedros sells, and it still costs less than Nando’s. Our Pedros vs Nando’s comparison goes through that pairing item by item.
Which one should you choose?
- Feeding a family on R200: Galito’s. The Value Pack is a full chicken and two sides for R199, less than a plain chicken at Nando’s.
- Lunch under R50: Galito’s, with eight Value Meals at R39 and a R49 chicken burger. The cheapest Nando’s mains are a R59 Hotpot and a R60 quarter chicken.
- Livers or pap: Galito’s. Livers cost about half and jumbo pap is R20.
- A vegetarian at the table: Nando’s, where every main has a veg version at the same price.
- Kids, wings, dessert or a sit-down meal: Nando’s. Galito’s menu has none of these.
- Wraps and pitas: Nando’s, because Galito’s doesn’t make them.
For our own money, we would go to Galito’s for a weeknight family dinner and to Nando’s when we want to sit down or someone at the table doesn’t eat meat.
If you want to check a single item, our Galito’s menu prices and Nando’s menu prices pages list every price on both boards. If Pedros is also near you, the Pedros menu is the cheapest of the three, and we have compared it with Chicken Licken in Chicken Licken vs Pedros. Ordering in? Here is what Uber Eats and Mr D add to the prices above. The rest of our head-to-heads are on the fast food comparisons page.
Galito’s vs Nando’s: quick answers
Is Galito’s cheaper than Nando’s?
Yes. A full chicken is R175 at Galito’s and R205 at Nando’s. Galito’s is also cheaper for quarter and half chickens, burgers, bowls, livers and most sides. Nando’s only comes out cheaper on rolls, and only in its four-pack.
Are Galito’s and Nando’s the same company?
No. Louis Germishuys, a former Nando’s franchisee, started Galito’s in 1996 as a separate business. The two cook chicken the same way but have no ownership link.
What is the cheapest meal at Galito’s compared with Nando’s?
Galito’s has eight Value Meals at R39, including the Chicken Livers Meal and the Snack Roll with chips. At Nando’s the cheapest mains are the Hotpot at R59 and a plain quarter chicken at R60.
Which is better for a family of four?
Galito’s, if price decides it. Its R299 Full Pack has a full chicken, two large chips, four rolls and a garden salad. The nearest Nando’s order, a full chicken with four sharing sides, is R339.
Does Galito’s have vegetarian options?
Only a garden salad and sides such as chips, pap, chilli bean and morogo. Vegetarians do better at Nando’s, which has a veg version of every burger, pita and wrap.
Which has more heat levels?
Nando’s PERi-ometer covers more ground, including Plain…ish and Mango and Lime. Galito’s has five free bastings, one of them a BBQ flavour Nando’s doesn’t do, plus eight bottled sauces at R29.
Are delivery app prices the same as in store?
No. Uber Eats and Mr D usually list both chains above their in-store prices, and delivery and service fees come on top. Take the prices on this page as the least you will pay.
Sources
- Galito’s South Africa official menu
- Nando’s South Africa official website
- Galito’s history (Wikipedia)
- The most popular fast food chains in South Africa (BusinessTech, 2024)
- Galito’s review (The Washington Post, 2022)
Prices last checked September 2026 from the official Galito’s and Nando’s South African menus. Both brands run on franchises, so your local branch may charge slightly more or less. Menu items are subject to availability.