Pret a Manger (English pronunciation: /ˈprɛt ə ˈmɑːnʒeɪ/) is a fast food chain based in the United Kingdom.

 

History

The first shop called Pret a Manger was opened in Hampstead London, United Kingdom 1984 by Jeffrey Hyman and a group of stakeholders from the ad agency and showbiz world.

 

The name Prêt à Manger (French pronunciation: [pʁɛt‿a mɑ̃ʒe], ready to eat) was coined by Hyman's sister Valerie Tomalin, who morphed the title from prêt-à-porter, meaning "ready-to-wear". The outlet focused on gourmet, ready-to-eat food which was inspired by the traiteurs of Paris served; the store's design was inspired by steel and chrome sandwich bars in New York City.

 

The store was located opposite Hampstead Underground station, had its own kitchen, and offered ready-to-eat French food. Most of the products were sold for "take away" (in America, "to go"), but there was also a small cafe area for customers to eat and drink in the store.

 

To advertise, the company used poster sites, the London Underground, local press and door-to-door leafleting.

 

The original logo with a hand drawn art-deco typeface, maroon and white house colours. 1984 Pret A Manger, 58 Hampstead High Street, London, England.

 

The company traded at 58 Hampstead High Street for a year. It closed following the erection of maintenance scaffolding outside the shop by The Greater London Council which stayed in place for 18 months. It was sold by company liquidator David Rubin to college friends Sinclair Beecham and Julian Metcalfe (who later founded the Itsu chain of sushi cafes); the two met while studying at the Polytechnic of Central London.

 

Beecham and Metcalfe had little business experience. Their goal was to, "[create] the sort of food they craved but could not find anywhere else."[dubious – discuss] They opened their first branch near Victoria Station, London.

 

In 2001, McDonald's bought a 33% non-controlling stake in the USA branch of the company,which they sold in 2008 to private equity firm Bridgepoint Capital, owners of clothing retailer Fat Face.

 

As of 2012, efforts were underway in London to unionize shop employees.

 

Restaurants

Exterior view Pret A Manger, Edinburgh, Scotland

The menu includes sandwiches, baguettes and wraps, hot wraps, cakes and slices, pots and desserts, cold drinks, hot drinks, crisps, and bakery items, as well as sushi, salads, and soups.

 

The company emphasizes the use of natural ingredients and advertises all sandwiches are made on the day of purchase in a kitchen at each location (with the stated exception of a few small outlets). Food left unsold at the end of the day is collected by charities. Sandwiches are packaged in paperboard rather than sealed plastic.

 

Outlets

85% of their trade is in London, where around three-quarters of their stores are located. As of January 2012, there were 230 UK shops, 168 in London, one in Wales. Pret has expanded to New York (32 stores), Hong Kong (11 stores), Washington, D.C. (5 stores), and Chicago (3 stores). Unlike many other fast food outlets, Pret a Manger refuses to franchise.

 

• Hong Kong: 11 outlets, as of January 2012.

• New York: 32 outlets, as of January 2012.

• Chicago: 3 outlets, as of January 2012.

• Washington, D.C.: the first Pret a Manger outlet opened on 20 January 2009 in time for the Presidential inauguration. Since then four additional stores have opened in DC.[citation needed]

• Paris: the first outlet in France opened on 9 January 2012. The shop was opened in La Défense a major business district of the Paris aire urbaine.

• Boston, Massachusetts: two stores opened in December 2012, in the Back Bay and Financial District.