Nando’s Peri-Peri will keep all 92 of its restaurants in the Washington area, Chicago and across Canada open and continue to employ all of its 2,600 employees for at least the next two weeks.
Nando’s is also now feeding health care workers and displaced restaurant workers for free, it said.
Nando’s has begun catering meals to hospitals near all of its restaurant locations, including hospitals throughout the Washington area for nurses, doctors and other hospital workers.
In addition, it is providing free takeout to any nurse, doctor or any other healthcare-related employee who shows an I.D., no questions asked.
Nando’s also announced plans to provide 50 free takeout meals per day per restaurant for laid-off members of the restaurant industry.
“Today’s decision means that we are keeping some restaurants open that are barely generating revenue, just so that we can keep our employees paid and engaged,” said John Fisher, Nando’s North America CEO.
“This is an expensive undertaking, but it’s worth every nickel,” he said.
Nando’s is also donating surplus food to local area food banks and providing free family meals for employees’ families in need.
Nando’s Peri-Peri opened its first U.S. location in D.C., on 7th Street in Chinatown, in 2008. It currently has 42 restaurants in D.C., Virginia, Maryland and Chicago, and 50 locations in Canada.
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