Nando’s, the Afro-Portuguese restaurant known for its peri-peri flavours, has revealed a series of renovated restaurants in the UAE.
The locations include Dubai Festival City Mall, Mirdif City Center, BurJuman, Deira City Center in Dubai, and Shams Boutik in Abu Dhabi. The brand said the refurbishments aim to provide customers with a more homely and comfortable dining experience, featuring a contemporary look and feel.
“We listened to our customers’ feedback and noticed a strong desire for a more modern and comfortable dining experience,” said Nando’s marketing manager in the UAE, Hasna Namnoum.
“Our goal was to create a space that reflects Nando’s lively and welcoming atmosphere while also offering a fresh, contemporary look,” she said.
The region has recently seen a shift towards modern re-designs of franchise restaurant brands. Household names like KFC and Hardee’s have stepped into new looks that feature sleek exteriors, muted interiors and plenty of LED strip lighting.
While Nando’s doesn’t fall under the quick-service-restaurant bracket, Namnoum emphasised the timeliness of the brand’s refresh.
“Having been in this market for over 22 years, we recognised that many of our restaurants were due for a facelift. We never want to disappoint our customers or be left behind, so updating our spaces was essential,” she said.
This being said, the restaurant made sure to stay true to its Afro-Portuguese heritage, stating how the new interiors have intentionally placed art and decor to encourage user-generated content on social media.
“Our casas are adorned with original Southern African art and furnishing, which naturally encourages guests to capture and share their moments at Nando’s,” said Namnoum.
Nando’s testified that its expansion and renovation strategy demonstrated double-digit sales growth each consecutive year since 2021.
“As we continue to grow and evolve, our focus remains on delivering exceptional dining experiences and staying attuned to our customers’ needs,” said George Kunnappally, Managing Director of Nando’s UAE.
“Our recent renovations and developments reflect our dedication to providing welcoming, contemporary spaces where our customers can enjoy the unique flavors of Nando’s,” he said.
The brand has also adopted a mix of marketing strategies to continuously engage with its audience.
“We’re leveraging a mix of digital marketing, influencer collaborations, and local community engagement. Special promotions and mall event tie-ups have also been rolled out to attract new and returning customers,” Namnoum said.
Finally, Namnoum said the overall aim has been to ensure “everyone gets a chance to experience the refreshed Nando’s vibe.”
