Is Nando's Halal?

Nando's is a South African peri-peri chicken brand, but each country runs its own business and supply chain. That is why the halal answer changes from one country to the next.

In Malaysia, the local operator says it complies with the Malaysian halal certification rules set by JAKIM, the national halal authority. It says this covers sourcing, handling, ingredients, the menu and equipment ^[3].

In the UK, the picture is mixed. Nando's says its restaurants as a brand are not halal, but some UK branches serve 100% halal chicken ^[1]. Nando's chooses these branches based on things like the local population and how far away the nearest halal Nando's is ^[1].

In the US, we did not find any official halal statement from Nando's. So the honest answer for US branches is: not certified.

Nando's UK publishes a list of its halal restaurants and says each one has a sign at the entrance ^[1]. A few points from its halal page are worth knowing ^[1]:

• Only the chicken is covered. The page is about halal chicken, which it says is approved by halal authorities and supplied with certificates from accredited factories. It does not name the certifier.
• Separate supply. Halal products are kept apart at suppliers and in distribution centres, and halal branches get chicken from an approved centre.
• No pork. Nando's says it does not handle pork ingredients.

In 2019, Nando's told fact-checkers that 76 of its 434 UK branches served only halal chicken ^[2]. It also said a small amount of chicken in other branches may be halal at times, for example during supply problems ^[2]. That does not make those branches halal.

Nando's UK says its halal chickens are stunned before slaughter ^[1]. Full Fact noted that this is true of most halal meat produced in the UK ^[2].

Not every certifier accepts stunning. The Halal Monitoring Committee (HMC), a UK certifier, does not accept or certify meat from stunned animals ^[4]. Other UK certifiers do accept stunning as long as the animal is alive at slaughter. If you follow the HMC standard, Nando's halal chicken in the UK will not meet it.

For more on poultry rules, see our page on whether chicken is halal.

Before you order, check the branch itself:

• In the UK, look for the halal sign at the entrance or check the restaurant's page on the Nando's website ^[1]. Ask to see the certificate.
• In the US and Canada, ask staff directly whether the chicken is halal and who certifies it. If they can't show a current certificate, treat the branch as not certified.
• Ask what is covered. At UK halal branches the halal claim is about the chicken ^[1]. Ask about any other items you plan to order.

For other chicken chains, compare KFC, Popeyes and Wingstop.