Despite Its Name, The Pret A Manger Coffee Chain Is Anything But French

You've passed them at the airport, train station, or even on your way to work. Across the United States (and around the world), Pret a Mangers are freckled about busy locations. Each Pret a Manger (Pret for short) serves up pre-packaged food offerings such as salads, sandwiches, yogurt parfaits, coffee, pastries, and fruit cups for diners on the go. The chain toes the line between convenience and quality, offering fresh foods that serve those with busy schedules and a preference for fresh over fast food. Along with this, Pret a Manger maintains an air of European sophistication for many. After all, its name is French, meaning "ready to eat." One might assume that the chain has French origins — however, it's actually distinctly British. 

The chain was founded in 1986 by Julian Metcalfe and Sinclair Beecham, friends from university. The duo opened the first location in Hampstead, a neighborhood in London, England. The first Pret a Manger was located near Victoria station, a large train hub in the city. The store sold sandwiches with an Italian twist, and proved to be a hit among commuters and nearby workers who much preferred the shop's fast food to the slim culinary pickings of the neighborhood. The shop was called Pret a Manger as a play on the French term "prêt-à-porter," which means "ready-to-wear." Its name points to the convenience of the chain and its grab-and-go style of dining.

Though convenience is an essential element of the Pret a Manger business model, its appeal comes down to more than just its grab-and-go format. Perhaps Pret a Manger's biggest draw is its selection of foods such as sandwiches, quiches, salads, and fruit cups that incorporate fresh ingredients. Now, offering fresh foods at a fast casual restaurant isn't exactly unique, but what makes Pret a Manger stand out is its convenience, and its placement in high-traffic areas such as cities, train station, and airports. These areas are dappled with fast food chains that serve up an assortment of fried foods, such as Popeyes (which was Anthony Bourdain's favorite fast food chain) or McDonald's. 

For many commuters, office workers, or travelers, Pret is a great option for grabbing a last-minute snack or meal without sacrificing freshness. The chain has long been a popular choice for Londoners, and though the chain has been in the United States since the early 2000s, its popularity has really skyrocketed in America in recent years. Customers flock to the chain for its uniquely non-fast food menu items such as Niçoise salad, chia pudding "pots", and turkey chili, which offer a higher end twist than most grab-and-go locations.

Though the fast casual chain has a distinctly French name, Pret a Manger did not open its first location in France until 2012. Unsurprisingly, the chain opened its first French location in Paris. Currently, the chain has 45 locations within the country. And that's not all. Pret a Manger currently operates across 400 locations worldwide. Perhaps a part of the chain's popularity has to do with the fact that McDonald's stepped in and purchased about one-third of the company in 2001. This allowed the chain to expand beyond the UK and into the global market. Of course, this stake was later purchased by another company, even as it continued to expand across the globe. 

Today, Pret serves as a nearly ubiquitous presence in many cities and travel heavy locations. However, this does not mean that all Pret a Manger locations are same all over the world. Just like how McDonald's menus change in different countries, Pret a Manger adjusts its menus based on the specific wants and needs of the country it is operating within. So, the Pret you get in London might differ from the Pret you eat at in the United Arab Emirates. So, yes, you can feel just a little worldly while grabbing a snack from the airport Pret a Manger.