Nando's Loyalty Card Stamp Strategy

Nando’s loyalty cards are one of the major factors in why people love Nando’s so much. This seemingly simple system of collect enough stamps, exchange for free chicken, can become surprisingly complicated if you want to get the most out of it. Here are a few tips from the Rate Your Nando’s Team:

1. Whenever you are with someone who doesn’t collect loyalty stamps (and shockingly they do exist), ask them to get one for you on another card. Any true Nando’s fan will have a number of cards on the go at once, and visiting with people like this is a great way to start your collection.
2. The minimum spend for a stamp is £6, so for every £6 you spend, ask for a separate order. If ordering for more than one person at once, ask the cashier if they will kindly stamp more than one card for you without having to pay each time - they will often oblige.
3. The quarter chicken on your loyalty card can be substituted for any regular vegetarian starter. The Rate Your Nando's Team recommends the houmous!
4. Got something free but don't want it for yourself (and not generous enough to give it away)? Try to sell it to someone else. This way you still get benefit from collecting stamps, even if you are the type who orders filleted chicken*. The Team has a rough guide:
   • Quarter chicken: £2 or a regular side
   • Half chicken: £4 of a large side
   • Whole Chicken: £8 or a combo meal with 1 side
5. Just getting a free quarter chicken? Ask for a breast piece so you get more meat for your hard earned stamps.
6. Not a tip for obtaining stamps, but a tip for the intrepid card collector: rip off that flap on the front of the card. It doesn’t void it in any way and you can fit a lot more in your purse/wallet!
7. The following is quite controversial and bit of a loophole. Whenever you buy a gift card (and the Team often has reason to), you can get a stamp as long as the gift card has over £7 on it. You can then use the gift card on your next visit and get another stamp. We have never actually met anyone who implements this strategy, so do so at your own risk. Technically you should only get a stamp when you order food, and not when you buy a gift card.

Now some insight: Aside from the controversial gift-card strategy, I use all of the above. What is the result? Well my current card collection is as follows:
2 cards with 1 stamp
1 card with 3 stamps (quarter chicken used)
1 card with 4 stamps (quarter chicken used)
2 cards with 3 stamps (quarter chicken unused)
3 cards with 6 stamps (half chicken unused)

As you can see, I have no less than 5 options for free food (without even the required £6 minimum spend) on my next visit. Once a free item has been claimed, I tend to stop using that card until the interim stamps can be obtained by strategy number 1 or 2.

Clearly the above tips merely scratch the surface of what is possible. If you have any other tips leave them in a comment below for all to see!

*This will soon change when the electronic loyalty cards currently on trial in Scotland are implemented nationwide. You will be able to substitute a half chicken for a burger/pitta/wrap, and a whole chicken for a burger/pitta/wrap combo meal.