Nando's just turned 'cincai lah' into a menu item

Nando's is leaning into one of Malaysia and Singapore’s most relatable dining habits of not knowing where to eat, for its latest campaign.

Created under its ongoing “That’s a Nando’s thing” platform, transforms familiar meal-time responses such as “don’t know lah”, “up to you” and “anything also can” into the central hook for its newest menu launches.

The campaign coincides with the introduction of Nando’s new Sharing Platters and Quick Lunch Meals across Malaysia and Singapore.

“At Nando’s, meals have always been about good food, good company and a bit of PERi-PERi heat,” said Lim Siew Ling.

“The ‘don’t know lah, you choose’ moment is something everyone knows, and exactly the kind of playful, everyday behaviour ‘That’s a Nando’s Thing’ celebrates,” she added.

Don't miss: Nando’s embraces the art of being wrong with cheeky “PERi-BBQ” launch 

According to the brand, the campaign was designed to tackle the familiar social ritual of endless back-and-forth conversations over where to eat, reframing indecision itself as the insight.

If diners say they want “anything”, there is a platter for that. If they respond with “up to you”, there is a Quick Lunch Meal ready as the answer.

Created alongside Chariot Agency, the campaign builds on a behaviour deeply embedded in local culture, where vague responses often dominate group chats and meal planning conversations.

Rather than resisting that behaviour, the creative approach embraced it.

“The insight is painfully familiar: people don’t always know what they want to eat, but they’re very good at giving unhelpful answers,” said creative director Christyna Fong. “So instead of fighting that behaviour, we used it,” she added.

The campaign positions the new menu launches less as standalone products and more as practical solutions to a universally shared frustration.

Running since 21 April, the campaign spans out-of-home advertising, social media, digital placements and in-store activations across participating Nando’s outlets in Malaysia and Singapore.

In November last year, Nando’s Singapore showed love to Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) students with a cheeky social post.

On results day (25 November), the brand posted a mock certificate from the self-declared “Ministry of Peri-Peri”, mirroring the format of the official slip students received that morning. Printed across the certificate was the line “No matter the results, it’s still on us”, alongside grades A to F paired with the same reward, “1x FREE PERi-Tomato bowl”.

Later in December, Nando's Malaysia took a wildly unconventional approach to introduce PERi-BBQ, its first barbecue finisher, with a campaign that fully commits to chaos, mischief, and intentional “mistakes”. “Taste the wild side of BBQ” was brought to life with a stark black billboard that simply read “[insert chicken image]”, with no imagery at all.

The electronic direct mail (EDM) took the same energy further. The entire layout is flipped upside down, while the subject line read “Nobody reads their email”. 

Be part of #Content360 Malaysia, 13 May 2026, where creativity and community collide. Explore how AI-powered imagination, culturally resonant storytelling, and platform-savvy strategies are shaping the future of content. Gain practical insights, discover new tactics, and learn how the region’s top creators and brands are crafting campaigns that truly resonate.

Related articles: 
Nando’s Singapore rewards PSLE students with free bowls, no matter the results 
Nando’s Malaysia finds truth and comedy in everyday stories through animation 
Having a midday breakdown? Nando's gets deep with PERi bowl campaign