Nando's was a chicken takeaway bought on a whim — it became a 1,200-outlet global chain

Nando's was founded in 1987 in Rosettenville, Johannesburg, South Africa. Fernando Duarte (Portuguese-born) and Robert Brozin (South African-born) visited a small Portuguese Mozambican takeaway called Chickenland. They tried the chicken with peri-peri sauce. They liked it so much that they bought the restaurant on the spot for about 80,000 rand (roughly £25,000 at the time). They renamed it Nando's after Fernando's firstborn son.

There was no business plan, no market research, and no grand strategy. The two friends simply loved the chicken and wanted to share it. The restaurant was a modest takeaway in the suburbs of Johannesburg. The founders had no intention of building a global chain. They were just two friends who bought a restaurant because they enjoyed the food.

By 1989, Nando's had three outlets in Johannesburg and one in Portugal. In 1992, Capricorn Ventures International acquired the chain, and the Enthoven family took over the business. Robby Enthoven led the UK expansion, shifting the model from takeaways to mixed-service dining. The chain grew steadily across the UK, Australia, Canada, and the United States.

By 2012, Nando's had opened its 1,000th store worldwide. As of the 2020s, the chain has over 1,200 outlets in 30 countries. The chicken takeaway that two friends bought on a whim became one of the world's most recognizable casual dining brands. The founders' impulsive decision to buy a small restaurant because they loved the food turned into a global business.