Celebrities crave Nando’s

SUPER songstress Beyoncé loves South Africa’s local favourite Nando’s – and she’s not the only international celebrity to do so.

Sparking worldwide media attention, Beyoncé and her entourage this week splurged on a huge order from a Nando’s outlet in Chelmsford, Essex.

This followed her performance at the Virgin Festival, an annual music festival in Britain. Her bill, which totalled £1 444 (R23 018) was published on the BBC and Daily Mail online sites, and posted on Twitter. The same Nando’s order would cost her R5 772 in South Africa.

According to the online copy, the order, which carried the name Beyoncé K (Knowles, the singer’s maiden name), was for 48 whole chickens, 12 veggie burgers, 24 coleslaws and 24 rice dishes for her and her entourage.

And it wasn’t the gorgeous star’s first fling with Nando’s either; in May, Beyoncé made a similar purchase at a Nando’s in Dublin, which totalled £750 (R11 955).

Nando’s South Africa said in a statement that these spending tendencies were rare in this country, but “far more frequent in places like the US and the UK where the celebrity culture is on another level”.

Nando’s was founded in 1987 in Rosettenville, Johannesburg, by friends Fernando Duarte and Robert Brozin. There are now outlets in the US, UK, Australia and many other countries on five continents.

The brand has become increasingly associated with A-listers and celebrities.

US President Barack Obama mentioned the franchise during the delivery of his speech at UCT in June, after he and his staff ate Nando’s during their stay in the Mother City.

“In America, we see the reach of your culture… we’ve got the Nando’s just a couple of blocks from the White House,” he said.

Nando’s has also created an exclusive black card that is said to be the most coveted possession in the restaurant world. The card, dubbed the Nando’s High Five Card, gives the holder access to free Nando’s meals and has become a celebrity favourite.

Celebrities with their own black cards include British singer and songwriter Ed Sheeran and 2013 Wimbledon winner Andy Murray. Soccer star David Beckham and TV host Oprah Winfrey are also said to be holders of the card.

Nando’s South Africa said that having the “accreditation of such big and powerful personalities fills us with pride, and gives us something to talk about”.

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PICTURE: AP Beyoncé during her Mrs Carter Show World Tour.