In 2023 Pret did a first meal deal trial, but only for 1 month.
In 2025 Pret again did a meal deal trrial, also just for a month.
Pret introducing these as trials, it either doesn’t work for customers, Pret not making enough money, or it was always meant as trials to do a quick money grab, never as a long-term option. Even during my time, Pret always trialled things including food labelling after customer deaths became public. It’s hardly ground-breaking to timidly trial things and then stop again. And it’s even worse making customers PAY more for these trials, see below.
But clever move, because when Pret announce meal deals or any deal, change, news etc. the press pick it up and do free advertising for Pret. A meal deal gets customers through the door.
And then Pret stopped the meal deal after a month. Customers continue to go to Pret assuming there’s a meal deal as people are often too occupied to really read the full story (as in it being a trial).
Once in the shop they get notified that the meal deal stopped. But since they’re already in the shop, they purchase something to make the trip worth it.
Kaching!
When Pret did the 2025 meal deal the press used clickbait title like “Pret’s first ever meal deal” etc. Time Out even called it “game-changing”! 😀
Journalists either didn’t realise, or are too lazy to do research, or willingly avoided mentioning that Pret did a meal deal with much press reports in 2023 already, which was then also quietly fazed out. The press are copy and paste journalism at best and “accomplices” for the Pret lies at worst.
Here just a few of the many customer comments across social media who are not convinced nor impressed. Hence, only a month long trial until 2026 or 2027 when Pret might offer it again for the first time. 😀
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The 2023 meal deal still on Pret’s website, a short-lived marketing stunt:
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Just a few of the 2025 press ads:
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So, it’s always disheartening to see journalists do copy & paste and clickbait journalism.
One customer didn’t read the small print, but he was able to make a VERY important photo of how Pret drill staff in answering customer questions, in particular WHY meal deal trial shops are more expensive! I tell you why, because Pret pass the meal deal costs on to customers.
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Pret’s instructions in how to upsell. Staff are tested weekly by mystery shoppers on many micromanaging things like if staff smile, give eye contact, chat, have a charming attitude, clean tables and toilets, certain amount of food selection etc. etc. etc.
But since the pandemic staff are also tested if they upsell in a specific manner, not just saying “Anything else?”
If a staff serving the mystery shopper says “anything else?” instead of, “Would you like a croissant with that? or … did you know we have a meal deal?” etc. NO-ONE in the shop gets bonus.
I write about this strict testing, penalising staff for not speaking in a specific way in “Pret Staff don’t look Happy” where the whole shop did not get bonus because one staff didn’t ask the upsell question in a certain way.
I’m not sure how Kien Tan, who wrote above social media post, was able to take a photo of the upsell strategy. It must have hung in view of customers. 😀
Due to the foggy text, I write the text underneath the screenshot. The manager went out of their way to hand-write “IMPORTANT” over it as the staff are tested by weekly mystery shoppers on this.
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Quote:
»The Pret Deal 3 Q&A’s
What to say when upselling Meal Deal:
If they pick up an MTS* item
“Do you know you can add crisps and a drink for £2.50 / £2 [unreadable] your correct price point?”
Questions customers might ask:
Q: Why is this item not included?
A: This is a meal deal trial so not all items have been included. If you’d like to make a suggestion, please contact customer service by visiting our website.
Q: Will this be available in all shops soon?
A: This is currently only on trial.
Q: Why is this sop more expensive than another shop?
A: We are trialling different menu options and price points across the country and asking for customer feedback to help us shape the right offer.**
Meal Deal 3
Q: I thought the main + crisps and drinks for (£2/£2.50) meant the whole meal, why am /I charged more?
A: The snack and drink for (£2/£2.50) is an addition to the purchase of a main menu item. For more information please visit our website where you can see the Ts and Cs.«
End of quote.
So, the deal is complicated and when customers ask, they are given blah blah blah and are send to Pret’s website. Typical business practices.
*MTS items are “Made To Sell” items, meaning anything staff assemble in the kitchen like sandwiches, salads etc.
BTS items are “Bought To Sell” items which are ready-wrapped till cakes, chocolates etc., anything bought from the factory straight for sale.
**And THIS is typical Pret, the shops where Pret offer meal deals also happen to be more expensive. This is to cover the costs of the meal deal. 😉
So, Pret have designated shops to trial meal deals, and then turn around to make these designated shops more expensive to cover the cost. Aw, Pret again “doing the right thing naturally”.
When Pret made the plant-based “milks” free of charge years ago, they raised the coffee prices THAT SAME week. You ALWAYS pay for the deals Pret offer, one way or another.
And remember the 5000+ complaints reaching even ASA where Pret had countless excuses to not serve the expensive frappes and smoothies on the subscription, despite advertising it? It was Pret’s McDonald’s Ice Cream Machine moment.
BBC: Pret customers complain over drink subscription deal.
Also, see why Pret call it “strong” instead of extra or double shot. There is not such thing as a double or extra shot in Pret.
A little slide in how Pret also take money from staff to pay for PR stunts:
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And NEW: Crisis Report UK on Pret’s disastrous handling of the customer deaths and injuries.
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. Schlee has been appointed CEO of itsu in 2024 by Julian Metcalfe who gave him the CEO spot at Pret many years ago.
I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post.
An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou.
I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
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Interview:
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Bullied during bereavement in Pret A Manger 