Pret A Manger

my favorite grab and go lunch spot. i love the nutrition information being posted on everything. it makes me make better decisions (especially when it comes to sweets). the food is always fresh (made fresh daily) and delicoius. i love that the soups come with a roll too. I also like how they donate all uneaten food at the end of each day to the homeless. an awesome lunch choice!

I just got off the train and was looking for a spot for lunch, this woman standing outside sampled the southwest sandwich for me, it was great! Chips, sandwich, and pop for about $ 12, not bad for downtown Chicago!

In general this place is good. For some reasons I seem to have bad luck picking up cold sandwiches or salads. I have second case of diarrhea eating from this place today

picked up a hot beef sandwich to take home. It was awful and I fear not just bad tasting but rotten. Disappointed. Had good breakfast experiences here.

My aunt and I planned to spend the day together in celebration of her birthday. Naturally, it being around lunch time when we met up, we were hungry, but couldn’t decide on where we wanted to eat. Not being able to decide, we started walking around to find something new and figured we’d just try whatever looked good. That’s when we stumbled upon Pret A Manger.
Pret is originally from London but came to Chicago in 2010. It is known for providing very healthy foods, like vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-​free meals. They aren’t just good for you, though, because they also have their customers recycle after they eat and make their packaging 100% recyclable. Plus, at the end of the day they donate any extra food to the needy.
Walking up to the place, the outside was simple and clean. It was white with a red sign and lots of windows for natural light. As soon as you walked inside it smelled fresh like you had just stepped out into clean air. It was cozy and warm which was a big relief coming from the bitter cold outside. The rest of the decorations were very simple and they had very modern, upbeat music playing throughout the time I was there.
The main area where you got your food was an opened concept. The cash registers straight ahead with the coffee to your left and the food to your right forming a little square. The food set up was like something you would see at a grocery store. Everything was fresh and there were a lot of various «healthy» sandwiches wrapped up and put on display for you to pick in an open fridge area and the soups had the same concept but were heated. They made more foods like desserts, fruits, and grains but soups, salads and sandwiches were their main dishes. They ranged from classic American combos like a smoked BLT sandwich to something a little less traditional such as their teriyaki salmon salad, each containing their own little twist.
I believe the menu was fairly priced. You could get a descent sized soup or sandwich with a drink for fewer than ten dollars easily. I ordered myself a cup of spinach leaves and hard boiled eggs as an appetizer and some sweet potato soup as my main dish. It was a perfect day for soup because of how cold it was outside. The smell of it was just like the aroma you get from home cooked sweet potatoes on Thanksgiving. The taste was sweet but had a little spice to it at the same time. It was a combination I usually like separate, but in this case it seemed to work. Then, the texture of the soup was thick but smooth until you came across the chunks of sweet potatoes which were chewy and there were some sort of seeds at the bottom which added a little crunch to the mix.
The place wasn’t over packed, but it wasn’t empty either. It was a nice flow of people coming and going and they all seemed to be enjoying themselves. The seating arrangements were a little cramped, though.
Pret wasn’t very big so if you needed assistance someone was always nearby. They were all dressed in fitted and matching uniforms which looked professional. All of the employees were nice and friendly, but the cashiers trying to check you out fast so they could move onto the next person which was kind of a downer. The indirect service didn’t go unnoticed, though. The employees may not have been dealing with us much directly, but they would consistently check up on all the foods and other goods to make sure we had enough and if not to make or replace with a fresh batch. They also kept Pret very clean. I never saw even a crumb on the floor and when I did on the tables, there was always someone to clean it up soon after you left.
The restaurant was more of a help yourself kind of thing, but overall the positives outweigh the flaws. I look forward to coming back and trying more items off their menu.

My go to lunch spot when I need something quick to take back to the office or some place for a quick sit down lunch with a small group of coworkers.
I am a big fan of the falafel wrap and all the soups. Had the butternut squash and apple soup today. Will definitely have that one again.

First time at Pret earlier today. Nearly everything looked good, but went with the hot buffalo chicken wrap since I had been craving something like it. Pretty good, and the salt and vinegar chips were tasty as well.
Across the street from work, plenty of choices at Pret — I’m sure I’ll be back.

Not sure why all the other reviews are so glowing. Pret is another one of those faux-​gourmet lunch places that dot the Loop. I’ve been here a couple times and gotten sandwiches and wraps. They’re fine, but not worth the price.
Hit up Bacci across the street, Specialty’s across the OTHER street, or Hannah’s Bretzel 2 blocks away instead.

One of my favorite lunch spots in the West Loop. Great sandwiches, soups, and service.

I’ve frequented 3 different Pret locations in Chicago, and have never been disappointed. This location wins for me, however, because it’s on the ground floor of my office building. The food is consistently good, there are a variety of options, and it all tastes extremely fresh (because it is — Pret makes everything same day. Their slogan is «made today — gone today» because at the end of any day, whatever is left over is given to the homeless). While the food is a little pricey, the quality is top notch and I cannot complain. As previously mentioned, the service here is incredible. The workers always have smiles on their faces, and are always willing to go above and beyond (offering samples when you’re indecisive, etc.).
Standouts on the menu:
— SANDWICHES: Balsamic Chicken/​Avocado Sandwich, California Club Sandwich
— SALADS: Market Fresh Salad
— SOUPS: Angus Beef Stew, Mexican Chicken and Cheddar, Butternut Squash & Apple, Moroccan Lentil
— EXTRAS: Macaroni and Cheese, Rosemary and Olive Oil Chips, Maple Frosted Banana Cake, Almond Croissant, Egg & Quinoa Pot
Yeah… I’ve tried all of those things. Judge me.

I work in the building and was thrilled when Pret opened. They have dependably healthy and tasty sandwiches, soups and bakery goods, but the reason they stand apart and get 5 stars is their staff.
The first time I went in for lunch, I requested blue cheese dressing to go with the buffalo chicken wrap. The girl behind the counter said the sandwich doesn’t come with that… I was ready to pick another sandwich and pout… when she said that I should grab a ranch dressing packet instead (for free, not the normal policy!). And just today, my stomach was having an off day and all I wanted was a piece of bread to settle it. I ran in, a few bucks in hand, and requested a roll. I assumed they had baguettes around and would sell them upon request. Instead I got a cheery «I can hook you up with that» as he handed me a fresh, soft, dinner roll– PERFECT! I started uncrumpling my dollars to pay him when he waived me off saying not to worry about it.
They are now my first choice and recommendation when going out to lunch. Their food is both healthy and great, and their service stellar! That combo just doesn’t happen in the loop.

Love Pret! Thanks for coming to Illinois — really enjoy all of your food and especially your art.

the coffee was not that good. Tasted burnt

This location is a (so far) hidden gem, judging by the number of Unilocal reviews. Or, it might be the case that my worker bee compatriots are nose to the grindstone, and not Unilocaling :)
I met a friend here today for a coffee/​late lunch as this newly opened outpost is close to our respective offices. For being so late in the day, the selection was surprisingly not picked over (*ahem Pedway location*). Both of us were surprised (category: pleasant) by the ample seating areas and the expansive layout of this Pret. By all accounts, a Protein Bar is coming in next door. I am hoping that both of these ventures will usher in a new wave of more spacious and service-​forward Loop dining options. Once the construction is done – minus one star for the jackhammering– I have no doubt this place will be packed. In the meantime, I will enjoy it as a solid addition to the usual suspects in this area.

Tried this place for the first time and it did not disappoint. Great for a grab and go lunch. I had the balsamic chicken and avocado sandwich and it was tasty! Also, love that they do not waste their food. At the end of the day anything not purchased is donated to the greater food depository.

Pret is a solid restaurant with good sandwiches. This new location just opened and isn’t nearly as busy as others (yet). I hope they decide to utilize the outdoor space available to them, as that is a must for Chicago in the summertime.