Nando's Croydon - Valley Leisure Park in Croydon

"My favourite place! Tender chicken, crunchy and creamy coleslaw and the chips are sooo good. They never disappoint my taste buds! Popular and busy all the time, but the staff are always patient and friendly. Highly recommend! You cannot reserve a table in advance but could get placed in the queue and kill the waiting time in Tenpin next door. Well worth the wait."

"Removed 1 star for food and service because the peas were smelling (wasted) and tasted really bad. Honestly somebody serving this should have realised they were good for the bins. That was disappointing as we love peas. One waiter at the end did ask us if we had a good time and we offered to exchange the peas but we were leaving. Spending well over £100 they could have offered to refund these peas as a gesture but that was not mentioned. Luckily the rest of our food was fine, service was rapid too, although we had to wait 1hr for a table to be made available. We opted for the refillable soft drinks and ice is also available. Staff made sure to let us know the soft drink part (that collects spillage) was full and that was very thoughtful to avoid accident. However one would except all the food to be outstanding and these peas looked yummy but had turned bad. Really love them hand washing facilities (outside the toilets) great for both kids and adults."

"Went to eat here with my family, but was told the wait would be about 40mins for a table, (even though it didn't look that busy), so we decided to get the food to takeaway instead, (which we were told would be about 10-15mins). But we actually ended up waiting almost 50mins with 2 young children for a simple platter and kids meal. People that came after us were being served, had eaten and left before we even got our food and no one came to update us or apologise for the long wait. I usually go to the Brixton branch as it's halal also, and I haven't been to Croydon one for a while, but I'm not a fan of the table layout or the atmosphere here. Staff just don't seem bothered. Food was okay but it needed warming up by the time we got home. I'll stick to the Brixton Nando's or go to the WingStop that's close by next time I'm in the area. UPDATE Family and I stopped to eat in at this branch after a long time, as the service wasn't great last time. But this time it was excellent! We were initially told the wait for a table would be approx. 35mins, but we were texted that one was free much quicker. Staff were very attentive, friendly and helpful. And my kids were provided with colouring pencils and paper templates to keep them entertained. The atmosphere was lively and the ordering process was smooth with the food arrived in record time, piping hot. There was a small error with one of the items but this was rectified quickly too. Everything tasted delicious and all plates were left clean. Well done to all the staff for your improvements and great service."

"Food came out hot, fresh and very quickly! Staff member “John” was very friendly, polite and even took time out to help me put my Nando’s card on my phone wallet as I’m bit behind the times lol All in all a nice lunch, with good service!"

"I always have a great experience at Nando’s Croydon. The staff are incredibly friendly and welcoming, which makes the visit even more enjoyable. Jesse and Jake in particular always do an excellent job, they are professional, helpful, and make sure everything is done perfectly every time. The service is consistently high and the atmosphere is warm and relaxed. Highly recommended!"

"We had such a great time at Nando’s today! The food was delicious, the music created a really fun atmosphere, and the staff were so friendly and welcoming. It was a wonderful experience — thank you for making our day so enjoyable!"

"I really like Nando’s, and I like the location of this branch as well, the Valley Leisure Park on Purley Way has very convenient, US style parking, which is a big plus. That said, I honestly can’t think of a single time I’ve had a smooth experience inside this restaurant. You either walk in and wait far too long just to be acknowledged and put on the list, or you’re immediately told “it’s a 40-minute wait” followed by “are you sure you want to wait?” which very much feels like you’re being discouraged from staying. To be fair, the wait is rarely as long as they say it will be, so that’s one positive if you do stay. When it’s time to order, things slow down again. There’s almost always a long queue at the tills, or should I say till, because they virtually never open a second register even when it’s clearly needed. One positive is that the personnel taking orders are polite and extremely patient with ppl like me who have difficulty hearing in a loud environment. As for the food: it’s consistently excellent. It always arrives in good time, it’s hot, fresh, and genuinely tasty. I really can’t say enough good things about the food itself and by extension, the kitchen staff. However, once you’re seated, and have your food in front of you, it’s very rare for a server to come back and check on you. If you need anything at all, you’re usually forced to get up and stand in that same long queue at the single cashier. In short: amazing food, halal to boot, but the service and ordering process really need work."

"Popped into this Nando’s at Valley Park with my family and had a really good experience. The place was clean and had a nice relaxed atmosphere, even though it was fairly busy. Food was exactly what you want from Nando’s — hot, fresh and full of flavour. Chicken was cooked perfectly and the sides were spot on. We were greeted by Jayden - he was so friendly, all the staff were tbh. Food came quick and everything ran smoothly from ordering to getting our food. Kids loved it! Overall, a solid visit and I’d happily come back again."