Nando’s has announced a 'controlled reopening' of seven restaurants, including two in Manchester.
Fans of the chicken chain shouldn't get their hopes up yet though - the reopened sites will only be operating behind closed doors, to provide free meals to NHS staff.
The company says it will provide up to 1,700 free meals each day for doctors, nurses and other key workers at hospitals near to the seven sites, as well as to charities in their communities.
Four branches in London and one in Dublin will also be taking part in the scheme alongside the Manchester Printworks and Fallowfield sites.
Up to 250 meals will be made per shift, which will then be dropped off directly at hospitals every evening between 6 and 9pm.
Each restaurant will work under strict health and safety measures while maintaining social distancing, a Nando's spokeswoman said.
The chain had already donated 20,000 free meals to NHS workers before closing all its restaurants on March 23 under the government's lockdown orders.
Kitchen staff at the reopened sites will also be cooking for charities linked with the company's No Chuckin' our Chicken initiative, which normally sees any spare food left at the end of the day given away.
It supports more than 420 causes across the UK and Ireland, including youth organisations, homelessness charities, refugee projects and women's and family shelters.
A spokeswoman said: "Knowing how much happiness PERi-PERi can bring, the Nando’s team were itching to get back behind the grills to help as many people as possible during the lockdown.
"If this controlled reopening proves successful, then we hope to be able to continue to deliver food to our No Chuckin' Our Chicken charities and NHS teams as the trial expands."
There are no plans yet to offer delivery to the general public, but fast food chains including KFC, Burger King and Five Guys have begun to do so.
