About Pret
THE BEST OF THE 80S...
Back when we started, mobile phones were massive (they had their own briefcases), Madonna was huge, and leotards were all the rage.
Most sandwich bars in London were low-quality and badly managed. Service was hit and miss, staff were unhappy, and the quality of ingredients was as questionable as the hairstyles. It was time for a sandwich revolution. Julian and Sinclair (our founders) didn’t have much of a business plan. But they decided to create the food they craved and couldn’t find anywhere else. They opened the first ever Pret shop in London, 75B Victoria Street, in 1986 with a promise of simple, delicious food served by friendly, motivated staff.
Much has changed since our very first shop (we’ve spread our wings and now have Pret shops around the world). But our food? It’s still made by hand every day, by people who really care – passionate people who get excited over the things that really matter, like a new cookie flavor or seasonal salad.
Thoughtful recipes. Fresh ingredients. Constant creating.
There’s no great trick to our food. The magic’s in the making. We won’t try to fool you with fancy chemicals or abracadabra additives (using a spatula and a spoon is about as technical as we get). Instead, we make our food by hand throughout the day in our shop kitchens. All ingredients are sourced as seasonally and locally as possible, so that every bite, sip and slurp is special.
Not everything we sell is freshly made in our kitchens. Oatmeal and soups need more time and a much bigger kitchen, so we work with a handful of trusted suppliers who make these for us (following Pret recipes) that we then gently simmer and serve for you to enjoy. Baguettes are par-baked, while croissants, cookies and other bakery items are frozen in dough form and all are baked in our shop ovens throughout the day.
Organic Coffee
Our coffee is 100% organic and always arabica. We have long-standing relationships with our farmers and take time to train up each and every one of our brilliant Baristas. It's just much better this way.