Chance The Rapper Is Going To Grill Chicken For Nando's Latest Opening

By Anthony Todd in Food on Aug 29, 2017 8:15PM

Nando's PERi-PERi has decided to make its latest mark on Chicago through a massive social justice-themed ad campaign, culminating in a performance by Chance the Rapper. Are they taking it a bit too far to open a chicken joint?

Don't get us wrong, we love Nando's—it's delicious, affordable, and their sauce would be good even if you poured it on an old shoe. But as part of the celebration of their new Michigan Avenue location opening on Sept. 5, they've taken over CTA train cars with some themes sure to make every Trump-hating Chicago liberal do a fist pump.

Some of the messages include:

• WE ARE PRO-PRO CHOICE (because you get to chose your Nando's sauce, apparently to accompany your right to an abortion.)
• A TRAVEL BAN WON’T STOP THIS PEPPER (because their peppers are from South Africa, and wouldn't be stopped by a travel ban that wouldn't affect South Africa anyway)
• WHITE MEAT DARK MEAT, EQUAL HEAT (because all chicken deserves to be doused in sauce, no matter its... race? Honestly, we have questions about this one)
• HELL NO WE WON’T DOUGH (because anti-war is a good thing! and chicken! Something!)

As they say in their "Everyone is Welcome" campaign “Nando’s PERi-PERi is an Immigrant Employing, Gay Loving, Muslim Respecting, Racism Opposing, Equal Paying, Multi Cultural chicken restaurant where #Everyone Is Welcome.”

OK, cynicism aside, it is sometimes refreshing to see businesses take stands like this, as much as it seems to be shamelessly pandering to a certain version of happy middle of the road leftyness. Like sanctuary restaurants, it's good to see an industry so dependent on immigrant labor make statements about race and pay.

What about Chance? Well, he's coming to the grand opening at 6 p.m. on Sept. 5, and will apparently "man the grills, deliver Nando’s PERi-PERi grilled chicken to fans and speak about the importance of supporting Chicago public schools and nurturing local talent." If you can get a piece of chicken grilled by Chance, imagine what that will go for on EBay. Plus, all the sales from that location from Sept. 5 through 7 will go to his non-profit, SocialWorks.