Pret A Manger Opens Second Chicago Store

LONDON, Dec. 13, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- British restaurant favorite Pret A Manger, known for its natural, preservative-free ingredients, has opened its second Chicago storefront at 100 N. La Salle St. Introducing this location less than three months after the U.K. eatery first entered the Midwest market, Pret A Manger offers on-the-go Chicagoans quick and convenient fresh sandwich, soup and salad options.

"We're thrilled with the positive response from our first shop at 211 W. Adams, and are eager to build on this warm welcome in Chicagoland," said Martin Bates, president of Pret A Manger USA.  "We remain dedicated to serving Chicagoans the highest quality, fresh ingredients as we expand deeper in the Midwest."

The second location will reflect the same light, polished interior of the company's 211 W. Adams design, allowing customers to make convenient breakfast and lunch choices without sacrificing taste.

Every Pret A Manger store across the country receives daily deliveries of natural ingredients to their kitchens, and sandwiches, salads, baguettes, soups and pastries are freshly made throughout the day. At the end of the day, all leftover food is donated to local charities, such as The Greater Chicago Food Depository in Chicago. On average, Pret donates about 150-250 meals per day through its partnership with The Greater Chicago Food Depository, and more than 1.7 million products to charities each year in the United Kingdom.

This holiday season, Pret A Manger is giving even more to The Greater Chicago Food Depository by donating 50 cents from every Roasted Turkey and Cranberry and Brie and Cranberry sandwich sold Nov. 12 through Dec. 31 in Chicago. Combined with this effort, Pret is donating thousands of dollars to its other food charity partners as well, including City Harvest in New York and Thrive DC in Washington, D.C.

Pret sources food locally whenever possible so the highest quality ingredients are used in the seasonally changing menu. In Chicago, Pret works with many local suppliers, including Organic Valley's Midwest dairy farms and local Chicago artisan bread maker Gonnella Baking Company.

The new Chicago store is located in the Loop at 100 N. La Salle St. This location, as well as the 211 W. Adams location, is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. Pret A Manger has plans to continue to expand in Chicagoland over the next three years. For more information about Pret A Manger, visit www.pret.com.

About Pret A Manger

Pret A Manger is headquartered in London where they opened their first store in 1986.  Pret is a privately held company and now has over 250 store locations in the UK, Hong Kong, New York, Washington, D.C. and Chicago.  With a kitchen in every store, Pret creates handmade, natural, preservative-free ingredients prepared fresh from scratch every day.  Pret A Manger means "Ready To Eat" in name and concept; it is fresh, convenient food – fast. For more information and the full menu, visit www.pret.com.

About The Greater Chicago Food Depository

The Greater Chicago Food Depository, Chicago's food bank, is a nonprofit food distribution and training center providing food for hungry people while striving to end hunger in our community. The Food Depository distributes donated and purchased food through a network of 650 pantries, soup kitchens and shelters to 678,000 adults and children in Cook County every year. Last year, the Food Depository distributed 66 million pounds of nonperishable food and fresh produce, dairy products and meat, the equivalent of 135,000 meals every day. The Food Depository's programs and services for children, older adults and the unemployed and underemployed address the root causes of hunger. For more information, log onto www.chicagosfoodbank.org or call 773-247-FOOD.

SOURCE Pret A Manger