Pret A Manger

OMG I just love Pret so much. This one is much larger and noisier than the other ones, but still, the food’s the best.

It’s true that Pret refurbishes this store more than I care to recall.
Fresh sandwiches, decent coffee, good prices and free. Wifi.
Try the pret a mango… I just had to say that!

Definitely a fan!
Needed a quick, healthy, low carb lunch and the options here were fantastic.
Picked up a Diet Coke, crawfish with avocado (YUM) and a salad with ham and boiled eggs.
The food was fresh and very tasty, and they had a very efficient check out process which got me in and out in just a few minutes (the delay was in all the great options, and taking the time to choose out of all the choices).

Pret is my lunchtime sandwich outlet of choice.
It serves organic, free-​range food. The food is awesome and freshly made every day, they have so many people behind the tills for rush hour that you never have more than 1 – 2 people in front of you in the queue. And you probably only waited 30 seconds to get served.
Pret is also my «under the weather» vendor. So I was feeling a bit ill today, my stomach is not agreeing with me. In line with the «no more greasy food please!» popped into Pret for leek and potato soup (there are so many «bits» inside that it’s well worth the £3.50 that I paid it) and also went for a hot toastie, tuna melt. OK, the cheese was a bit bad for the stomach but it was delicious, and hot. And I learnt today that the little green things inside the sandwich were called capers and were not aliens. All in all, £7 for a hot and satisfying lunch, good stuff!
On one previous occasion I found that the sandwich I wanted was all being taken off the shelf by the manager. Feeling a bit weird, I asked him whether there were something wrong with them. He said the staff forgot to put the salad in, and if I wanted to buy one could I please wait about 5 minutes for them to fix the issue. So, happily he chatted away to me for a while, and when the sandwich came I was a happy bunny because guess what, he gave me a free drink because I had to wait. WOOOOO! What a nice manager.
So sad now though, they don’t serve that sandwich anymore and my love for Pret has dropped slightly, they don’t serve my favourite sandwich for some reason!!! But they still serve amazing soya hot chocolate, so I couldn’t abandon this place completely.
The staff are pretty nice and efficient. I don’t really think the media storm last year about Pret paying staff from overseas for cheap labour was justified nor should it have been such a big deal. If there are jobs that foreign labour can do better, then why blast the business? I’m sure if enough British people wanted to be in this job, and had what it takes, they would be able to get it.
Can you tell I’m a Pret fan yet?

A staple in UK tourist restaurants, which is why you can find 10 of them in the Picadilly/​Covent Garden/​Leicester Square area. Great for a quick, comparatively cheap meal while you’re on the go.
For American’s reading this, it’s similar to Corner Bakery or Panera Bread, but you grab your food and pay for it at the register before sitting down. A decent selection of sandwiches, soup, and salads, but the place is almost always crowded.
I immediately got a cold when I got off of the plane in London, and the inexpensive soup may have saved my life.

I just had to visit at least one Pret during my stay in London. They’re on every street corner in London like Subway is on every street corner in the states (Subway the food chain, not Subway the transportation network). Plus after walking around Leicester Square I was starving and Pret was the only place open late with fairly cheap eats.
OK, I «get» the concept. It sells reasonably priced pre-​packaged sandwiches and salads (made earlier in the day) in a nice clean no-​nonsense environment. It’s probably a much healthier alternative to greasy fast food options like McDonalds or Burger King (Is Burger King in the UK?).
I’d rate my tuna salad on a french baguette about average but I really wasn’t expecting much considering its price and the whole pre-​packaging thing. It satisfied my hunger though. A couple leafs of lettuce would have made it slightly better.
By the way, I learned from their website that «Pret a manger» means «ready to eat» in French. It’s not named after some guy Pret who is a manager with bad spelling habits, like I originally thought.

Summary based on many visits:
–this fairly large location is my choice when I’m staying in the nearby area, but don’t get a free hotel breakfast
–decent for lunch, too, but similar to all the other Prets, E.A.T, and Costa in this aspect

Ok, I know I am going to get bashed for this because, I know this chain speckles the map. I know I saw them on EVERY street corner in NYC, but this location is an exception to the rule of chains.
When you receive phenomenal customer service it is your duty as a Unilocaler to let others know. Romeo, yes, I clarified with him, his name was Romeo. Annnnnnd he was all that his name would lead you to imagine he would be. The service was very attentive, helpful and accommodating. He doted and doted with sweet nothings which made my evening so much more enjoyable! The espresso was brewed to perfection and gave me the jolt that I needed to allow this wonderful night to continue. Thank you, Romeo I will never look at this Pret chain the same!

Pret A Manger is as ubiquitous in London as Starbucks in Chicago. Every major street (or should I say the high street) has one. For me, I know it’s fast and cheap and easy. Traveling on my own, those were important factors.
I interned for a solicitor’s firm near Lincoln’s Inn ten years ago and this was one of my regular lunch stops — well, not this location, but Pret lunches were common. As with Wagamama, I am pulled to the familiar — places I’d been before with memories to guide me. I grabbed a casual dinner at this Pret location in 99 before going to see Cate Blanchett in a play at the Albery Theatre. Is it any wonder that I pop in again?
Not much has changed in ten years, same quick grab sandwiches, same seating. The variety has changed, now we care about organic and being «green.» Still, a sandwich, a bag of crisps/​chips and a Diet Coke equals less than 10 quid. Nice to know in an expensive city like London.
I see that Pret has jumped the pond — I’m hoping it’ll venture further west than NYC and visit my windy city. I’d make a regular lunch spot again.

Wow — who knew pre-​prepared sandwiches could taste so yummy! Pret A Manger is a fantastic concept that delivers on quality!
Easy way to grab a quick take-​away snack. Tons of sandwich varieties, all made fresh but ready to go… so no waiting! If it’s not sold THAT day, Pret gives it to charity rather than keep it over… how great is *that*?!
Tons of veggie concoctions! My fav is the Cheese & Pickle — not a dill pickle as I originally imagined but a flavorful, tart thingamabob that is super-​delish & paired w/​a creamy Mature Cheddar
Crisps a plenty & you are good to go! I recommend looking out for the Croxton Cheddar & Red Onion
Also offers soups & pastries. Some may roll their eyes at a Pret but it’s most bonus to me!

It is another chain that dominates the high street. Pret to be fair are very reliable. I love their pre-​packed lemon cake. It is so good. They also make decent sandwiches and soups. Their entire range of foods and snacks tend to be above average and worthwhile even if the price is on the steeper side of the norm.
You cannot go wrong with Pret a Manger, it is a good standard every time and that is why they are always busy. It can be difficult to get a seat in this branch so it is easier and cheaper to take away.