TIGHT-fisted chicken giant Nando’s has been slammed for ditching free Peri-Peri sauces from its takeaway delivery orders.

The chicken chain is also telling customers to buy their own bottle instead.

The South African restaurant chain is famed for offering diners an array of spicy and flavoursome sauce options.

But eagle-eyed Sun investigators have spotted the famous condiments including Lemon and Herb, Peri-Peri Extra Hot and Garlic, have been missing from recent home deliveries orders.

And to make matters worse cash-strapped punters are being advised by the firm’s customer service team to “treat themselves” to their own 125ml bottle of sauce at a cost of around £2.

Apparently customer feedback was that the sauces – which were introduced to “enhance the home delivery experience during Covid” – were no longer being used.

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But customers are far from impressed by the move – which the chain claims is about “reducing waste” and not saving cash.

Disgusted Terry Morrison, 44, father of two from Ashtead in Surrey, told us: “It started a couple of months ago – suddenly all the sauces they used to throw in the bag have been missing.

“What is a Nando’s without the Peri-Peri sauce? We have been improvising with what we have in the cupboard but it is really not the same. No one wants a dry chicken for dinner.

“As for telling people to go out and buy their own bottle of sauce – that’s a real tight-fisted move.”

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The decision comes just months after sales surged by almost £20million at the maker of Nando’s Peri-Peri sauces as customers attempted to “recreate the experience at home” during the Covid lockdown. 

All About Food, based in Lancashire, saw its turnover soar to £61.2m for its latest financial year, up from £41.8m it achieved in the prior 12 months.

The sauces are sold in most major supermarkets for between £2 and £4 a pop depending on size.

Last night, Martyn James, independent consumer champion, backed disgruntled Nando’s fans.

He told us: “Instead of going for a ‘cheeky Nandos' outraged customers will be talking about 'the cheek of Nandos' when they discover the firm has withdrawn free sauces from takeaway delivery orders.

“People will not forgive penny-pinching businesses that cut corners or charge more during the cost-of-living crisis. This decision is nothing to crow about.” 

Last night Nando’s claimed the “trial” move had been made to “cut waste”.

A Nando’s spokeswoman, said: “We started providing sachets of our Peri-Peri sauces with deliveries as a way of enhancing the experience for customers while our restaurants were closed. 

“Since re-opening, customers have told us that only a small proportion of these  sachets are being used.

"As a result, we’ve been running a small  trial to remove these sachets from delivery orders.”

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