Nandos is hoping to reopen restaurants shut in south London due to a chicken shortage by Saturday.

The restaurant chain closed around 50 sites after due to staffing shortages at suppliers and reduced numbers of lorry drivers.

Signs in restaurant windows blamed a shortage of stock from suppliers while customers were also told online that it was impacted by “isolation periods” among staff.

Sites in Bluetwater, the O2, Clapham and Balham were all affected.

This Is Local London: Nandos (PA)Nandos (PA)

A Nando's spokesperson said on Wednesday: "The UK food industry has been experiencing disruption across its supply chain in recent weeks due to staff shortages and Covid isolations, and a number of our restaurants have been impacted.

"However, since Monday, a team of our brilliant Nandocas have been supporting our key suppliers onsite - working in partnership to help get things moving again, and this has already had a positive impact on affected restaurants."

Nandos expects all its restaurants to reopen from Saturday.

Around 70 staff were seconded to suppliers to help with supply issues.

The complexity of requirements for products ordered by the like of Nando’s and KFC means they will face greater levels of disruption from staff shortages than supermarkets, according to an industry source.

The shortages at Nando’s come weeks after rival KFC warned that supply chain issues meant it was unable to stock some menu items.

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