I Googled to see if Mumsnetters have discussed this, yet, as it came out a few weeks ago, but it seems nobody has.
The CEO of Pret has said that there's a company policy where employees are empowered to give free stuff to people they like. I believe they have a sort of budget or quota that they are to give away, according to their own whims.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/apr/22/pret-free-coffee-people-they-like-discrimination-or-nice-gesture
I have to say that I am lucky - at the Pret I go to the most often I get a free coffee about half the time or even more. There are two employees who give me them, one a handsome young man and one a young Polish student. I am not looking my best when I go in the mornings and I am not a ravishing beauty in general, so I don't think it's based on looks. I do, however, tend to buy a lot of stuff when I go in. I go to Pret when I want to buy all the food for my day - a salad, a sandwich, maybe a slice of cake and a can of Apple soda is a typical order. Sometimes I order the coffee and sometimes the guy will just make me one and I'm told I'm getting it free.
I am a generally friendly person. I ask about the girl's studies and the guy's newborn baby (I like babies and if it's not too busy I ask to see photos of his daughter.) I never knew that this was a company policy thing so I felt very flattered by their kindness.
Do you get free coffee when you go in? If you do or don't, how do you feel about it?