The new format will be unveiled across two sites in Broughty Ferry, Dundee, and Maidenhead this month with Pret saying it sets the tone for its proposition in towns and smaller cities outside of London and forms part of the business’ strategy to reach new customers.
It comes as the group reaches 500 shops across the UK amid a prominent push to grow its regional estate.
According to Pret, 82% of new UK shops its opened since January 2023 have been located outside of London.
“Throughout the past five years, we’ve made it a priority to bring Pret to more people, whether you’re a City worker commuting to the office, a parent juggling work and family life, or someone catching up with friends,” says Clare Clough, Pret’s managing director for UK and Europe.
“Now, we’re taking that further, making Pret a destination for customers in a bit less of a rush who want a comfortable space to enjoy delicious food and spend time with family and friends.”
In a departure from its core concept, which focuses on a menu of grab-and-go sandwich options, much of Pret’s menu in these new format shops will be made-to-order, featuring a longer counter where customers can watch their order being made.
There will also be more hot menu items like hot ciabattas and sourdough toasties, including a meatball and red pepper tapenade sub; new breakfast options such as a Scottish smoked salmon and free-range egg mayo croissant; and an expansive sweet treats bakery range including tarts and cakes.
Additionally, the layout of the site has been designed to offer more space for dine-in customers, as well as a Little Stars Café play area for families with young children.
Full porcelain crockery will also be provided, while there will only be one ‘ready-to-go’ refrigerated shelf for those customers on the move.
“Our teams have been hard at work making sure everything from the shop design to the unique menu items have been carefully thought through and we can’t wait to see how our customers respond,” Clough adds.
Pret’s franchise partners Hala Group (Maidenhead) and Joup Group (Dundee) will operate these new shops.