Stevenage - Leisure Park - James RYN Review

Stevenage: Excitement quickly turned to disappointment as this previously high performing branch failed to live up to expectations.

Having previously been to this branch in the summer and being very impressed, I expected similar on this Nando's + cinema trip.
The branch wasn't quite as busy as I thought it would be, and I suspect this was because it was bonfire night. As a result, we were seated straight away, and there was no queue to order.

The staff lived up to my previous experience, with Laura the girl on the door being very polite, and Aiden the sometimes griller/sometimes on the tills Nandoca recognising me, and taking my order perfectly (see below for a photo of Aiden in action). We were also checked up on during our meal, and the manager was taking a hands-on approach and getting very involved with the staff and customers - just what I like to see. However, this was where the pleasant aspects of this visit ended.

Next came the wait for food. Just over 30 minutes on a Saturday night would usually be somewhat forgivable, but the branch wasn't exactly packed out. To top it off, the food was definitely below average, with the chips being the most disappointing aspect. They were small and what I would describe as 'bitty', i.e. the short bits you might get at the bottom of a bag. In addition, it was all lukewarm (I saw my burger sitting out for quite a while), and my burger wasn't exactly flowing with sauce. My girlfriend's garlic bread also didn't have very much garlic butter on it, which was a shame to see.

As for the location, I can only reiterate what has been said before: this Nando's is perfectly situated for a night out, with bowling, cinema, and even a night club right next door.

Overall, I'm sorry Nando's Stevenage but I might be reconsidering my next visit if it's to be at a busy time.