The UAE may have done its best to render exclusivity meaningless with VIP and VVIP and Platinum VVVIP offers open to anyone with enough cash, there’s one thing money can’t buy — a Nando’s Black card.
Until recently, Nando’s denied the existence of the card, which is also known as “The high five”. It entitles the bearer to free food and drink for himself and four mates – and the poultry purveyor doesn’t hand them out willy-nilly. Our Nando’s insider (yes, Esquire has one) said that getting one “is like being knighted by the Queen, only better”.
David Beckham, Jay Z, Oprah Winfrey and Ricky Gervais are among a select group that have been bestowed one and although our source said that nobody in the region has yet been awarded one, it could make its Dubai debut this month as black-card holder Ed Sheeran visits the city.
Although, in true Dubai style, when we visited Nando’s and asked if they would accept a black card, the server simply smiled and replied “Don’t know, sir”. Perhaps they’re just keeping up the pretence that the card is still a big secret.