Pret A Manger introduces evening dinner service at Strand branch
Lunchtime chain Pret A Manger has introduced evening "sit down" meals at its London Strand branch.
After 6pm, the site changes into an evening venue named the "Good Evenings" concept, with a wine list, choice of craft beers, crockery, jazz music, soft lighting, and staff showing diners to their tables as they come in, according to the London Evening Standard.
Guests order at the tills as usual, but do not have to choose products from the brand's usual chilled cabinets. Dishes will include baked sweet potato wedges, spicy meatballs, Korean BBQ pulled pork, chipotle chicken toasties, and prosciutto topped macaroni cheese.
Prices range from £2.95-£3.45 for a small plate, to £6.95 for a main chicken and bacon salad.
Open from 6pm-11pm, the concept is aimed at diners who may not have very long to eat dinner but still want more than a quick sandwich. Pret's usual menu will still be available alongside, however, and operate normally during the daytime.
Pret creative chef Nick Sandler commented: "If [customers] come in and say ‘we're in a real hurry we've only got 20 minutes' because they are going to the theatre we tell them they've got plenty of time to order, sit down and have their meal. But equally, if someone's got a bit longer to have a glass of wine and spend an hour with us that's fine as well, we're pretty relaxed about it."
The evening service is only available at the Strand branch, and Pret has confirmed it has no plans to extend further at this stage, although will be following the concept's success carefully.
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