Pret A Manger's French name translates to "ready to eat" in English, fans have explained, as the coffee and sandwich chain rolls out a new £4.99 Pick your Pair lunch deal across the UK.
The company has been serving drinks, sandwiches and sweet treats since 1986 and now operates more than 700 locations worldwide, with 527 of those in the UK. It sells over one million coffees every single day across the country, yet a surprising number of customers still do not know what the business name means.
What Pret A Manger means
One Quora user posed the question: "What does Pret A Manger mean?" A reply explained: "Pret A Manger is a French phrase that translates to 'ready to eat' in English. The name reflects the company's focus on providing freshly prepared food and drinks that are convenient for customers to grab and enjoy on the go. Pret A Manger is known for its sandwiches, salads, soups, and coffee, emphasising quality and sustainability in its offerings."
Another user added: "The name means 'ready to eat' in French and is a nod to prêt-à-porter, which means 'ready to wear' in the fashion world. But a name, however it's pronounced, isn't everything. Pret A Manger wants to capture a wider audience who care about becoming a little healthier, but still get their food fast."
A further user commented: "It is a play on the phrase 'pret a porter' which means ready to wear, primarily in women's fashion. The implication is no waiting time (versus tailor-made clothes). Pret a Manger means ready to eat - same idea."
New Pick your Pair lunch deal
The revelation comes as Pret A Manger introduces a new £4.99 Pick your Pair lunch deal featuring new warm ciabattas and seasonal coffees. Matt Bresnahan, chief marketing officer at Pret, said: "When it comes to lunchtime, we know our customers don't want to compromise between taste, variety, and value, so that's what we've focused on delivering for autumn. After a great response to our Pick your Pair summer trial, we're excited to expand this new platform nationally, giving everyone the freedom to build the lunch they want for under £5."
The new menu items include the Warm Three Cheese and Tomato Ciabatta, Warm Chicken Caesar Bacon Ciabatta, Warm Beef Birria and Jalapeno Ciabatta, Spinach and Feta Pastry, Bacon, Cheese, and Jalapeño Pastry, Creamy Roast Chicken soup, Butter Chicken soup, Loaded Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread, Banana Cinnamon Porridge, Chocolate Hazelnut Praline Cookie, Triple Chocolate Cookie, Raspberry and White Chocolate Cookie, Toasted Marshmallow Latte, Toasted Marshmallow Hot Chocolate, and Pumpkin Spiced Latte.
