Pret a Manger pushes back on price critics with plans for value meal deals and UK expansion

Pret a Manger chief executive Pano Christou is emphatic about the company’s approach to pricing. Responding to widespread perceptions of rising costs, Christou insists that the chain has resisted significant price inflation this year. “We have really held our prices this year,” Christou stated, underscoring a commitment to keeping prices below spiralling national inflation. He highlights the chain’s £8.95 lobster roll as a marker of value, describing it as the “cheapest lobster roll” available in the UK food market. At the opposite end of Pret’s price range is its flagship 99p filter coffee, a hot drink that held its price steady for nearly two decades and remains untouched for the current year.

Despite evidence of some price increases, notably for sandwiches and coffee post-pandemic, Pret emphasises that it has frozen or even reduced select menu items in 2025, including the all-butter croissant, flat white coffee, and chicken caesar and bacon baguette. Items such as the granary classic super club have dropped from £4.99 to £4.50, and the five berry bowl now retails at £2.99 after a 26p cut. Christou contends that Pret continues to offer strong value, seeking to broaden its appeal beyond hardworking city professionals to a more diverse customer base. He points to an expanded demographic and the chain’s goal of democratising access to its products as evidence of a strategic evolution.

Pret’s ambitions reach well beyond city centres. The group is targeting rapid expansion in non-traditional locations, moving from a solitary motorway service presence in 2018 to an estimated 60 by the end of this year, with another 30 to follow in 2026. A notable development is the upcoming introduction of Pret’s first drive-thru site in early 2026, likely in partnership with a franchisee at a motorway service area. Airports and travel hubs also form a key part of the growth strategy, with Pret due to replace competing brands in high-traffic areas such as Heathrow.

Store aesthetics have not been overlooked. Recent customer feedback has highlighted a contrast between older, ‘tired’ branches and the newer, more vibrant outlets faced by competitors. The company is running a store remodelling initiative, which was affected by a focus on cash management during the Covid period. Christou expects Pret’s high street presence to be revitalised by 2027, as remodelling regains momentum.

Pret is not retreating from its urban roots. Christou notes a steady resurgence in office attendance, with data indicating a climb from just under three days per week to over three for the average worker in London and the southeast. This trend is expected to contribute to the rebounding activity in city centre stores.

For the first time, Pret is embracing the ‘meal deal’ strategy that has proven successful among competitors and in international markets including France and Hong Kong. The move represents a shift from previous leadership, who voiced concerns about perceived product devaluation. Christou asserts that the focus is on providing better customer value through quality and bundled offers, reflecting changing consumer priorities after several challenging years for households across the country.