In April of this year when Pret a Manger on The Strand introduced Good Evenings it went against the definition of their name. No longer ready to eat but instead a more formal dining experience. As soon as we spotted Prosecco on the menu Jasmin and I didn’t need another reason to try it out.
A friendly Maitre D’ greeted us at the door and explained the process, seated us with menus and once decided we order and pay at the till. Although the pre-prepared sandwiches and juices are still visible in the fridges for customers wanting to pop in, this is not a distraction from the dining experience. Low level lighting, candles and pre-set tables create an evening ambience.
The menu had a mix of sandwiches served with side salad transforming them into a more substantial meal alongside heartier dishes such as mac and cheese and BBQ pulled pork. Three white, three red wines, three bottled beers and a prosecco choice made up the alcoholic options. Prosecco is only available by the bottle, slightly inconvenient and losing out on potential sales for solo customers; we reluctantly forced ourselves through a bottle, in the spirit of research of course.
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The tasty food is cooked to order, fresh, ready quickly and served by friendly, willing staff. We enjoyed the relaxed dining experience, especially as it was mid week.
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Evenings at Pret a Manger is a great idea, maximising the pay back on daily overheads by opening longer hours and attracting a mixture of clientele. There is still the convenience factor for anyone in a rush, it guarantees theatre goers a quick dinner or friends a relaxed evening social. Paying when ordering also removes any worry for customers who are on a timetable for the theatre or cinema which can spoil a meal.
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Further roll out of Good Evenings could benefit locations with fewer restaurants, but the sheer volumes of all types of footfall London has to offer promise a large pool of potential customers.
The Eating Out markets are merging at one end of the spectrum with Waitrose offering wine & deli bars and grazing areas and Tesco implanting Harris and Hoole and Giraffe. Pret a Manger is throwing itself into the mix by filling the gap between Food To Go and Restaurants.
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