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Nando’s USA vs South Africa: Prices, Menu and Where to Find It
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Quick answer: is Nando’s cheaper in South Africa than in the USA?
Yes, the same Nando’s order costs roughly 50% less in South Africa than in the US. A quarter chicken is R60 in South Africa, about $3.65, while an American Nando’s charges around $8.55 for a quarter leg with one side. The gap shows up on kids’ meals too: R53 (about $3.22) against $8.19. Nando’s is South African. It opened in Johannesburg in 1987 and came to the US in 2008, starting in Washington, D.C., and now has about 46 American restaurants, mostly around Chicago and D.C. Prices checked 20 October 2026, at about R16.45 to the dollar.
This guide is for Americans who have just found Nando’s and want to know what it costs back home, and for South Africans in the US wondering why their quarter chicken now costs three times as much. If you only need the numbers, the table below has them.
Nando’s USA vs South Africa prices at a glance
| Item | South Africa | South Africa in US dollars | USA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/4 chicken | R60 | about $3.65 | $8.55 (quarter leg with 1 side) |
| 1/2 chicken | R105 | about $6.38 | $13.55 (with 1 side) |
| Whole chicken | R205 | about $12.46 | $18.95 (DC menu; varies by city) |
| Chicken wrap | R85 | about $5.17 | $11.69 (delivery listing) |
| Chicken burger / sandwich | R79 | about $4.80 | $8.75 |
| Kids’ meal (Nandino’s) | R53 (with chips) | about $3.22 | $8.19 (with 1 side) |
| Soft drink | R29 (can) | about $1.76 | Bottomless fountain drink (price varies by branch) |
| 6 wings | R55 (6 regular winglets) | about $3.34 | $11.69 (with PERi Ranch; delivery listing) |
| Sharing order | R279 (whole chicken + 2 sharing sides) | about $16.96 | $35.99 (Full Platter: whole chicken + 2 large sides; $27–$36 by city) |
South African prices come from our Nando’s menu prices page. US prices are from the Nando’s USA menu and the Nando’s PERi-PERi restaurant at 117 East Lake Street, Chicago (published in-store menu and DoorDash listing). US prices exclude sales tax and vary by location. We converted rand at about R16.45 to $1, the mid-market rate on 20 October 2026.
What $20 buys at Nando’s in South Africa vs the USA
Twenty dollars is about R329. At Nando’s South Africa that covers a whole chicken with two sharing sides (R279) and a 1.5L soft drink (R35), enough for three or four people.
In the US, $20 gets one person the 6 PERi Buffalo Wings & Chips Meal Deal ($11.99, fountain drink included; a limited-time offer at the time of writing), before tax and tip. In other words, a solo lunch in America costs about the same as a family dinner in Johannesburg.
Is Nando’s American? Where Nando’s comes from
No, Nando’s is South African. Fernando Duarte and Robert Brozin bought a small Portuguese chicken shop called Chickenland in Rosettenville, Johannesburg, in 1987 and renamed it Nando’s. The peri-peri recipe came from the Portuguese and Mozambican community living in that part of Johannesburg.
The brand grew across South Africa first, then the UK, which is now its biggest market (see our Nando’s South Africa vs UK comparison). Nando’s opened its first US restaurant in Washington, D.C., in 2008 and reached the Chicago area in 2015. If you have seen Pedros in South Africa and wondered whether it’s linked, our guide to whether Pedros is the same company as Nando’s answers that.
Is there Nando’s in America? US locations by state
Yes. Nando’s had about 46 restaurants in the US as of February 2026, all company-owned, spread across five states and Washington, D.C.
| State | Nando’s restaurants |
|---|---|
| Illinois (mostly Chicago) | 12 |
| Virginia | 11 |
| Maryland | 10 |
| Washington, D.C. | 6 |
| Texas | 5 |
| Georgia (Atlanta) | 2 |
Counts from February 2026; the company said “nearly 50” in September 2026 as new restaurants keep opening in Texas and Georgia. New restaurants have been opening in Texas and Atlanta, so the number moves.
Menu differences: what you only get in each country
Only in South Africa
- Casa pap and pap with Nando’s relish, a maize-meal side most South Africans grew up on
- Cabo Sosatie skewers and the Grande Cabo Sosatie Meal
- Chicken livers with a Nando’s roll (R79)
- Hotpot bowls with spicy rice or pap (R59)
- Da Malva pudding for dessert (R49)
- Flat-price sides: almost every single side is R35
Only in the USA
- PERi Buffalo wings and wing platters (24 wings and chips for $32.99)
- Halloumi cheese sticks with chili jam ($8.99)
- Bottomless Rubro peach iced tea and fountain drinks (prices vary by branch)
- Beer and wine on the menu
On both menus
Flame-grilled PERi-PERi chicken by the quarter, half or whole, the same heat ladder from Lemon & Herb to Extra Hot (the US also lists Mango & Lime and Plain…ish in restaurants, and its bottled sauces go up to XX Hot; South Africa keeps a Mild step the US skips), wraps, chicken burgers and kids’ meals. One small thing Americans notice: the US menu lists “PERi Chips (aka Fries)”, while South Africa just calls them chips.
Why is Nando’s so much cheaper in South Africa?
Mostly because everything around the chicken costs less in South Africa: wages, rent and many ingredients. The exchange rate adds to it. At about R16 to the dollar, prices set for South African wallets look very low to anyone paid in dollars.
For South Africans, Nando’s is a mid-priced treat rather than cheap food. A full chicken at R205 is still more than double what Pedros charges, as our Pedros or Nando’s comparison shows.
Ordering and paying: what’s different
- South African menu prices include 15% VAT, so the price on the board is what you pay.
- US menu prices exclude sales tax, which is added at the till and varies by state and city.
- Tipping: you order and pay at the counter (or in the app), take a table number, and staff bring the food to your table; cutlery, sauces and drinks are self-service. No tip is expected the way it is at a full-service restaurant, though the till screen will offer a tip option and a small tip for good service is normal.
- Drinks: the US sells refillable fountain drinks; South Africa sells cans and bottles.
Nando’s USA or Nando’s South Africa: which is better?
On price, South Africa wins easily, and its menu has more local dishes like pap, sosaties and livers. The US wins if you want bottomless drinks, wings platters and a beer with your chicken. The chicken itself is the same idea in both countries, so if you are visiting South Africa, order the quarter chicken and pap and see how far your dollars go.
We ran the same comparison for KFC. See KFC USA vs South Africa prices.
For McDonald’s, see McDonald’s South Africa menu items you can’t get in America.
FAQs
Is there Nando’s in America?
Yes. Nando’s had about 46 US restaurants in February 2026, in Illinois, Virginia, Maryland, Washington D.C., Texas and Georgia. Most are around Chicago and the Washington, D.C. area.
How many Nando’s are in the US?
About 46 as of February 2026, all company-owned; the company said “nearly 50” in September 2026.
Is Nando’s American or South African?
South African. Nando’s was founded in Johannesburg in 1987 and opened its first US restaurant in Washington, D.C., in 2008.
Is Nando’s cheaper in South Africa than in America?
Yes. A quarter chicken is R60 (about $3.65) in South Africa and about $8.55 (with one side) in the US, roughly 50% less.
Does Nando’s USA have the same menu as South Africa?
The chicken is the same and the heat ladder is nearly identical (see the differences above). South Africa adds pap, sosaties, livers and malva pudding, while the US adds wing platters, halloumi sticks, bottomless drinks, beer and wine.
What does peri-peri mean?
Peri-peri is a small, hot African bird’s eye chili and the sauce made from it. Nando’s spells it PERi-PERi.
Does Nando’s USA serve alcohol?
Yes, the Nando’s USA menu lists beer and wine.
Sources
- Nando’s USA menu: US prices
- Nando’s Menu Prices South Africa: SA prices, checked monthly
- Nando’s on Wikipedia: history and US locations by state (February 2026)
- Restaurant Dive, April 2025: US restaurants are company-owned
FastFoodPricesZA is an independent price guide and is not affiliated with Nando’s. Prices change, so check your local restaurant before you order. Last checked: 20 October 2026.