Man spends £1,000 trying to win free Nando’s for life before realising competition has closed

It always pays to read the small print.

Christopher Poole found that out the hard way after spending £1,000 trying to win a coveted Nando’s black card, guaranteeing free meals for life, only to realise the competition had closed.

The chicken chain ran a promotion over two years ago offering a black card to anyone who could prove they had eaten at every one of the firm’s 1,031 stores around the world.

Mr Poole only realised the competition had ended after visiting 85 branches in the UK and spending £1,000 along the way.

‘I heard about this competition to eat at every Nando’s branch and thought it sounded right up my street,’ the Daily Mail quotes the 26-year-old as saying.

‘I love chicken and eat in there a couple of nights a week anyway, so decided to embrace the challenge. I’d do anything to get my hands on a card giving me free chicken.’

It wasn’t all bad news for Mr Poole, who gained a stone during his challenge and even came up with his own ‘Nando’s pose’ – involving imitating a cockerel – as the restaurant chain has agreed to honour the old promotion if he can complete the global challenge.

‘Once I have done the UK, I am then going to move onto Australia where there are around 300 [restaurants]. I am hoping to do as many as I can in just 40 days – I plan on eating Nando’s for every meal,’ he declared.

‘I have started to receive requests from random people who invite me to join them for food in their local Nando’s.

‘I’ve been invited on about ten Nan-dates so far, and it’s great to meet new people who love their food as much as I do.’

Pledging to reward Mr Poole for his efforts, a Nando’s spokesman said: ‘There are now so many Nando’s worldwide, that we don’t run the challenge any more.

‘However, if Christopher Poole completes his attempt, we will happily honour our original promise and give him free Nando’s for life.’