Pret a Manger, a national chain of coffee houses, has one solitary outlet in Norwich. It’s distinguished by the fact that it is one of the few venues in the city with a place in the sun during the afternoons. Bright days are too few to waste so I take full advantage of their ยฃ1 filter coffee and sunny aspect whenever Iโm able. Pret is also distinguished by the fact that they donโt have a formal loyalty scheme. You know the kind of thing โ swipe this, stamp that, tells us ย everything and weโll give you a free crappafrappachino with every grand spent and we promise not to sell on your personal data to the Russians (yer, right). Instead, staff are encouraged to give away a free beverage to patronsย whenever the mood takes them. Itโs company policy. Back in the day, I was a regular beneficiary of a Pret freebie when I ordered my morning fixย every weekday and 8:45. I like to think itโs because I looked quite the cock of the queueย in my sharp business suit. Nowadays, my bargain bucket look goes unnoticed in Pret. At least that was I thinking last time I offered my pound coin toย the nice young man with the hairy chest and pony tail. But then he said,
On the house.
. . sounds a bit phishy to me!
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Funny ๐
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The young Spaniards at the High Holborn branch know my order now [and how it changes throughout the day] and most afternoons Miguel utters those magic words – ‘on the house’!
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Must save you a king’s ransom, lucky sod.
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Nights in the Lamb Inn… the morning after in Pret A Manger!?
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Now and again ๐
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If you want sun you know what you have to do….
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But would I get free coffee? ๐
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I just came back from the US Pacific Northwest – coffeehouse heaven! In one town of 700 people there were five places to get excellent coffee!
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Sounds great. Oregon’s the home of Starbucks isn’t it? We’ve got three of them here in Norwich and there was one in Bodrum!
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Well, glad you finally benefited from the company policy in Norwich. You’ve been there a while to get that though! ๐ Every little helps, though…
Julia
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It’s taken three years. I wonder if it’ll three years ’til the next one? ๐
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Pret A Manger apparently occupies the exact spot where polymath and proto-scientist Sir Thomas Moore’s house once stood. His statue and sculpted brain lie just across the square. There’s plenty of excellent independent coffee places in Norwich so why use this? Or worse, Starbucks with their very questionable business practices.
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Well I never knew that! I never go to Starbucks but I do use some of the indies when on walkabout. Some are great, some less so. Here’s something I wrote earlier (to paraphrase Blue Peter) https://perkingthepansies.com/2015/01/24/give-us-a-quiche/
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Thanks, have commented on that post.
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