WASHINGTON 鈥� It can be a risky public relations move when a business makes a political or social statement, but Nando鈥檚 Peri-Peri is making one at its D.C. restaurants leading up to and during this month鈥檚 presidential inauguration.
Starting Monday, Nando鈥檚 is launching a campaign at its D.C. restaurants declaring 鈥�#Everyone Is Welcome,鈥� to express the international restaurant chain鈥檚 belief in the values of inclusion, diversity and mutual respect.
Nando鈥檚 has plastered the windows at all six of its Washington locations with posters proclaiming the chain is 鈥渁n immigrant employing, gay loving, Muslim respecting, racism opposing, equal paying, multicultural restaurant鈥� where everyone is welcome.
Nando鈥檚 expresses no opinion about the outcome of the presidential election, either on its posters or in a statement, saying only this is its reaction to what has been a divisive election season.
It is distributing 60,000 鈥�#EveryoneIsWelcome鈥� posters, minus the Nando鈥檚 brand, throughout the Washington area, with a message on the back that says, 鈥淓ven if you鈥檝e never sat at one of our tables, you鈥檙e welcome to stand with us,鈥� hoping other businesses and individuals also will display the message.
A version of the posters is included in copies of the 鈥淓xpress鈥� newspaper, handed out at Metro stations around Washington, and printable, are available.
鈥淭his is a statement of who we are, and the values that our company employees hold dear,鈥� said Burton Heiss, CEO of Nando鈥檚 Peri-Peri. 鈥淚t is meant to be as inclusive as possible. We hope that our campaign will catch on and start a conversation about understanding and respect.鈥�
Nando鈥檚 is also donating 50 percent of the net proceeds generated at its D.C. restaurants on Jan. 20 and Jan. 21 to the .
Nando鈥檚, based in Johannesburg, South Africa, opened its first U.S. location in Washington鈥檚 Chinatown in 2008.
It has three dozen restaurants in the Washington, areas, and about 1,200 locations in 23 countries worldwide.
