Pret a Manger Revitalizes Salad Menu: Prices Begin at £12.95

The renowned sandwich chain recently informed the Guardian that it is rolling out four new “supersized” salad options in response to evolving consumer lunch preferences. Notably, three of these salads exceed the informal £10 cap that many consumers set for a takeaway lunch.

As more employers encourage office attendance, the demand for quick lunch options is surging.

Available at over 250 Pret locations starting Wednesday, the Super Plates salad range includes a top-tier “miso salmon” salad featuring roasted salmon, avocado, black rice, quinoa, broccoli, and edamame soya beans, priced from £12.95. This price likely accounts for the added VAT costs of dining in, as well as regional pricing variations.

The other three salads, featuring ingredients like chipotle chicken, butternut squash, and shawarma chicken, start at £9.95 or £10.95.

Previously, the most expensive salad offered by Pret for takeaway was a salmon and mango salad available in some central London stores for £7.95.

Weighing over 450 grams, the new salads are touted to be almost 60% larger than Pret’s current selections and are designed to satisfy the increasing consumer demand for hearty, protein-rich meals.

A spokesperson from Pret mentioned that the inclusion of high-end ingredients caters to a trend where office workers indulge in more substantial lunches.

Among the premium ingredients is “hand-massaged kale,” which, according to Pret, involves destemming, slicing, and then massaging the kale with a special French dressing for 45 seconds in store kitchens to enhance its texture and nutritional value.

Despite the ongoing financial pressures affecting many consumers, Pret is not alone in its strategy to introduce more expensive lunch options. Supermarkets, too, are increasingly offering upscale meal deals featuring items like poké pots, baos, or Mexican burrito bowls alongside traditional sandwiches and pastas.

Part of this shift may be attributed to hybrid working arrangements, with many employees willing to spend more on meals during office days, offset by savings from eating at home other days.

Industry insights from The Grocer and statements from the street sushi chain Itsu suggest a growing readiness among hybrid workers to splurge on lunchtime meals.

This inclination for premium lunch options might also stem from concerns about the health impacts of ultra-processed foods.