Nando's at Manchester Piccadilly is always a very busy location, due to its location within the city centre, in the heart of Piccadilly Gardens, it is quite a large location and they do have a Basement area, so there is probably more seating than other Nando's locations nearby.
It is a typical Nando's in terms of pricing/menu/decor etc, the staff are generally pretty friendly too.
On my most recent visit, I ordered my usual Medium Chicken Butterfly with peri chips and spicy rice, my food was cooked well and tasted pretty good, I did have to send my rice back, however, strangely the left half of my rice was cold, so I guess they mixed two different lots in order to get my food quicker.
I do find waiting times for a table to be a little better than the Arndale branch, at the moment due to COVID restrictions, you have to scan a QR code on the door, and you'll receive a text when it's your turn for a table, with no pre-bookings.
This is the only Nando's store I've ever seen with a security guard, I think that does go to show the sad determination of Piccadilly Gardens as a whole and how it's become one of the most dangerous and rough parts of the city centre, and I can't blame them for wanting to protect the staff and patrons.
4* - This is a pretty good Nando's location, the service and food quality has improved a lot lately, Mass (one of the managers is a great guy), and if you don't mind a bit of a wait at busy times, this is a nice place to grab some food. read more