Last Updated on 5 May 2026 by Dan Wilderness
Hello everyone! Most of us love a Nando’s, the Peri-Peri Chicken restaurant that’s become a very familiar presence across UK high street over the past years and is still going strong. However did you know they have a loyalty scheme in the form of Nando’s Rewards?
Personally my order is a half-chicken, medium on the sauce with some chips and a corn on the cob. I’ve always enjoyed a visit to Nando’s, and think generally it’s a restaurant chain that offers good value for what they serve.
As regular readers know we love it when restaurants can offer even better value via loyalty schemes (I’ve managed to cash in quite a few Chillis for free meals at Nando’s) so today, we’re taking a look at Nando’s Rewards and asking our classic question – is it worth it?
Quick Verdict on Nando’s Rewards
We love Nando’s Rewards and think it’s one of the absolute must have loyalty apps even if you’re a relatively infrequent customer. You earn strong high value rewards on a consistent basis, getting something every 3-4 visits. Highly recommended.
What is Nando’s Rewards?
Nando’s Rewards is effectively a stamp card loyalty scheme where you get a reward stamp (in this case a Nando’s Chilli) each time you make an order (which must be in store, for collection or using Nando’s own delivery service) with a value of £7 or more.
For avoidance of doubt, this means ordering from a third party like Deliveroo or Uber Eats does not count as earning for Nando’s Rewards.
You can earn one Chilli per day only – so if you’re there with a group it’s actually better if you all order individually, rather than as a group.
However where Nando’s Rewards can be particularly beneficial compared to other loyalty scheme is that you’ll earn rewards as you progress through your journey to collecting 10 Chillies rather than just when you reach there.
This makes it particularly generous compared to other high street food loyalty schemes out there.
Nando’s Rewards Double Chillis
Just occasionally Nando’s will run a promotion where you can earn double Chillis and get 2 for each purchase rather than one, making the scheme particularly rewarding.
There’s no fixed time these promotions run, but if you’re signed up to e-mails with Nando’s they’ll let you know.
What can I earn with Nando’s Rewards?
You’ll earn the following at each stage of the Nando Rewards Journey. If you’re eating in you can cash in multiple rewards at the same time as part of your meal if you’ve amassed a few.
If you’re ordering online for delivery or collection on the Nando’s website you can only use one reward.
What does a Nando’s Green Reward Get You?
After earning three Nando’s Chillies, you’ll get a Green Reward, which can be redeemed for either:
- A free 1/4 chicken
- 3 free chicken wings
- Or any starter from the menu.
What does a Nando’s Orange Reward Get You?
After earning six Nando’s Chillies, you’ll get an Orange Reward, which can be redeemed for either:
- A free 1/2 chicken
- Any single burger, pitta or wrap.
What does a Nando’s Red Reward Get You?
After earning ten Nando’s Chillies, you can redeem your red reward for:
- A free whole chicken
- Any meal with regular sides
- Any salad or bowl option.
Top Tip: Remember that a Red Reward entitles you to a meal with two regular sides, which is how you maximize your value!
Are Nando’s Rewards Cumulative or Use and Lose?
They’re cumulative so you get the rewards at each level and do not lose your total on redemption.
This is a really excellent thing about Nando’s Rewards as it means it’s not a choice between “cash in your Orange Reward or build up to the bigger Red Reward” – you’ll simply get each reward as you achieve them, meaning you can effectively get a free meal every 3-4 visits to Nando’s.
What is the best use of Nando’s Rewards?
I’ve put together a table here showing what’s mathematically the best use of your Nando Rewards Chilies – although we’d always say whilst you should consider value, usually best to go for what you’ll most enjoy!
Nando’s Rewards Value Calculator (2026 UK Prices)
| Reward Tier | Chillies Required (Min. Spend) | Best Value Menu Item | Approx. 2026 Retail Value | Max Return on Spend (RoS) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green | 3 Chillies (£21) | 1/4 Chicken | £5.75 | ~27.3% |
| Orange | 6 Chillies (£42) | Garlic Churrasco Burger | £11.25 | ~26.7% |
| Red | 10 Chillies (£70) | Whole Chicken (or premium burger + 2 sides) | £17.25 | ~24.6% |
Obviously you should go for what you feel like, but for the Green or Red Nando’s Rewards, the straight chicken options are quite clearly the best options (and what you’re likely to be going for anyhow).
At the Orange Reward levels, some of the burgers actually represent better value (just remember, it has to be one of the single burger options). The Garlic Churrasco burger has a slight cost premium to others which is why we’ve highlighted it as our choice.
How do I use my Nando’s Rewards?
If you’re ordering at the till, say to your server you have a reward and make sure you scan your app or card before you pay – it should be deducted from your final bill.
If you order on the app or website for takeaway or just to order in-store, simply make sure you’re logged into the app with the account which is linked to the loyalty scheme and you’ll see an option to redeem any live rewards you have.
Can I redeem Nando’s Rewards with a meal deal?
No, you should be aware that any items you redeem your Chillies for won’t count as a meal deal, so sides etc. will be full price.
How do I earn a Free Nando’s Chilli?
You’ll get a free Nando’s Chillies when you download the app for the first time – beyond that I’m not aware of any ways you can get extras for free but if anyone else, please do write in the comments and let us know!
Our Review – Is Nando’s Rewards Worth it?
Verdict: Yes, it’s relatively rare to find loyalty schemes that really do reward loyalty, and pay out some pretty generous rewards at a fairly frequent basis, but Nando’s Rewards is one of them. As we show in the value table above, return rates on the scheme can be in the 20-30% area so you’re getting some real value from using Nando’s Rewards.
We like the fact that £7 is a fairly low headroom to start earning rewards and the fact you’ll then get something for free just about every three meals, and the items you get are worthwhile rather than token add ons.
If you like Nando’s and go there even semi-frequently, it’s an app we completely recommend getting for your phone.
There’s only one thing we don’t like about it (but the overall loyalty programme is generous enough we chose not to deduct a star) – and that’s that earnings are capped to a single Nando’s Chillies per day.
Whilst it’s fair to cap abuse, this means there’s little difference in treatment between a small period order and ordering for a whole family. You can get around this by everyone doing their own order, but it’s a bit inefficient.
Overall though Nando’s Rewards is an excellent loyalty programme we think is well worth recommending.
Advantages
- Easy and realistic to earn rewards
- Used well, some of the best rewards on the high street
- Wide choice of redemptions with actual value
- Gives you something frequently
Disadvantages
- Can only earn 1 Chilli per day.
- Can’t combine rewards with meal deals.
- Can’t earn rewards on third-party delivery apps.
How do I get Nando’s Rewards?
You can sign up for Nando’s Rewards at the Nando’s website here, which will also direct you to download the Nando’s app if you’re on your phone. You can also see the full Terms and Conditions for Nando’s Rewards at the site.
FAQ’s about Nando’s Rewards
Yes, you can use multiple Nando’s Rewards on the same order, as long as you’re ordering enough to make use of them.
This is something not commonly understood – many people think a meal is typicially a chicken or burger and one side, but the red chili terms and conditions do state that you can get two regular sides when cashing in a red chili.
So make sure to claim both sides to maximise value!
The Nando’s Chillies don’t expire, but any rewards you’ve earned will expire in a year. You can see the expiry date on the “Rewards” page within the Nando’s app if you’re logged in.
I will say, Nando’s are very good about reminding you that you have a free reward to use!
So there’s a slightly annoying if understandable clause in the terms and conditions that says you can only earn 1 chilli per day.
This means if you’re ordering for a few of you, it doesn’t matter how big your bill is (as long as it’s over £7, you’ll just earn one chilli).
As a result, if there’s a group of you, it’s much better to put in individual orders and each claim a chilli on your own account, rather than have one person do it. It’s a bit silly and inefficient, but it’s the best way to play the game in this case.
Other UK Loyalty Schemes
If you’re interested in our pick of the other best loyalty schemes out there, why not look at our guide to the best UK Loyalty Cards and Apps, where we also cover a lot of great loyalty schemes for other UK restaurants.
Any questions?
We’d love to hear about your Nando’s favourite orders or your own experiences with the Nando’s Rewards scheme – just drop us a note in the comments below!
And that’s it!
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