Haters gon' hate!
I can't believe people are whining about how "expensive" this place is. Anytime I can get a tasty lunch in the loop for $10 or less, I am happy.
Yes, places like Subway or Corner Bakery are cheaper, but the quality of the food does not touch Pret A Manger. One reviewer had the nerve to suggest this place is expensive because he can get two sandwiches at CVS for the same price. Sandwiches from CVS? CVS??? Who buys sandwiches at CVS? I didn't even know CVS sold sandwiches!
I could also argue you could probably dig an only partially-eaten sandwich out of the garbage for FREE. Take note, bargain hunters!
Pret A Manger seems  to insist that every single location they open have ZERO street parking within 4 blocks, so I am always in a rush when picking up lunch. That makes me appreciate their system of continuously making small batches of their food all day long. Everything tastes fresh and I've never had a soggy sandwich or a salad with wilted greens, while at the same time never spending more than 120 seconds before I am out the door, dashing back to my car before it gets towed.
Convenience aside, the food is really tasty, and I would wait for it if I had to. I appreciate the slightly upgraded ingredients, without things getting too fancy, complicated, or expensive.
Pret A Manger:
Good, but over-priced. I understand that quality takes precedence over quantity at this place, but paying almost $9 for a sandwich is ridiculous. Especially when the size is not equivalent to that of a sandwich at Potbelly's or Subway. Again, the quality is the dominant factor at Pret a Manger so I will bite my tongue about the prices.
As for the sandwiches themselves, they are quite tasty. Filling on the otherhand is left to be determined according to one's stomach capacity.
Here are the sandwiches/wraps that I've tried so far:
- Spicy Shrimp & Cilantro Wrap
- Pret's Vietnamese Baguette
- Chicken Mozzarella
All good in their own right. However, I would only pay a visit to this place maybe once a month if I'm feeling cheeky.
I'll sum up my review of Pret A Manger in the following points:
- Tasty sandwiches
- Good Service and friendly workers.
- Grabbing a sandwich is stressful. Constantly bumping in to fellow patrons and having them huff and puff while I try to make up my mind.
- Pretentious
- $8 for a normal sized sandwich? GTFOH! I can buy 2 at CVS for less than that.
- Fruit flies galore last time I was there
- Messy and crowded dining area
Very overpriced for small portion sizes. Â The food is ok, but not half as good as other healthy options you can get for the same price range (Panera, Corner Bakery, Au Bon Pain, etc.) Also, my chicken-avocado salad with walnuts had exactly one walnut in it. Â And don't trust the cashiers when they tell you the utensils are already in your bag! It's no fun to be hungry and stuck on the Metra for an hour with a salad and nothing to eat it with but your hands.
Review Source:I love this place and am lucky that it's across the street from where I work. The food is fresh and tasty and there are a number of sandwich, salad, and wrap options for vegetarians. Plus, the people behind the counter are amazingly nice. Eli gets a special shout-out for always making me smile!
Review Source:This place has really great sandwiches! Its always my go to spot right before I have to head to union station to catch my ride! Â The sandwiches are more on the expensive side, but its not that much more than Potbelly's or any other sandwich shop. Â The ingredients are really fresh and you can tell in the taste. Â The bread is also very fresh. Â They make their sandwiches daily and by the end of the day their selection is very slim. Â But thats because they are trying to get rid of their inventory before the day ends. Â Its pretty much self service and I really like how the sandwiches are all individually wrapped so you can grab and go. The cashier service is very fast, except when its during the busy lunch hour. Â They have a lot of variety here. I have tried the turkey/ arugala/mozarella sandwich and the roast beef with parmesan sandwich. Both delicious!
Review Source:Wow. Just wow. You have got to be some vegan-pine nut loving-skinny jean wearing hipster to like this place. Hey, here's a great business plan! Let's sell pre-made sandwiches for 4 times the cost! AND PEOPLE WILL BUY IT! Because we claim to be "socially responsible"! It is clearly working because the white guilt works on plenty of folks as this place gets crowded at lunch time.
Ok seriously. This place is so ungodly overpriced for what you get. The sandwich I had, a turkey avocado thing, was pathetic. It had one, 1, ONE, slice of turkey. Let me repeat. My turkey sandwich had 1 slice of meat. 1. Did you get that? 1. Ok, let me continue. The sandwich was so enormous that I stayed full until...1:15pm. For some hipsters, not eating is cool (gotta fit into those women's blue jeans and peddle that 1 speed bike around). But for the rest of us, we like to eat. And unless you drop around $17, you won't get full here.
If you are into paying $8 for a tiny, let me repeat, TINY, sandwich that has been sitting pre-made in a refrigerator all day, this is your place.
I'm totally addicted to the Little Cup of Goodness - yogurt cup with granola and a little brown sugar and cinnamon mixture at the bottom. There are many nice options and service is friendly, quick and easy.
The only reason I'm giving it three stars is because I've eaten the avacado and pine nut wrap twice and became ill afterward both times in two seperate weeks. They may have made the wraps on that day, but something's gone bad and I'm guessing it was the pine nuts.
I tried this place out for the first time today and had the Avocado Pine Nut Wrap and it was insanely delicious and low cal!!
$7 for an average sized wrap and nothing else is kind of steep, but service was prompt/courteous, selection was good and location is prime. Plus they advertise on their wrappers that they donate leftovers to the Greater Chicago Food Depository (which keeps their inventory fresh without being wasteful), and the company takes other initiatives in striving for health and sustainability, so one can only gripe about the prices so much.
Oh, and the coffee was amazing.
I REALLY like Pret. Let me say this first though, it's pricey, however the quality and flavor you get make it worth it. I like the chicken sandwiches that come on the French bread and some of the deli style sandwiches. I had a toastie once and it was really really good. I also get a cup of miso when I get a lunch or dinner sandwich. The quality is always great and it's fresh with healthy ingredients. Give it a go!
Review Source:I met a friend here for lunch.
I am a fan.
They have fresh coffee.
All of their sandwiches are pre-made and in a refrigerated cooler type thing that you find the cheese section within in the grocery store. Sandwiches can be toasted. They also have wraps and soups and salads...Awesome Sauce.
There is a manager that paces the floor making sure everything goes smoothly. I was not really sure about his position until I witness the lunch rush come barreling through the doors. Wowza.
Employees are knowledgeable behind their registers and quick on the keys.
I will definitely be back not only for the food, but for the fact that the support two local food pantries. The fresh food left over at the end of the day is picked up by one of the two pantries. They even have a sign out front that shows their backing of this....pretty awesome.
Pret has carved out a pretty good name for itself with the lunch crowd. Â A lot of people don't know how good their coffee is, though. Â It gets the bump to five stars on the strength of its brew alone. Â
$1.98 gets you a large cup. Â A small victory already. Â It is self serve, which is nice enough, but also means you can help yourself to a free refill if you aren't headed right out.* Â Employees are vigilant about keeping all the cups, sweeteners, and creamers well stocked. Â The one time they'd run out of the dark roast, they had a full pot on the way out of the kitchen before I could even ask them about it. Â And they have always have a little glass jar full of honey, which I really appreciate. Â Most places don't carry honey, only have it in cheap little packets (Starbucks), or keep it hidden behind the counter (Intelligentsia). Â
Pret puts a lot of emphasis on the freshness of their beans, and I'll have to take their word for it, because this is some seriously good coffee, and a relative steal at two bucks. Â Making it even better is the fact that this location is practically empty in the morning, so you can pretty much get in and out as fast as you can put your cup together. Â
*This is in no way an endorsement of the laptop homeless community and its monopolization of limited public space. Â Go the F home.
On a cold day, sometimes you just want a hot toasty sandwich. Â They have sandwiches, wraps, salads, soups, and pastries made daily. Â Mostly everything is pre-packaged, so it's very easy to grab and go. Â But they'll happily toast any of the sandwiches for you, which makes them crisp and gooey. Â The Ham, Cheese, & Mustard toastie was delicious, as well as their Holiday toastie (turkey, brie, cranberry stuffing). Â I also really like their lemonade and Raspberry Crumble bars.
Fresh quality ingredients make for some tasty sandwiches. Â Plus, they're only a couple blocks from Union Station.
Awesomely reliable and healthy, albeit just a tad pricey. Organic sandwiches, salads, soups, juices, French pastries, and coffee.
This is my go-to place in Chicago to stock up on nibbles for my plane ride, so I don't have to fork over $10 for a stale sandwich at the airport or $8 in-flight for a box of cheese and crackers.
"Grateful" was what I was thinking as I scarfed down my tasty, uncomplicated, and best of all, not messy sandwich today. Â
Hoo-ray for Pret a Mang-jay!
This is a great spot for lunch if you're on the run. There is limited seating, but there are things such as toasties, sammies and salads that you can just grab and pay. I love that the nutritional values are all displayed for you! It makes eating healthy very convenient and easy!
I love the fact that they offer several types of soup every day from a risotto to chicken noodle to lentil Mediterranean.
I will most definitely be hitting up Pret once again given the close proximity and health-nut factor!
Ready to eat, premade sandwiches...
Please be PREPARED to have something to drink when eating a sandwich from here. Â I could barely swallow w/out taking a few chugs of water inbetween bites! Â Went w/ the Cilantro Chili Chicken sandwich served on wheat bread. Â Great concept for our fellow Loop workers that need something you can grab-n-go! Â They try to perceive themselves as organic, freshly made, and heathy which is fine, but my sandwich was too dry and lacking ingredients. Â The proportion ratio to bread was dissapointing. Â Could've used a couple more squirts of the chili mayo. Â Plus I was expecting some heat and there wasnt. Â :( Â The chicken was grilled but very minimal. Â Cilantro speaks for itself, best herb and I can put it on anything! Â :) Â
Overall, I would try this place again but I feel that Im going to get the same results. Â Dry sandwich lacking ingredients. Â Like where's our basic sandwich ingredients (tomatoe, onion, lettuce? lol) Â
Props for them giving nutrional info on their food!
As I scurried down the street last night between work and rehearsal, I saw the Pret A Manger sign and remembered that I was approaching my last chance to eat dinner for several hours. Â I had absolutely no idea what to expect and was a litlte put off by the pre-made food concept, but the quality of the food itself changed my mind. Â
I got a chicken chipotle burrito and a sparkling water for about $8--not too shabby. Â The burrito was wrapped tightly in foil, so it was still warm when I finally got to eat it 15 minutes later, and it definitely was "easy-open" as advertised. Â The burrito containedantibiotic free chicken, hummus, red peppers, cheese, and a bunch of other yummy, healthy ingredients. Â It was the perfect size--not as big as your head like many chains advertise, so I wasn't overly full when I was done eating. Â The sparkling water was sparkling water-tastic, meaning it was exactly as advertised. Â
The place itself was very clean, and the cashier (the only person in the joint other than me) was friendly but gave rather uninformative answers to my questions. Â For example, when I asked about the Yoga Bunny Detox drink, her only answer was that it had a light grape flavor. Â Well, yes, but...what does it do? Â Does it work? Â Have you tried it? Â Also, the selection was very slim, probably because it was later in the evening--close to closing.
I. Love. Pret.
This is starting to become my favorite lunch spot because it's helping me make healthier options. I love that everything is quick and fresh. I usually opt for one of their low-cal salads with tuna or turkey. Their split pea and mint soup is so refreshing on hotter days. I've never had a bad experience here and it's never too insanely crowded when I go.
Had lunch here a few times. Â The sandwiches taste fresh and the bread is very high quality. Â The soups aren't bad either, though the chicken noodle is fairly skimpy on the non-broth comoponents. Â Their non-bread baked goods aren't bad but they're not why I go.
Downsides:
- Chaotic ordering process
- Nowhere to sit during the lunch rush (or even for an hour afterward, I've had trouble grabbing a table at 1:30 on a weekday)
- Prices a bit high on the soups, though the sandwiches are pretty right
- Sandwiches are rotated off the menu regularly, which is good for variety but bad if you have a taste for something
Usually I go into Protein Bar next door for smoothies and I always pass by here. Well today being hungry and in need of a change; stopped in Pret. To my delight everything is pre-made so there is no waiting. I know you are probably thinking that it has been sitting out forever but, it seems pretty fresh.
I look around at the selection of sandwiches, soups, coffee, salads, fruit parfaits, etc.. It looks like a healthy choice of foods. I was going to get a salad but, I opted for a sausage meatball wrap. It was great! It tasted like a on-the-go calzone without all the crust.
I will be back to get one of the sparkling waters that looked quite tasty and refreshing.
LOVE:
calories listed for everything
half portion sandwiches!!!!
wide variety of soups
delicious home-made salad dressings
DISLOVE:
hectic layout-hard to look at all the choices during a busy lunch rush
the salads are pretty small...and there's only 4-5 pieces of chicken for $7-8
Key Takeaways:
everything here is pretty simple but very fresh and definitely delicious.
Gosh, how have I not reviewed this place yet??
So, a few of my friends said, have you been to Pret a Manger? I was like wha a huh? I couldn't really understand why a place would be called that, but who cares! This place is great!
It's super fast, they have a lot of sandwiches, salads, soups, etc and it is all pretty much ready to go. You grab your panini, they press it real quick and voila! You are set! I have loved everything I have eaten and I also love that they post the calories of everything. Well, ok maybe I hate it, but no really I love it. On occasion I actually try to get something with less calories;) Â The loop really needed this, I am so sick of all the other places.
What are you waiting for? Go grab a sandwich!
Pret a Manger ("ready to eat") is a great stop for a fresh ingredients, never stored overnight, lunch in the Loop. This location, right across the street from Sears Tower, has cases fully stocked with warm wraps, cold sandwiches and salads, carafes of coffee, and soups. Visited w/Yelpers Megan B. and Anna Y., I love that this place is right near my work.
-Falafel wrap- served warm with red peppers, it was good, but I was hoping for more spice. My friend said perhaps they should have some Sriracha on hand and I agree.
-Chicken salad sandwich with apples and dried cranberries- very good!
-Pumpkin Bisque soup- excellent. Perfect for a winter day.
Pret a Manger has regular fountain drinks but also a case of natural sodas so I had to try the goofiest: Pure Pret Yoga Bunny soda. w/Ginger and Echinacea, it was tasty, and I figured I could skip my yoga workout after it!
Staff is super friendly and helpful here. And they restock the shelves almost as quickly as they're emptied. I'm sure Pret is going to become a Loop Lunchin' favorite of mine.
This is a perfect lunch spot. Â I first stopped in with a friend to get their breakfast and juice, which was good. Â I think that their lunch is even better.
They have tons of sandwiches, wraps, salads, ready to go. Â You pick out what you want and go to the register. Â That definitely makes the line short during the lunch rush hour. Â Also, they make it with organic, natural ingredients and it pays off. Â I have also tried two soups of theirs and its been very good. Â They rotate them on a regular basis. Â Â The check out was quick and friendly. Â Given the great ingredients, it isn't that expensive. Â A drink, sandwich and soup runs me about $11.
Seating can sometimes be hard to find for people coming in bigger groups. Â It's much easier if you have 2 people. Â Yet, it is a great grab and go place too. I can't wait to keep trying new stuff there!
Checked this place out on my way back from a grueling early morning workout. Always in search of natural, delicious food with vegetarian options I knew I had to give this place a try. I grabbed a breakfast toastie with fried egg, mustard, tomato, and cheese and a salad for lunch later on (indulgent, I know, but I wanted to try both!).
The setup was cute and easy; just grab a sandwich and have them heat it up. The staff was very friendly and welcoming, and the prices were good or comparable for the high quality ingredients.
Got back to my desk and almost died of happiness- that breakfast toastie is absolute shit. Delicious. Eating the salad now and it is equally fresh and good tasing. Such a nice treat to have a joint like this close to my gym and work. Now to not stop in every day and break the bank will be my next challenge.
I've been to a Pret in NYC and never really enjoyed it....but I think that had to do with the fact that everyone seemed to know what was going on and had their routines down. But, when I went to the new one here in Chi town I felt on even playing ground with everyone and was able to check out all the different sandwich options.
My feeling is that it is comparable to abp and cosi in price and type of food but the quality is way better! This will definitely become a regular in the lunch rotation.
The loop is full of great lunch spots and Pret a Manger (a UK-based chain) is yet another welcome addition. Best thing about this place is the fact that they make all of their sandwiches fresh that day and if it hasn't sold by the end of the day, it's sent to a Chicago food bank.
With this in mind, I've always wondered what places like Sbarro do with their leftovers? Think about it... every time you go past one of those places, they have SO much food (and typically no one eating there--yeah I said it).
Back to Pret--they have great, good-for-you options. I suggest going with a half sandwich and soup. Some of the better sandwiches are falafel (good for you) and the chicken salad (not as good for you).
Quick tip: If you hate crowds, get there before or after the lunch rush or you may be overcome by a sea of hungry mid-level executives. SCARY!
Hooray for Pret!! I squealed with delight (literally) when I heard that there was a Pret opening in Chicago. After a recent trip to London, I ate there 5 times in a 8 days...it was that good.
And it's not just the food that is amazing (which it is), but the fact that they only use fresh ingredients, the food is healthy (with all the basic nutritional information posted), it is very reasonably priced, and the staff has completely nailed great customer service.
I am happy to report that this location did not fall one inch short of my expectations, it is just as fantastic. Their sandwiches, wraps, and salads are all delicious and I wanted to hop behind the counter to hang out with all the fabulous employees. I prefer to get two half sandwiches (I know, I'm totally crazy) so I can try as many things as possible each time. Pair that with a bag of kettle chips and maybe a cookie for the road, and you should be set.
One thing to note: this is not a sit down type of place. They have seating (an impressive amount considering the size of the place) but it is definitely more of the grab-and-go type of lunch spot.
There are a couple drawbacks for me, but certainly not deal breakers:
* I work in River North so this location is not ideal. I hear they are opening another one...but it's in the loop. Please move up a few blocks north...pretty please.
* It was really cold inside the shop, as in everyone was wearing their jackets and scarves while they ate.
The Pret A Manger finally opened across from the Sears / Willis Tower a few weeks ago. Admittedly my first visit was due to a free lunch coupon pre-opening promotion. With a massive dress rehearsal of free food the scene is usually chaotic, but to their credit they were very organized. My free lunch bag contained a chicken and bacon sandwich, a "Love" bar, a bag of organic popcorn, and can of orange pop. The sandwich is good and fresh, though they remind me of those pre-packed sandwiches you get at every train station or drug store in the UK. I loved the Love bar, sort of a deluxe brownie bar with coconut, dark chocolate and nuts.
On a subsequent visit, I bought (wow - spending money on food!) a spicy grilled chicken wrap, a warm and fresh item that was surprisingly good. Somehow it tasted like a rolled-up slice of pizza. The chocolate brownie bars nearly jump the threshold from delicious brownie to decadently dense fudge. The service here is fast and friendly, which is necessary because it seems like all of the customers really do want to "grab and go".
Eh, not rushing back.
I think the concept of Pret A Manger is great; it's the execution that I am not such a fan of.
It's kind of a clusterf*ck up in here. There's a wall of salads, sandwiches, and wraps and everyone is crowded around trying to see what they have and decide accordingly. It made for a chaotic experience.
There's also soups you can order at the counter where you pay, and I applaud them for having some out of the ordinary choices (miso, Malaysian chicken). Even trying to pay is confusing. There's many registers, but you're not sure if there's individual lines for each cashier or if there's one line and they just take care of the next person in line.
I purchased a half of an egg salad sandwich and a small chicken noodle soup and then my coworker and I went in search of a place to sit down. We finally grabbed a spot and I went in search of utensils. There were no napkins anywhere, except for what people left on the table which I couldn't tell if they were used or not. No thanks.
The egg salad was ok, but I like being able to customize my sandwich. I would have chosen different bread and I would have 86ed the raw red onion on there too. The egg salad itself didn't have much going for it; very little flavor and a skimpy portion.
The soup fared better. It was at least flavorful, but as is often the case with chicken in chicken soup, the meat was tough and overcooked from sitting in the hot soup all day.
The staff was friendly, as one would hope from a new establishment. And as also mentioned, they donate their unsold food to the Greater Chicago Food Depository, so they get big ups for that.
I'll likely go back and try something else one of these days if I can't think of anywhere better.
It's 2.5 stars for the time being or until I go back and get a t-shirt that says "Pret A Manger" - I love the innuendo.
I'm a sucker for appearances...does that mean I'm shallow?
Pret is clean, bright, presents me with attractively packaged lunch options. Since I hate to wait, I like having the grab and go option and the fresh juices are sealed (unlike Au Bon Pain) so I can just toss it in my bag.
The cash register line is a little hectic but I'm sure they're still working out some kinks...
The prices are on the high side, but I'm beginning to get used to paying between $10-$12 for lunch nowadays, probably why I'm always broke. They skimp a bit on the "filling" as some have complained, but I've always liked more bread than meat, so it works out for me but I can see how that would annoy some people based on the price.
All in all, I'll try this spot again, there's lots of options and what's not to love about that?!?
I am SO happy to have Pret in Chicago! Â I am a devotee of Pret whenever I'm in London, and have been waiting and waiting for the first Chicago location to open. Â I've only gotten to the Chicago location once so far, but I am a fan. Â I think it will take a little bit for the idea to catch on: Â fresh yet pre-made sandwichs. Â Many of the patrons seemed a little confused. Â The layout of the store doesn't help: Â there is too much of a crush of people trying to get to the sandwich "display" combined with people waiting to pay. Â There has to be a better layout!
However, the food was reliable, and I pretended I was in London for a few minutes. Â I love the sandwiches! Â I'm looking forward to another location opening (at LaSalle and Washington) soon, which will be closer to my work, allowing more visits!
I still love the Pret. I've eaten at Pret about 4 times in the past week. OK...I will admit I was in London last week for business, so three of those times were not at this location. Regardless, Pret rules.
Here's what I've had at this location:
- almond croissants (delicious)
- chocolate croissant (also delicious)
- ham, cheese and mustard panini (very basic, but sooo good; will definitely get this one again with a cup of soup)
- beef barley soup (low cal, only 165 calories for a medium, and it has tons of vegetables including celery, beans, tomatoes, carrots, onions, mushrooms, etc)
- cobb & green salad (430 calories, basic cobb but Whit cranberries, walnuts and apples which add a sweetness and texture to it)
The staff at this location are great too. You can tell they're still learning the way of Pret, as this location hasn't been open long, but they're very friendly. At least four people said "hello" or "have a good day" to me while there. Maybe my standards aren't that high for customer service in Chicago. I'm used to someone at Chipolte yelling at me saying "WHO'S NEXT?!?!? WHAT DO YOU WANT?!?!"
Needless to say, I'm a huge fan of the Pret and will probably go there so much that I will wear it out. At least their menu is large enough that it will take me a while to eat through this restaurant.
It seems Pret much like all other good things took it's sweet time coming to Chicago. Â That's okay I suppose, we're not a city that holds a grudge.
For anyone who asked me "Isn't London super expensive?" I would reply "Yeah, but the food doesn't have to be"
Let's face it. Â English food pretty much sucks. Â Fish and chips are good. Â Upper echelon fine dining is good. Â Anything else, bleh. Â Sorry to offend any Angloo-gastrophiles.
But what was good was Pret a Manger (which means Ready to Eat in French). Â I ate this stuff everyday for lunch while I was there and sometimes I would eat it for breakfast and lunch as well. Â
Everything is pretty similar. Â Surprisingly the food there taste pretty damn close if not exactly like how it was made in London. They must have good suppliers for their produce and meat. Â
Unfortunately, they sell American Kettle chips instead of the UK Pret chips. Â I especially loved the Spicy Piri Chilli Crisps. Â
All the sandwiches are on one wall, which makes things kinda cumbersome. Â Cuz the line during the lunch rush will get long enough to block it. Â They shoulda thought a little longer about how they layed out the interior. Seating is pretty limited, I 'd say...seating for 40 people...?
You can order soups and bread from the register when you pay, they have like 6 registers all crammed in a line. Â Which means everyone who is in line is crammed together too. Â Keep that in mind, there are usually more registers than lines; cuz people get confused queuing up. Â
Personally i would say their best sandwiches are the spicy falafel wrap and the spicy shrimp and cilantro wrap. Â
Also, no VEGAN options. Â Except for the soups. Â When I was there all the soups except the miso was vegan. Â So surprisingly not a good vegan option. Â If you want vegan, go to the protein bar next store. Â They got plenty of viddles. Â But they do have plenty of vegetarian options. Â Unfortunately almost everything has cheese in it, for the Ve-gans.
Cost: Â I bought a wrap and chips for like $7-8. Â A little pricey for a sammie and chips, but the quality of food is worth it.
Overall: Â Delicious, fresh, a little pricey, kinda hectic for now, not vegan
PS Another one is opening on LaSalle for my fellow NW Loopers.
PSS Anything spicy or jalapeno is not spicy at all. Â Jalapeno chicken was dry. Â Cookie is good.
I always get excited when a new location opens up in the small radius around the Willis Tower that I can get to and make it back to the office with enough time to eat in my tiny 30-minute window for lunch each workday. Â So I knew that Friday was opening day here and I popped down in my usual 2:30-ish time slot to see how good the new kid on the block would satisfy my lunchtime needs.
One thing I'll give them is that it's very quick to get in, grab food, pay and then get back to the office. Â Aside from people with jitters and confusion, it's a very streamlined process and the cashiers are very friendly and helpful, often getting onto the main floor to assist those who have never seen a shop like this.
"A shop like this." Â That's where Pret kind of loses me. Â If I had to describe Pret's food in one sentence, it would be:
"An airport sandwich shop with better prices, but run by Whole Foods customers."
Pret a Manger follows the "no preservatives" motto, with everything fresh and everything healthy with whole grains and veggies and whatnot that is becoming a way-too-popular trend nowadays. Â Most people who have read my reviews or see my picture will already know that I'm not a health nut, so I can't be dishing out any bonus points for that stuff. Â On the contrary, those big chunks of "grain" in the bread were just rather annoying when I was eating the food.
I went with as much innocuous food-type items that I could find.  I grabbed a ham and egg sandwich (mostly because it was the first sandwich I found that didn't automatically include tomatoes), and one hot item of the jalapeño chicken wrap (the only hot item that they still had in stock in the hot section) and at the counter I was convinced enough to grab a brownie for dessert.
My biggest gripe with airport-sandwich-shop kinds of stores is that I have no control over my food. Â They've already made it exactly the way that they wanted to make it, and then wrapped it up as the final word and that's what they have. Â Which means that if I am not a fan of tomatoes (read: I am not a fan of tomatoes) then there are many many items on those shelves that I just won't buy. Â I don't consider myself to be a picky eater, especially considering I bought the hot chicken wrap that had tomato and I still ate it, but I know what I like and I know what I don't like and if I have the option to not eat what I don't like - I take it.
Pret a Manger just doesn't offer that option. Â I prefer a Burger King type of motto that I can "have it my way". Â But that would inevitably slow down this streamlined engine at Pret if cooks had to make special-order things for each customer - so I can understand their business model and it looks like it will work out for them in the end.
I'm not saying that I won't be back - I definitely have to try them out during morning breakfast hours (since I believe they might open early enough for me to grab something before heading into the office), and maybe if I can get to the lunch rush earlier to see if there are more tomato-free options, I'll like them a bit more. Â The sandwich was rather dry, and the hot chicken wrap was pretty good, despite the vegetable factors (I like how they put on the wrapper where to tear so you can eat it easily). Â I had the brownie later and it tasted more like fudge than a brownie and it was extremely soft. Â Not necessarily a bad thing, but it was certainly noticeable.
So yes, I will be back for more "Just Made" food. Â I enjoy having options when it comes to lunch, and I'm sure there will be plenty of co-workers who "haven't tried that new Pret place out yet" and will want to go. Â I'm sure it won't be too hard to convince me to make another visit here and try more items.
I'm just happy for another lunch choice in the Loop...the fact that it's Pret - a great grab-n-go sandwich shop - is even better. Â The jalepeno chicken wrap I polished off about an hour ago was so delicious, the perfect portion, and super tidy to eat (no glop falling out of my wrap...i hate that!). Â I'll go back soon to try the chicken & cranberry and the chicken & avocado sammies. Â Oh, and the mint chocolate brownie bite (half-size portion) is soooo yummy, one of my new fave brownies, and didn't make me feel guilty for eating it!
It's a little crazy in there since it just opened today, so the long lines at the checkout were a little outta control, but their employees are friendly, quick and helpful, so I'm sure they'll be able to tame the masses.
Oh, Pret, I've been dreaming of this day. Â It took 11 years, but my London lunch love (say that three times fast) has finally appeared in Chicago. Â Hallelujah!
I interned for a solicitor's firm in London in '99 and ate many many lunches at Pret. Â In my return trips to London, I trusted Pret as a quick on-the-go meal while en route to the National Gallery or West End theater. Â I recall having dinner at a Pret near Oxford Circus with a friend and wishing they existed stateside. Â That day is here. Â (Yes, NYC and DC got Pret first, but let's not quibble on Pret day!)
I went farther than the normal radius for lunch today just for some opening day Pret goodness. Â I tend to be a really late luncher, often in the 2 o'clock hour, so I miss the rush. Â Pret was a bit picked over from the opening day rush----but was restocking freshly made sandwiches and juices while I was there. Â I was asked multiple times if I needed anything, which is helpful but not pushy. Â When the shelves are stocked, there will tons of options. Â There were some confused customers not quite getting the grab and go concept---they got in line without food and then realized their error. Â As a small line started, the staff quickly jumped on more registers to keep the customers moving. Â I really appreciate that! Â I also saw a sign on the door that all leftovers from each day are donated to the homeless. Â I think that rocks and is a good practice. Â Gold star for community service!
I got a ham and egg sandwich with mustard, a fairly Brit sandwich, some chips and a can of Pret-made organic ginger beer (no alcohol of course). Â Total was under $10. Â The sandwiches all appeared to be $4.99 or so. Â Chips are $1.50, drinks $1.50 and up (juice, sparkling juice, pop, water). Â They have brownies and other bakery goodies as well as yogurt parfaits ($3, I believe). Â I consider the prices to be on the cheaper side of average. Â (Better than the $10 I drop for a sandwich and small side at Hannah's Bretzel.)
As much as I adore Pret (and I do), I probably won't be returning to this location often. Â Because, a second Chicago location is planned for LaSalle and Washington, which is much much closer to my office. Â I cannot wait!
All in all, I'm beyond thrilled to have Pret in Chicago. Â It's my own personal London vacation for lunch (I can pretend I'm just off of Oxford Circus, instead of across from the Tower formerly known as Sears) Â Perhaps my London connection to it will fade, but even then, it'll be a yummy preservative-free grab-and-go lunch stop, which is always welcome.
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