Tag: 3

Pret A Manger’s VAGUE Payrise Numbers

I Survived Pret A Manger (unsafe company)Leave a comment

UPDATE 04.01.2024

As the Junior Doctors are on strike again, which I completely support, the same bullsh!t words are going around that the BMA union started that Pret staff (or baristas) get £14.10 an hour. This LAZY hijacking of Pret’s staff low-wage shows how little they care about retail workers AND don’t want to take it up with givernment workers’ pay.

I explained since last year that there ONLY few baristas emplpyed compared to other staff. And VERY FEW baristas get the £12.85 and if lucky the +£1.25 bonus = £14.10. And out of those baristas they work at airports and railways stations where it’s immensely busy and Pret pay all staff a few pennies more as well as charging customers more.

A Team Leader who is a position ABOVE the Barista even doesn’t get £12.85 + £1.25 = £14.10.

Just yesterday on Facebook a shop manager posted a staff ad that shows the numbers. I put 2 screenshots here, the 2. with the time stamp so people don’t say this is an old ad. The time stamp hides Pret’s name, so I put both screenshots having hovered of the time:

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The Team Leader there like in most shops gets around £12.15 and if lucky the bonus which then is £13.40. Still no £14.10 despite being a position higher than the barista.

ONLY in AIRPORTS and SOME RAILWAY STATIONS get SOME, VERY FEW baristas £12.85 and if lucky +£1.25.

I worked in shops of 35 – 40 staff all shift and places (kitchen and shop). They only have 1 – 2 Baristas and several coffee makers who are paid less. Airports and the busy trainstations have 2 – 3 Baristas (if at all!) plus several cheaper coffee makers to save money on Barista wage. Do the math on how many airport and railway stations shops there are and estimate how many “trained” Baristas they have, and even out of those few, not many get the £14.10 incl. bonus.

UPDATE June 2024

After the government raised the minimum wage in April 2024, Pret are forced to up the pay a few pennies.

Pret barista job ad on Indeed as in June 2024, the MAXIMUM a barista gets is £13.65 INCLUDING bonus! Do your OWN research!

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Close-up:

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Not even TEAM LEADERS (shop & kitchen) which are shift supervisors in Pret get £14.10. Again, June 2024 Team Leader ads on Indeed. Maximum £13.85 INCLUDING bonus which is hardly achieved aevery week:

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THIS in contrast to a 12 year old SMALL sandwich chain from Bristol called “Sandwich Sandwich” who want to give Pret a headache and now opened up in London. They have only about 6+ shops (Bristol & London) paying their team leaders aka super visors £14.15 an hour EXCLUDING bonus. Not sure if they have a bonus system, but £14.15 compared to UNDER £14.10 in Pret which is INCLUDING the bonus that is hardly achieved.

DO YOUR OWN RESEACRH!!!

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Link

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IT’S JUST A HANDFUL out of thousands of staff who MIGHT get £14.10 INCLUDING hardly to achieve bonus!!!

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UPDATE September 2023:

A job ad on Facebook with barista pay £11.42

It’s clear from what I write below that the £14.10 is a myth and only available for extremely rare baristas who have connections to management.

September 2nd, 2023: £11.42 + £1.25 bonus (if lucky to get it) = £12.67 NOT £14.10!

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Further in my post from March 2023:

UPFRONT:

Pret emphasise BARISTA wages, even though hourly paid Team Leaders are above Barista’s position and pay, and that’s simply BECAUSE many staff and especially Baristas have quit Pret.

And ESPECIALLY after the smoothie/frappe lies Pret gave for years resulting in the BBC reporting on it .

Pret NEED Baristas since many shops open later and close earlier due to even more lack of staff since the coffee subscription mess. Therefore Pret emphasise THAT particular payrise to the press, despite Team Leader being a position AND pay above Baristas. Only VERY few Baristas will get that “up” to pay, who work at airports and made friends with management.

Pret depend on Baristas to get many and FAST coffees out because coffee is the BIGGEST profit margin and Pret keep pushing the coffee subscription that had many staff quit! A latte for customers means £3.50+, but for Pret means around £40p including cup, lid, milk, water, Barista wages etc.

A Pret staff also made a comment on it:

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So, Pret will be delighted to find that social media is on fire with people appalled that Pret staff (supposedly) will earn more than junior doctors, and so getting much needed publicity after all the bad press. Pret very cleverly again use terminology and keep information vague. Quoting the UP TO £14.10 “depending on experience and location”.

Pret via the media announced a payrise in March 2023 for April 2023, but fail to mention WHY they raise wages. The UK government will raise the minimum wage to £10.40 in April, and Pret would be in breach if they don’t raise the basic pay as it is below £10.40 currently (March 2023).

A Pret worker will start at £10.60 in April. Pret always pay 20p more than the minimum wage to appear generous. But this is because work at Pret is so exhausting, staff work for three people, even before the pandemic. But now it’s much much worse, and many staff have quit. The current pay bands until end of March 2023 can be seen below.

Pret say that depending on experience and location, that Baristas can earn up to £14.10 per hour, but again keeping it nice and vague. Pret don’t mention that this is for including the £1.25 bonus which is NOT contractual. And the “up to” pays incl. bonus is at airports and busy railway stations like Waterloo, King’s Cross etc. where the pay for staff and food costs for customers are higher. And airports are even WORSE busy than regular shops! And it’s “up to” £14.10! Mostly it’s less than that for most Baristas.

“Barista pay is slightly higher and will increase from between £10.85 and £12.50 an hour to between £11.20 and £12.85. Pay rates depend on location and experience.” Source: Sky.com

So, the £14.10 INCLUDES the £1.25 Mystery Shopper bonus which is NOT contractual and therefore not guaranteed (many shopsrarely get the extra £1.25 bonus per hour). It can be refused to be rewarded by weekly Mystery Shoppers (see Mystery Shopper reports on what’s demanded from staff), but also by Managers for ANY silly reason. The bonus system as psychology is abused and used to keep workers on their toes.

Hardly any Barista will get the £12.85, let alone the added £1.25 = £14.10 per hour. Most start and REMAIN on the lowest of £11.20 and don’t always get the £1.25 bonus.

Also, Pret shop General Managers who have to cover Team Members (lowest position) to save money and work overtime without extra pay, say that at times Team Members are paid more than GMs.

A recent GM review:

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And a staff who is HOMELESS and has to couch surf while Pret do their PR stunts “helping” homeless people and collecting donations (for tax breaks and brownie points with the public):

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And a staff who’s claiming Universal Credit. I had a staff contact me saying they receive housing benefit. That’s Pret reality for you:

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I suggest again like I do all the time, that an undercover journalist goes into Pret or at least that journalists wait a few months until AFTER April 2023 when wages across companies are raised, and ASK Pret Baristas from different shops if they get the “up to” £14.10 incl. bonus. I guarntee you, most will laugh you out of the shop!

And Pret here emphasise on Barista pay while Team Leader pay and position higher than Barista. That means Pret are DESPERATE for Baristas as many have left.

Plus, all staff, and especially management work many more hours overtime unpaid. So, if breaking down the pay, it is less than all the pay bands mentioned in below’s chart. Staff are manipulated to work overtime without pay and managers are pressured to CUT labour and then stay longer unpaid. Win-win for Pret execs and shareholders on the backs of shop workers AND managers.

And shops on average have 1 – 3 or 4 assistant managers (kitchen and shop floor) while having anything between 15 – 50+ staff depending on how big and busy/long opening hours the shop is, like an airport or trainstation. So, this “up to” £14.10 is just for a small handful of Baristas, most who’ll be friends with management.

A Barista gets a little over £11 in April 2023 AFTER being a lesser paid team member for god knows how long. You never start as a Barista in Pret, but always as a Team Member. Only Managers who come from other company brands start as ASSISTANT Managers in Pret before then being promoted to Managers again (like it was with current CEO Pano Christou). Any other role in shops start at the bottom on Team Member level with the pay you will see in below chart.

And all the pay bands will mostly be kept at the LOWEST rate for most, except for those who make friends with management, including via the bed room. Sad but true. Please see a recent staff review on this.

And whatever pay anyone gets, they will stay on that pay for many, many years and work for three people. Pret sucks the life-blood out of staff and fool the public.

In my Pret CEO Pano Christou’s Rags to Riches post I go through the various shop positions. Pano Christou loves to tell the press that he “started in shops”, which is true, but he often fails to mention that he started as an assistant manager with more pay, perks, benefits, more holiday, more bonus, sick pay from day 1 (that’s a big one!) etc. etc.

I explain in detail many of the benefits he received from day 1 starting in Pret compared to what a Team Member gets. In brief, the main SHOP positions are very hierarchical. You NEVER jump the line to Barista. Workers start at:

– Team Member

– Barista or Hot Chef (shop floor) or Team Member Trainer (kitchen)

– Team Leader (kitchen or shop floor as both are run by separate Team Leaders)

And THEN Assistant Manager shop OR kitchen. Pano started from day one as AM after coming from McDonald’s where he was a Manager. ONLY Managers from other companies fast track, or rather for them, back track to Assistant Manager position with lots of perks.

Pano just likes to portray to the public that he started at the “bottom”. Typical Pret psychological wordings, knowing the public always ASSUMES things. “Starting in shops” can mean anything! But most assume it means he started as a low-wage Team Member. Nopes.

I worked at Pret when Pano was UK Managing Director, and I was never impressed with him. In my experience, he’s not a leader. He doesn’t come up with any significant changes, he was just the shadow of his mentor, former CEO Clive Schlee, like a clone speaking the same psychological slogans. And even in staff reviews on Glassdoor and Indeed and on social media staff keep mentioning that he’s detached, despite visitng shops to let his boss hang out. In my impression of him, he has his head in the sand and just caters to Pret’s owners, 2. richest family in Germany, the Reimanns under in taxhaven Luxembourg based JAB Holdings, and he wants to build a legacy of speed-opening shops worldwide, while many existing shops are in shambles.

– Genral Manager overlooking both shop and kitchen

And then if they move further up, they’ll go outside shops to become Group, then OPs/Operations (area) Managers. Group Managers get their feet wet by being placed in an area of about 4 – 5 shops before moving on to become OPs where they then look after an area of about 10 – 14 shops.

But let’s go further if we do compare government wages to private equity wages. CEO Pano Christou got £300K in 2020, £400K in 2021 during the pandemic when profits were down and after he cut wages, benefits, bonus and paid breaks of the lowest paid staff. And I’m sure he’s getting another £100K now in 2023. PLUS £4million in bonus in 2021 and counting in the years to follow.

UK Prime Minister Richi Sunak gets £165K, and let’s just forget for a moment that this is just like a waitress tip in coppers for this multi-billionaire. But Pret’s CEO gets more than double in annual wage than Sunak, PLUS millions in bonus.

USA President Biden also gets less than Pret’s CEO, just a fraction less in annual pay. Do your own research.

I took the liberty to change the BMA ad in honour of low-wage Pret Staff who are tossed around like a football by Pret, the government, and now NHS Unions and Staff:

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And this corrupt Tory government are WORTH the likes of Pret. You know why? Because they deserve every mouldy sandwich they can buy.

Now, here’s the current pay rate for Pret shop staff until April 2023 for each position. And as you can see, you won’t find assistant managers on the chart. 😉

Pret just spin the numbers very vaguely, not mentioning the discretionary bonus, and the public falls for it!

I screenshot this table on 13.03.2023 off Pret’s website where it’s linked to via a pdf link:

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Link to table.

So, workers, as in Team Members will start 20p higher than the minimum wage from April on. And that’s for staff over 22 years old, mind you. And a Team Leader is really like a mini manager doing all the work, running shops and getting all the blame. I was a Team Leader, I know how excrutiating it is for such a low pay.

Also, Pret made cuts to staff IMMEDIATELY before first lockdown in March 2020 WHILE giving freebies to NHS workers. And later Pret proceeded to cut wages, benefits, bonus, paid breaks etc. Pret workers are still worse off than before. This payrise is due to the minimum wage being raised, and is a complete joke and PR stunt.

And most fall for it using low-wage Pret workers as examples to boost support for NHS staff. I completely agree that doctors, nurses etc. should get way more pay, but don’t use Pret staff and the MISLEADING “up to” £14.10 pay which includes the discretionary (not mandatory) £1.25 bonus to make a point, while you don’t do your research properly and fall for Pret’s vague wording where Pret leave YOU to assume the pay is for baristas.

Use the government’s CORRUPT dealings to prove your point! And stop falling for Pret’s bullshit!

Doctors, nurses and unions should point their fingers UP to the government that always say they can’t afford to pay what doctors/nurses and unions ask for. Yet, the government comes up with multi billions for dodgy stuff. THAT’S where doctors and nurses should raise their voices, and not the lazy way to point downwards to fastfood workers. What a shame!

Use the Billions the government came up with for the track & trace scheme that failed.

Use the £140 million they already paid and the annual £1.5 Billion to send traumatised refugees to Rwanda, a country with human rights issues.

Use the millions upon millions upon millions of pounds for dodgy contracts by many Tory politicians for their families and friends.

Use the wall paper money Boris Johnson spent.

Take your pick! The list can go on and on and on. But no, let’s use low-wage Pret workers. That’s LAZY activism! And it’s also misleading and deeply dissappointing that educated people don’t fact check Pret’s pay for various roles but just fall for Pret’s clever and vague wording.

Point to this corrupt government that use tax payers’ money to spend it on themselves instead of the people and workers across the board. The government AND Pret LOVE it when workers in all fields and skills pick on each other for the crumbs these millionaires throw at them.

Last year Pret TWICE delayed paying staff under dodgy excuses. The second pay delay strategically using the Queen’s Jubilee bank holiday weekend, knowing the public would be distracted should the press become wind of it, which it did as I was contacted by Pret staff and passed it on to The Guardian. AND on Monday banks are closed while Pret promised that staff can get pay on THAT bank holiday Monday.

I was contacted by desperate staff and emailed CEO Pano Christou and openly copying in Sarah Butler from The Guardian, who then reported on it. But because it was the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations, hardly anyone noticed the news. Pret being clever again.

Later The Guardian then also reported that the CEO got almost £4million in bonus and a 27% payrise in 2021 AFTER he cut wages, benefits, bonus etc.

That’s Pret A Manger for you!

Junior Doctors do NOT earn less than Pret baristas! Do some FACT checking and research, and stop using the bottom most rung like Pret and everyone else already do!

The DM I received and passed on to The Guardian:

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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying (in which Manny Matern was part of) during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. 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.
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.

NEW: Podcast.

Please also see the MEDIA page for more.

Thank you for reading/listening.

©2017 – Present: expret.org


Interview:

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Unless otherwise stated or linked to, this website and all writings within this site are the property of expret.org and are protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws. Reproduction and distribution of my writings without written permission is prohibited.
©2017 – Present: expret.org unless otherwise stated. All Rights reserved. Disclaimer.

Denial & Tactics of a die-hard Pret Fan

I Survived Pret A Manger (unsafe company)Leave a comment

Subtitle: When a Pret fan is overwhelmed.

I really don’t want to waste a blog post on this guy, but it’s important to show how some people want to be in denial, go against whistleblowers and try all sorts of “tactics” to deny that they don’t care about customer deaths and staff exploitation.

I responded to a tweet that has now been deleted by a Pret customer in Switzerland about Pret opening a new shop there. The person, who on his profile had “Journalist” as well as “Media Personality” stated, said “finally some good sandwiches”.

I replied with a tip to be cautious regarding the “good” sandwiches and posted my blog post with customer complaints on mouldy food etc. all with photo evidence. He then replied with the TYPICAL set of tweets that die-hard Pret fans do. It later turned into silly and also nasty gaslighting, lying, getting his tweets switched that I couldn’t reply anymore.

My response to his now deleted tweet with English translation underneath:

Link

The others who are tweeted in either remained silent or encouraged him to ignore me. Cancel culture as well as enabling behaviour by the book.

Mould, stale bread, rat poo, bugs, flies, hair,plastic in food with photo evidence:

Denial or Tactic – Never happened to “ME”, therefore the problem doesn’t exist:

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“Never happened to me in London” – translated = therefore this problem doesn’t exist (and I don’t care that customers died, and Pret having ignoring it).

My responses are to show further evidence and sharing that in my 10 years in Pret KNOWING Pret from behind the scenes including senior leadership and CEOs, that I’ve seen a lot in Pret. I also link to the customer deaths and so on.

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My tweets can just be followed from above link.

I then tease him saying that he probably doesn’t want Pret to get bad press with all the things I link him to, to which he responds:

Link

I then apologize, which was the mistake, because since then he kept accusing me of offending or attacking him in hopes I would fall for his cheap gaslighting.

The Google translate doesn’t translate well here, I basically said “Of course (not assuming anything). Apoloogies.” etc.

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Tactic – This is not under Pret but under a franchise, therefore not Pret’s fault:

“The branches in Switzerland do not run directly under Pret. But as a franchise company.” = It’s not Pret that fuck up like this, but franchises! 😀

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To which I explain again that 1. Pret’s name is still on franchises and Pret THEMSELVES have and continue to screw up in London, UK where Pret are head quartered. And that Pret themselves have ignored TWO customer deaths and over a dozen injuries before it got public. I worked at Pret when people died and wasn’t even told, despite my responsibility having been health & safety.

So, I link him to the two customer deaths in the news on YouTube to have a VISUAL bringing it closer to him, as he is also a father:

Tactic – Sure it’s bad but this would never happen in Switzerland.

“yes bad Clearly. Here in Switzerland, everything is declared everywhere.” = Yes, bad, but that happened way over there in the UK, HERE in perfect Switzerland we have strict food standards.

Link

To which I pointed him AGAIN to a recent customer video from BERLIN, Germany where there are also strict food safety laws, and the video showed how stale the bread is.

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Link to tweet with video.

I also explained that mouldy food continues to happen in the UK as well as MISLABELLED products where Pret are now breaking the LAW, “Natasha’s Law”.

End of correspondence.

I already packed this tweet exchange away into the past and moved on, when he tweeted the next day a German news article about a woman having bitten into a mouldy McDonald’s product. He now deleted this tweet also, like he deleted his initial “fan” tweet about “good sandwiches” in Pret. But here are my responses to his ridiculous McD comparison.

Tactic – It’s not only Pret, it’s also other businesses, therefore this is “normal” in large chains:

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Tactic – Continued gaslighting accusing me of offending and attacking him in hopes I become insecure, while it is HIM that’s insecure like heck:

Just follow the links and click translate otherwise the post gets too long.

I kept asking him to give precise examples where I offended or attacked him. That didn’t come. And by then he could have just blocked me. But instead he switched his replies to me so that I couldn’t reply anymore, while he kept tweeting at me. Very nasty, cowardly and childish behaviour by an adult “journalist” and “media personality” from Switzerland.

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Tactic – SEVERAL things: He deleted information, was embarrassed to behave so poorly while a journalist, then lied he never claimed to be a journo.

DELETED “Journalist” off his profile after I addressed him as a journalist having seen his claim on his profile and asked him to not take things personal. He then lied that he never claimed to have been a journalist and asks me to check his profile where he just deleted “Journalist”. I pointed out to him that I already checked it and that he deleted it off his profile. He now added it again, see screenshots.

What a creep!

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1. Journalist:

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2. The “Journalist” deleted:

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3. Then “Journalist” added again:

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Tactic – Playing dumb asking if I was a bot:

This is then when he started to make all his replies to me “non-repliable” anymore (I just made up that word 😉 ), but he continued to tweet at me. I then blocked him to which he blocked as well. He said that I am an Aldi fan because I gave a metaphor on Aldi vs Lidl to explain his ridiculous comparison between McDonald’s and Pret. I explained that Pret claimed to be fresh and wholesome which McDonald’s never claimed, and that the whole world knows how bad McD is. But Pret was successful in fooling the public for decades.

He then tried to trick me with the Aldi example and then I couldn’t reply anymore. But I replied later via my other account after screenshot some of his tweets before he deleted.

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Unable to reply to his tweets:

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His behaviour is a typical bullying behaviour by the book. And he is enabled by others who pad him on the back.

Tactic – Playing dumb again:

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He received tons of information about my own story as well as customer fatalities and injuries, staff exploitation etc., yet he pretends to not understand what all this was about. Then he deletes his initial tweet and the McDonald’s tweet as he was caught out being indifferent and doesn’t want to be seen as a journalist who is a big fan of Pret.

In a nutshell, this guy was shocked and impressed to have come across so much evidence in how bad Pret really are. Many people respond negatively because they feel shocked and called out to have fallen for Pret. He was so occupied with it that he tweeted the McDonald’s mould issue to me the next day where I was already finished and done with this feed.

But I always respond to anyone and then move on. And I don’t really want to waste a blog post on him, but want to show how SLICK gaslighting, lying, deleting, accusing etc. works in cancel culture.

It’s a shame, because I am more disappointed of people claiming to be journalists than the average Joe who rants on social media.

The last time I came across such a toxic, gaslighting, cowardly person with lofty claims was literally the top Pret senior leadership team. This Gerry guy cowardly switched his tweets so I can’t respond anymore, but kept tweeting at me while I couldn’t respond. Then I blocked him, which I rarely do, so that he can’t continue to tweet while I can’t respond.

I then tweeted my response to him via my other account and now write this blog post and pass this on to his journalism buddies because his and my correspondence are public.

This was TYPICAL denial, cancel culture, trying to manipulate JUST because the person did not want to look objectively at what I presented as huge evidence including customer pictures, news articles, my own experience. THE worst thing that can happen that customers died and Pret IGNORED it has NO meaning to this Gerry guy and his friends. They are bystanders, onlookers and enablers who don’t care except if this would happen to them. Very sad.

And by all means, mute or block me, but to “silence” me and then keep tweeting at me where I can’t respond is COWARDLY. And this is why I call this guy out now.

If this Gerry guy says anything “positive” about his encounter with me in the future, stay away, be cautious, he has lied and played his tricks like an insecure yes-man.

Oh, und Gerry, guck mal wer alles von Twitter weggerannt ist nachdem ich getweeted hab 😉

Du hast noch sehr, sehr viel zu lernen was Pret A Manger betrifft, und ich habe dich jetzt angespornt Pret zu helfen deren Fassade aufrecht zu halten. Ran an die Arbeit, Gerry! Put your name to Pret and STAND behind everything they do, with your name.

I chased Pret RE-founder Julian Metalfe, former Pret CEO Clive Schlee and current CEO Pano Christou off Twitter. And Julian Metcalfe is in Jeffrey Epstein’s address book. Link in the YouTube description.

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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. 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 witnessed by customers: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret.
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.

NEW: Podcast.

Please also see the MEDIA page for which press articles and Pret “charity” announcements I influenced.

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Thank you for reading/listening.

©2017 – Present: expret.org


Interview:

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Unless otherwise stated or linked to, this website and all writings within this site are the property of expret.org and are protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws. Reproduction and distribution of my writings without written permission is prohibited.
©2017 – Present: expret.org unless otherwise stated. All Rights reserved. Disclaimer.

BuyMeACoffee

Pret’s Pano Christou – “Rags to Riches” Story

I Survived Pret A Manger (unsafe company)Leave a comment

UPDATE September 2023:

For more reviews of shop managers, OPs managers and HQ staff (and it’s not good!) on Pret’s leadership between 2020 – September 2023, please see Pano Christou’s Reputation post. And even those are just the tip of the iceberg.

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2021 text from here on out.

Pano Christou has his own story in how he applied for a job at Pret 20 odd years ago and was rejected. Some time later he reapplied and was accepted. He climbed up the “ladder” and was the shadow of Clive Schlee for a few years. As Schlee’s time was coming to an end after two customers died and the new owners JAB took over, Pano as UK Managing Director briefly stepped into a new role of COO that was created as a stepping stone to become the new CEO. The role of COO didn’t exist before that and doesn’t currently exist in Pret.

What Pano Christou is not telling people immediately is that he started in Pret as an Assistant Manager, having come from McDonald’s as a Manager. Managers from other companies always start as Assistant Managers in Pret. Never as a Team Member from the bottom and not as a shop Manager.

What people who have never worked at Pret don’t understand is that the structure in Pret is extremely complex and micromanaging. Pret advertises that 95% of Pret Managers have started at the bottom in Pret. Funny, because a few years ago the numbers were 80-something %. And yet, it should be normal that most, if not all Managers grow from within the company.

Pret’s career path is super complex.

If you REALLY start at the bottom on the shop floor or kitchen, you start at a little over minimum wage, but have to work for it 3 times over and have to wait YEARS to get a pay-rise.

It takes THREE position to even reach the Assistant Manager role that Pano Christou started with.

Team Member (and after 10-ish days Team Member Star – ignore that one, it’s just psychology!)

NEXT Level:

Barista or Hot Chef or Kitchen Team Member Trainer (in my time Pret had the role of Shift Runner between 2008-ish and 2015)

NEXT Level:

Team Leader (either Kitchen Leader or Floor Leader)

NEXT Level:

And THEEENN when you went through those “hurdles” you might have had a chance to become an Assistant Manager (mostly of the Kitchen, sometimes of the Floor).

Mind you, these positions, especially from Assistant Manager (AM) onward are very coveted of course! Staff get their elbows out and screw each other over for this position like in every job. Some even rise up the ranks via the bedroom. This you’ll expect in a law firm, and certainly politics and Hollywood, but a sandwich chain? Really? Alright!

What makes the AM position so attractive is that they delegate to the Team Leaders, who really do the hard work and run the shops, bossing the Team Leaders around and blaming them for everything. The AM is the filling of the sandwich between General Manager (GM) and Team Leader (TL) bossing Team Members around and yet not being responsible. The AM isn’t as responsible as the General Manager (GM) is. Perfect spot to be in. Bossing people around, yet not being responsible. Pret within the company is known for having too many “leaders” who struggle for the top position while Pret top leadership enjoy throwing crumbs to them to fight over.

To better see the text in the below screenshots, please click “ctrl and +” (ctrl and plus) and to decrease again “ctrl and -” (ctrl and minus) or click on the links underneath the screenshots.

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NEXT

After Assistant Manager comes the General Manager (GM), then Group Manager responsible for about 4 – 5 shops in an area, then Operations (Area) Manager (or OPs) of about 10 -14 shops in an area, and then you just fly so high you forget where you came from! And here’s where it’s ALL about the money.

What is so attractive to the AM role is that this is where the money starts to flow and where people will have to “prove” if they belong to the ELITE of the top Management who reap all the harvest that the “slaves” below them labour for. And yet again, even the AM and GM still have to prove if they belong to the ELITE of the top leadership of Pret. And yet, GMs and AMs increasingly complain on Glassdoor and Indeed that their contracted hours (used to be 42.5 per week) now 35 hours p/w on the payroll, but they work at least 60 hours as unpaid overtime. GMs and AMs are as exploited as TMs are.

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When a staff becomes an AM, at least in my time and Pano Christou’s time, they got £500 from Pret to go shopping for business attire. Then they got £50 a month for the dry cleaning bill of their business attire, insurance, extra holidays, more quarterly bonus, SICK PAY (that’s a big one!), executive parties, a loan from Pret for annual travel which costs 10 months for a 12 month annual ticket … and a host of other benefits. This is pre-Covid of course. But I’m painting a picture of Pano Christou’s “rags to riches” (shop floor) beginnings in Pret.

Pano did not start on minimum wage plus a few pennies and working triple for it with a Team Leader or AM down his neck. He surely wore a Pret uniform for a month plus / minus to “experience” how it is to REALLY start at the bottom.

A £500 wardrobe and £50 a month to dry clean it, sick pay … and all the stuff they showered on you until you realized, you’d better get higher because the shop floor sucks!

In a nutshell, Pano Christou started at position number 4 on the shop floor, NOT at the bottom!

Team Member

Barista or Hot Chef or Trainer (or in my time until 2015 Shift Runner)

Team Leader

Assistant Manager (the real benefits and money start here 🏆🏆🏆 )

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A GM review, quote:

»Amazing in the beginning – showered with benefits and entitlements and opportunities to advance. Terrible once you see how horribly mismanaged and micromanaged the company is. Zero care for human beings and nothing but boosting sales and company growth.«

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And here again, yes Pret pays a little more than the competition, also because Pret has the kitchen production that are mini sandwich factories, and staff have to slave double and triple for it and don’t get a pay-rise in years! Pret has no choice to pay a little more because if they would pay McDonald’s wages NO-ONE would work at Pret as it is too micro managing, back breaking work, a bullying environment and very complex!

And it’s a dead give-away that it took Pano 23 years to reach CEO level! I pressured former CEO and Pano’s mentor Clive Schlee on Twitter to step down after he and Pano (when UK Managing Director) ignored two customer deaths and 20+ injuries before it got public. Reluctantly Schlee “retired” to spare him the embarrassment of a resignation. He is on the board and own half of itsu with his body Pret RE-founder Julian Metcalfe.I wrote a small exposé on Metcalfe, his connection to the Royal Family and how I chased him off Twitter.

If the mounting pressure to step down would not have happened from several on social media, Schlee would still be CEO. And Pano now is stuck in the old Pret-way and is not at all inventive, but bows to the pressure to expand fast to the ongoing detriment of quality and safety.

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Pret is very good in making simple things very complicated! So, the little higher wage is the carrot on the stick. It’s a trap to lure people into working at Pret and then they get stuck believing and hoping that “one day” it may get better … And when the carrot has shriveled up, staff are too exhausted to recognize the bullsh!t for what it is.

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etc. etc. etc. etc. ………

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Pano’s “popularity” on review sites and the legacy Clive Schlee leaves behind:

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UPDATE 2026 (5 years later!):
Scores for Pano Christou and Pret, more than double the amount of reviews, but not much improvement:

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From Rags to Riches, the Pret A Manger “Love Treatment”

“Lovingly” handmade … (… and brainwashed)

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Bonus: Pano Christou putting his Emotional Labour into effect to spill some numbers after the first lock-down in a leaked video I received from a Pret staff and have passed on to the BBC:

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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. 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.
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, and was mentioned by the BBC.

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Thank you for reading/listening.

©2017 – Present: expret.org


Interview:

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Unless otherwise stated or linked to, this website and all writings within this site are the property of expret.org, LateNightGirl.org and are protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws. Reproduction and distribution of my writings without written permission is prohibited.
©2017 – Present: expret.org, LateNightGirl.org unless otherwise stated. All Rights reserved. Disclaimer.

Pret A Manger’s “Strong” Espresso Shot

I Survived Pret A Manger (unsafe company)Leave a comment

Ever wondered why Pret staff refuse to say “double” espresso and why Pret advertises as “strong” espresso, or “make it strong”? Let me spill the coffee beans!

This pertains to all espresso based drinks like “strong latte”, “strong cappuccino” etc. I will just refer to all espresso drinks as espresso or shot.

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Upfront, I’ve always been gobsmacked to see when a customer speaks down on a Team Member, who often is a foreigner. In above instance of Tim Bentinck who arrogantly ends his Tweet with, “Long discussion on use of English ensues”.

Well, read on and learn WHY the Team Member insisted on calling it a “strong” espresso, smarty-pants! Because if the TM would have called it a double espresso, he/she would have gotten in trouble! Has nothing to do with workers’ lack of English! And before anyone criticizes my English, because that’s what people do when they run out of arguments, English is not my first language. I learnt English as an adult, and I think I’m doing pretty well!

I am not up to date on the prices of an “extra” shot of espresso in any cafè or chain. So, for the sake of example I just use 50p for an extra shot at any or all cafès.

In most, if not all cafès/chains if you want an extra shot of espresso you will pay 50p on top of the regular espresso drink you ordered. So far so good.

But what does Pret do? They charge you 50p for HALF a shot, NOT a full espresso shot. Other brands charge 50p for a full extra espresso shot where Pret delivers half a shot and that’s why they call it NOT “double” espresso/shot but “strong” espresso/shot.

In other brands a double espresso is TWO full shots of espresso.

In Pret they would do false advertisement if they’d call it “double”, so they make it 1.5 shots of espresso and call it “strong”. Pret plays with psychology and assumption while never claiming to serve 2 full shots.

Customers ASSUME that “make it strong” for an extra 50p they get an extra full shot. Nopes. They get an extra HALF shot. The buttons on Pret’s Cimbali machines are programmed to grind a certain amount of grams for 1 full espresso shot and the other “strong” button has a slightly higher weight but not 2 full shots.

This picture is of one of Cimbali’s machines who supply Pret with coffee machines. The left button grinds for 1 shot of espresso, the 2. or 3. button grinds for 1.5 shots. If I remember right it is the 3. button that pours out 1.5 shots of espresso. The 2. button is void and doesn’t do anything. This is so that coffee makers don’t accidently press button for single espresso while in a rush, meaning losing money.

To TRULY get a double espresso, the coffee maker would have to press button number 1 twice. On a rare occasion when a customer asks for a triple shot, the coffee maker pressed button (= 1 shot) and then button (= 1.5 shots) meaning the customer gets 2.5 NOT 3 shots. Try it out next time you are in Pret. A barista/coffee maker who cares for customers would press TWICE button (strong shot) to give you a triple shot.

Also, little side-note, see how small the working space is that staff have to work with. Pret have always decreased space for staff: small staff rooms, small kitchens, HUGE space for customers (= £££), large space for equipment and products, but the smallest working space for staff. I cannot count the amount of times I myself and the coffee makers tipped the piping hot milk jugs off the working counter in the middle of crazy morning coffee rush, burning our hands, legs, feet as there was no space to work safely.

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This is also the reason why staff are instructed to NOT pour a “strong” espresso into the small single shot espresso cup. Because if they do, the customer would see that a strong fits into the small cup and would get suspicious that this is indeed NOT 2 shots, but 1.5 shots.

And here’s an ironic example of a white “strong” (perceived as double) espresso. It even has space for milk very comfortably in a SINGLE shot espresso cup!

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Above single shot cup (with a strong shot inside perceived as double shot) versus the 8oz cup where Pret serves strong shots to hide how stingy it is. The 8oz cup is also used for Pret’s Flat White for the same price as Pret’s 12oz Latte/Cappuccino 😉

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I drew a rough line where the “strong” espesso measures. And I measured it GENEROUSLY!

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A larger cup gives the illusion that there are 2 or a double shot. A larger cup gives the illusion that they NEED a larger cup so that a “double” fits in, while a single shot cup holds 1.5 shot very comfortably, even with added milk!

And Pret again plays with psychology and customers’ self-doubt, who give Pret the benefit of the doubt. Even though a “strong” espresso in the larger 8oz cup looks pretty stingy, the customer assumes that because the cup is larger, it just seems stingy. Well, it truly IS stingy!

UPDATE 2023: Countless complaints on Pret’s coffee and Pret being named the worst coffee shop at one point:

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TRUST your senses!

Again, Pret is not doing anything wrong or illegal, they just do what they do best: play with psychology and people’s assumptions.

If you doubt about the amount of espresso, go to any Pret, buy 2x single espressos and 1 strong espresso. So, get 3 drinks in 3 cups, 2 single espressos and 1 strong espresso.

The strong espresso will be served in an 8oz cup (unless they run out). Whatever cup you’ll get the strong espresso, ask the server for this same EMPTY cup, but don’t tell the server why.

Then pour the 2 single espressos into that same size (8oz) empty cup and compare the strong espresso 8oz cup to the 2 single espressos in the other 8oz cup.

And then go to Caffè Nero where you get a regular latte, cappuccino etc. with 2 shots by default and any brand who advertise AND serve double espresso without the BS terminology and psychology that Pret use to fool customers with since decades.

You can also do a different experiment. Ask for a “strong espresso in a single espresso (small) cup”. If the Team Member is new, he/she will order it the way you ask. But then then Barista (if they’re experienced) will refuse to make it in the single shot cup. You can then ask why not. The Barista/Team Leader/Manager will fight tooth and nail to avoid having to tell you that they don’t use a single shot cup for a reason. They may even lie, saying that the single shot cup is too small!

But you can ask them to do it anyway! They might do it or not. But if they do it in the single cup, you can then ask why a strong shot fits into a single shot cup etc. Again, they will fight tooth and nail to avoid telling you that it is in reality 1.5 shots or even less, not 2 shots. They probably will never tell you that to avoid longer discussions.

You can then ask how many grams a single shot of espresso has versus a strong shot, and do your calculations from there.

A former Pret Barista also confirms this about a “strong” DECAFF shot:

(Please not, my previous Twitter/X handle was @LateNightGirlMe and I have since changed to @expretDOTorg.)

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In my 10 years in Pret (mostly as a shop Team Leader/management) I had only ONE customer who knew about this. In a very calm but assertive way he specifically asked for: “TWO separate shots of espresso in one cup charged as a strong espresso, please“. He often had a cheeky smile while ordering, which I returned! No problem, sir!

My Manager hated that customer, but gave in as an exception. The customer was such a regular and VERY persistent on this, that we already informed any new staff member to accept his request before he even entered the shop. So, good luck to the rest of ya!

Finally, do the math yourself! If you have 1 cup of strong espresso every day for a year at Pret, plus minus holidays etc. Monday to Friday. You would get 360 cups of 1.5 shots versus 480 double / 2 shots. Meaning, you get 360 individual espresso shots vs. 480 individual shots. Probably less as you have to subtract holidays. But I just leave it at this over a 5 work-day week, 4 week month and 12 months year.

The mind-game is, you were “cheated” out of 120 shots of espresso annually, plus minus via psychology and terminology! And Pret would put the fault at you for making assumptions as they do not advertise double shots. And they’d be right!

That’s why the coffee margin at Pret compared to their food is through the roof! They make a sh!tload of money from coffee as the highest profit to any other product. And a cup of, let’s say latte, for companies like Pret including cup, lid, milk, labour etc. is no more then about 30p plus minus. That is also why I have always questioned HOW Pret’s coffee can be organic, because they get it so cheap.

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Link to article

Pret already informed an inquiring customer that their coffee isn’t fair-trade anymore. And to be frank, I simply don’t believe that Pret pays “sometimes” more than fair-trade as it’s claimed here in the Facebook response. It’s just typical Pret bla-bla and 99.9% of customers swallow everything Pret tells them. Really sad!

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Bottom line, if Pret would advertise double or extra shot, but serve 1.5 shots, they’d get in legal trouble, at least with the Advertising Standards Authority in the UK that slapped Pret already regarding their “natural” food claim.

Ever wondered why the word “natural” has disappeared off all Pret’s signage and packaging? Here’s why, that was truly false advertisement: Pret A Manger – Ready to (ch)eat.

But with the “strong” espresso display, Pret’s not doing anything wrong or illegal. In other brands you’d get a full extra shot or 480 shots for the same additional 50p price (or whatever price it is now), as they advertise double or extra shot.

Support small independent businesses!

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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. 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.

NEW LinkTree

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BuyMeACoffee.com/expret.org

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PayPal.Me

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Thank you for reading/listening.

©2017 – Present: expret.org


Interview:

(Please be aware that the player shows 0:00 as WordPress sometimes “messes” with my blog. Just press play or go straight to the interview on Adam’s page).

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Unless otherwise stated or linked to, this website and all writings within this site are the property of expret.org and are protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws. Reproduction and distribution of my writings without written permission is prohibited.
©2017 – Present: expret.org unless otherwise stated. All Rights reserved. Disclaimer.