Wild line for new Nando’s following free chicken promotion

Hungry lunchtime shoppers have been spotted queuing down the street for an unusual promotion in the CBD of one of Australia’s biggest cities.

Hungry patrons have been pictured queuing out the door and down the street from a popular chicken chain in Melbourne’s busy inner city.

Lunchtime shoppers rushed to the new Nando’s store in Richmond on Tuesday after it was revealed hundreds of free meals were being given away.

Just 90 minutes after the promotion kicked off, Nando’s said it had already given out 660 chickens to 2640 patrons, with more having to be ordered.

The promotion, which celebrates the launch of the new store, comes off the back of a difficult time for hospitality businesses amid a cost-of-living crisis.

Nonetheless, the Portuguese-style chicken chain plans to open seven more restaurants in the next 12 months and within three years employ 1000 more people.

Queues at a new Nando’s in Melbourne that is giving away free chicken.

Patrons queued inside and outside the Richmond store.

“In our quest to become Australia’s favourite dining destination, we’ve refined our menu, invested in the design and decor of our restaurants,” Nando’s head of brand and communications Tom Blackburn said.

“Over the next three years we will open an extra 25 Nando’s restaurants across Australia and New Zealand, growing our workforce by 1000 people. The goal is to add 70 new restaurants by 2030.”

Mr Blackburn hoped the new Nando’s store would “grab the attention of food lovers and locals” with its “new dining experience on the banks of the Yarra”.

The promotion was to celebrate the store’s opening. Picture: Supplied

The store is the first of seven Nando’s hopes to open in the next 12 months. Picture: Supplied

Patrons are entitled to a free ¼ chicken and chips at the Richmond store from 11am-8pm on Tuesday.

Nandos said it intended to roll out similar promotions with the opening of future stores in the years to come.

The Portuguese-style chicken chain was first opened in Johannesburg in South Africa by Portuguese-born Fernando Duarte and South African Robert Brozin.

Since then the chain has expanded into 30 countries with 1200 outlets, though it’s perhaps best known for its wide popularity within the UK.