The
French phrase meaning "ready to eat" (thanks
Zamz!),
Pret à Manger is a chain of high quality
sandwich shops
in
London. Based on the
ethos that all their food is freshly prepared,
using only the best
ingredients with no
artificial additives, they
sell some of the tastiest and most interesting food in
London. Not just
sandwiches, their range includes some very attractive
sushi (including a
vegetarian sushi), homemade
yoghurts and
muffins and coffee that
knocks
Starbucks into the sidelines.
They were started in 1986 by Julian Metcalfe and Sinclair Beecham, two
City workers disgruntled with the (lack of) quality of sandwich
shops in London. The company is still owned by its founders and now has
over 100 stores, and they have now started a major expansion programme,
with outlets across the UK, and apparently they opened their first
American outlet, in New York City earlier this year.
Ahh well, proof positive, if any were needed, that The Man will get
his clutches into everything. As of January 30, 2001 McDonald's
has taken a 33% stake in Pret. Two companies with more different ethoses
could hardly be imagined, yet Pret sold out... *sigh*