Free food for the pregnant at Pret?

[hopsalong]

So I just got my second free lunch of the week at Pret! I thought the first one was a fluke/ perhaps because someone had cut in front of me in line, and I am very heavily pregnant. But today was told (on again being given £11 of food for free, in a different branch and one I don't normally go to) that it's Pret policy to give visibly pregnant women their food for free. Can this be true? Has anyone else experienced it? I will be going back every day if so!

The free food is given out to homeless charities but it officially has to be eaten by a certain time and then any remaining binned (though of course nothing to stop people taking it away and eating at a later time). I think it's a great policy anyway.

A great policy, give the rich even more, yeah that sounds about right.

I love Pret and their policies. And their food too.

I seem to get a free coffee quite often in pret. I told my colleagues and they made faces like this

I think it must be that I look shattered by the 90 hour weeks I work. And thanks Detritus, no I'm not rich - we can't make coffee in the office and it's 90p in pret.

Theres always one who has to suck the joy out of everything

melissa and those are the ones best ignored and left to their own devices.

Pret introduced the gifting system in recent years. I used to grab breakfast occasionally on my way to work but this was before it came into play. Never been fond of their coffee though but that's probably just me being fussy!

Detritus so, what are you suggesting? Everyone you think has more money than you deem necessary should eat gruel on principle, and prey should do nothing nice ever unless that person can prove they meet your poverty criteria?

I will explain it to you in as simple terms as I can: in a town centre, there is a Pret, a Costa and a Starbucks. Fred wants coffee and a sandwich. He could walk into any of those. He goes to pret and they gift him a free coffee. "Ooh, lovely" says Fred "I will come here in future over Starbucks and Costa" Fred, who can afford sandwiches from Pret because he works hard and his money to spend on whatever the fuck he wants, then develops brand loyalty to Pret and spends much more money there than if he'd paid for the original coffee. Pret wins. Because Pret are nice, they give a share of profits to homeless charities. Homeless charities win, and get more money than if Fred had just paid for his coffee or if Pret had just donated one coffee to 'someone poor'. Pret also profit share with their staff, which includes those employed under their policy of employing formerly homeless people needing a leg up, and ex-offenders on rehabilitation who otherwise struggle for jobs. The individuals in question also benefit more than if Fred had paid for his coffee or if had been given for free to a poor person. I hope this clarifies things for you.

And no, I don't work for Pret. I just admire the fact they are actually doing something Nice and helpful rather than just being negative. It's the classy way to demonstrate a social conscience. Perhaps you could try it....

Sounds like you're trying to justify to yourself why you spend your "hard earn" money in Pret. Oh and btw, poor people work hard for their money too.

Wow, even the simplest explanations are too much for you, aren't they?

Also, you've made the assumption that I can afford Pret myself. Interesting. Sounds like you're trying to justify your misanthropy by making accusations.

detrirus, this policy makes me (someone who has cash, and I work hard for it) more likely to go there, because I think it's a lovely RAOK idea. Yeah, sure it's cynical, but it makes them a more successful business which means they can do more to help people.

Would you rather they were a less successful business and could do less charitable work?

I also never said 'Fred' wasn't poor. Btw, poor people are also allowed to treat themselves to coffee and a sandwich sometimes. People in a lower income bracket, which may or may not include the fictional Fred or myself, don't need to be patronised by people like you insisting on enforced charity. I've been well off and I've been extremely poor. I'd far rather be given a free coffee irrespective of my income because someone was trying to be nice than be given a free coffee because of them patronisingly assuming I was too poor to pay for my own drink.

That was meant to say (and yes I work hard for it). Because I do. Thanks for the inverted commas though...

I love pret, although the only thing I got for free when I was pregnant was a lecture about not eating sushi - the girl behind the counter didn't even want to sell it to me!
I have since received in countless visits a couple of free coffees. I am easily pleased and they put a huge smile on my face.

I love the idea of random gifting and the support for charity is brilliant too! I've never gone to Pret (I'm a Costa girl!) but might give them a try as I'd much rather support a company that gives back!

I've had countless free coffees in Pret over the years

Advantage of being attractive

I don't need to justify anything - I bloody earned it, I can spend a pound on coffee if I want to?! No doubt you buy things I think are a waste of money.

You're coming across as so miserable.

I asked for an extra strong coffee during my lunch break (had been up with sick baby) and they gave it to me for free. I must've looked desperate.

The Pret-consuming bourgeois

Christ, people get worked up over the oddest things.

40 seconds.