A Lunch Set By Pret (Pret a Manger)

Name: topsyturvy

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Product:	Pret a Manger
Date:	12.05.08 (113 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: good range

Disadvantages: pricey

At the minute when I have had free time or in general when I'm off and have free time, I like to meet friends in a coffee shop or cafe, sort of like how they did in Friends. The whole coffee shop era is upon us and even when it is lunch time I will go to one for my sandwich, or snack and a drink, there are many competitors out there. At the minute we have the likes of Costa Coffee, Cafe Nero, and Starbucks and of course Pret A Manger. Of them all I probably use Starbucks most but only because there are more nearer me but when central I do find I like to sometimes go into Pret A Manger as it is that bit different from the others.

Pret A Manger opened in 1986 in London, so it is fairly recent only being just over twenty years old. The business was started by college friends Sinclair and Julian who made sandwiches using natural preservative free ingredients, making food they liked but could never buy anywhere else. There are about 150 shops of Pret A Manger in the world but most are in the UK, unlike most brands they say they don't feel the need to expand right away and are branching out one branch at a time.

One thing I really like about Pret is the welcoming atmosphere. It has a similar colour scheme to Costa Coffee with the burgundy and cream colour but it has a different kind of look. When you walk into most Pret's it is not like Starbucks with the big couches but more like metal chairs with some side seats to sit on but this isn't really like a coffee shop but more of a place you go into and grab a quick bite to eat. Whenever I go into Pret I get my food then leave, they are never really big branches, well from the ones I go to so I don't really sit in but that doesn't bother me too much anyway.

The staff in here I have always found quite friendly. They were a black uniform and are always quite chatty and friendly depending obviously at the time you go because if hectic you might get less of a friendly atmosphere. They are just normal people not overly enthusiastic but attentive enough but each branch differs I'm sure. As long as they know how to make the drinks well then that is my main worry more than anything.

Now, for the range of food sold in here, well they do quite a lot of things but not all are well priced it's a matter of how much you want to eat. They sell sandwiches in here, these are usually really nice and they do a range from vegetarian, to wheat free, to all day breakfast sandwiches. They also Free-Range Egg and Dolphin-Friendly sandwiches as well as your regular BLT or Tuna Mayo etc. Another thing that I only came across recently was their newer Slim Pret this is one very filled sandwich instead of your usual three making lunch that little bit healthier but also decreasing the money spent normally. These cost £1.95 and are a great idea as I don't always want three and I got the All Day Breakfast one which was really tasty and I think it is also healthier ingredients well slightly but still filling for one sandwich.

They also do Baguettes and Wraps; they have flavours such as Hoisin Duck, Smoked Salmon, Egg Mayo and Bacon, Tuna Baguette and many, many more. I have never tried these but they do look really nice. They also do hot wraps in flavours: Spicy Falafel Melt, Swedish Meatball Hot Ragu Wrap and Jalapeno Chicken Hot Wrap.

They do Sushi's, Soups and Salads as well but again I haven't' tried these yet. They do things like Lentil & Bacon Soup, Miso Soup, and Mushroom Risotto Soup. For the salads, there are things like Chicken Avocado Salad, No Bread Chicken Caesar and a wider range.

They do Pots and Desserts; these are really nice to eat but are about £1.75 which is just an estimate of what I think I paid. They do a lovely range, I have had the Caramel Crunch Cheesecake and it was really nice, not the best dessert pot I've ever had but it was a nice sweet for my lunch. These are quite small though but the flavours are nice, Chocolate Moose, Raspberry Pret Pot, Very Berry Breakfast Bowl and so much more.

They also do a range of cold drinks and smoothies which are quite nice but my favourite are their hot drinks. The Hot Chocolate I had here was probably one of the best I've ever had; they do however do other things like Mocha, Latte and Cappuccino. To go with these hot drinks they have a great bakery range with pastries and cakes to go, muffins and croissants. They also sell crisps as well but I haven't tried them.

I think with Pret it is definitely more of a cafe but it is a nice one, even if quite expensive. There are not too many about but it means I don't go in as often so then when I do I enjoy eating there more. They are good for grabbing a quick lunch and do sell nice food but I just find them a bit pricey and the fact it isn't always easy to get a seat is a bit off putting too.

Their website is very useful on finding your nearest Pret, it also has a very in depth menu, which shows all of the allergy information if you click the specific flavour and nutritional information. To find out more go to http://www.pret.com

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