D.C. Restaurant Strives to Redefine 'Fast Food'

While Nando’s Peri Peri meets the criteria for D.C.’s definition of “fast food”, the restaurant does not identify with the phrase.

The Portuguese rotisserie chicken eatery is looking to open a new location in D.C. but does not want residents to think that it serves fast food, according to the Washington Business Journal.

“The challenge for us is we don’t consider ourselves fast food. We do consider ourselves fast casual, even still at the higher end, or more polished, fast casual,” Nando’s Peri-Peri USA CEO Burton Heiss told the WBJ.

A restaurant is considered fast food in D.C. if it meets at least one of the following three criteria:

• It has a drive-thru
• Customers pay before eating
• Food is served on paper products

Nando’s Peri-Peri falls into the fast food category because customers pay for the food before eating it.

“The definition of fast food as it exists today is really archaic,” ANC Treasurer Brian Pate said. “It doesn’t address the emerging category of fast casual, and a lot of the criteria in the old definition are not even applicable anymore.”

There are four Nando’s locations in the District and the WBJ reports that a location in Woodley Park could be next. However, zoning restrictions make opening fast food restaurants in the area a more in depth approval process.

For more information visit the Nando’s Peri-Peri website, Facebook, or Twitter.

Photo Credit: NandosPeriPeri.com