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 £1 filter coffee and sunny aspect whenever I’m able. Pret is also distinguished by the fact that they don’t have a formal loyalty scheme. You know the kind of thing – swipe this, stamp that, tells us everything and we’ll 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 patrons whenever the mood takes them. It’s company policy. Back in the day, I was a regular beneficiary of a Pret freebie when I ordered my morning fix every weekday and 8:45. I like to think it’s because I looked quite the cock of the queue 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 to the nice young man with the hairy chest and pony tail. But then he said,
On the house.
Perking the Pansies 
. . sounds a bit phishy to me!
LikeLike
Funny 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
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’!
LikeLike
Must save you a king’s ransom, lucky sod.
LikeLike
Nights in the Lamb Inn… the morning after in Pret A Manger!?
LikeLike
Now and again 😀
LikeLike
If you want sun you know what you have to do….
LikeLike
But would I get free coffee? 😉
LikeLike
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!
LikeLike
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!
LikeLike
Well, glad you finally benefited from the company policy in Norwich. You’ve been there a while to get that though! 😉 Every little helps, though…
Julia
LikeLike
It’s taken three years. I wonder if it’ll three years ’til the next one? 😀
LikeLike
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.
LikeLike
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/
LikeLike
Thanks, have commented on that post.
LikeLike