Please tell me about Pret a Manger for lunch
I'm headed to Radio City for the Christmas show on Saturday. It will be two adults and two teenagers. We're taking the bus from PA into NYC, will arrive about 10:30 a.m. at RCMH, have tickets for the show at 1:00, then we get right back on the bus to come back home. So we will not have a lot of time for eating :( Since this trip is all about the teens (a birthday present for one of them), I wanted to find somewhere that we can have a different but relatively quick lunch experience and thought of Pret a Manger. Would this be a good choice? What can you tell me about the atmosphere, etc.? And which one would be best to go to? We will have about two hours of free time, and the kids do want to walk around the city a little before the show. I would appreciate your advice. Thanks!
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re: out_to_lunch
Pret is perfect. It's very clean, fresh, and quick. The soups are great for a fast food joint and the sandwiches are really delcious. They bake their own baguettes and the warm muffins and croissants are wonderful. Is it going to be a culinary experience? No, but I work in midtown and eat there numerous times a week out of convenience and I enjoy it quite a bit!
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lisavf
Nov 12, 2009 12:37 PM
I guess unfortunately my focus this time is on the quick rather than the great, not by my choice but by circumstance. My concern is how busy restaurants will be on a Saturday in that neighborhood at lunchtime. And I don't want to wander aimlessly from one place to the next because there are long waits, which can happen when you don't plan ahead at least a little. I think I'll offer this up as one idea, but I welcome hearing other options. I'll also offer up Cosi, and any other ideas anyone might care to suggest. I know it's not the most exciting topic, but being armed with good info will certainly make the day even better. Many thanks to all!
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It's just a premade sandwich shop like everyone said, of which there are dozens along 6th Ave there where radio city is. But, it's the best one of the bunch. Never get soggy bread there. The other places make the sandwiches way too far in advance.
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re: Will4Food
I'll second that. I would go to Cosi anytime over Pret. There is a Cosi on W48 Street, in a Rock Ctr building just east of 6th Ave. That puts it two short blocks from Radio City. Pret reminded me of the sandwich I had years ago from a machine at a gas station off an Interstate at about 2am one morning, only a little fresher. Maybe that's too harsh - it's more like the sandwiches you get in a hospital room.
If you aren't familiar with Cosi, you get on line and order your sandwich from someone who makes it in front of you on hot Roman flat bread. They do salads also. Skip the weird pizzas. Look at the board first so you know what you want when it's time to order. I like the Buffalo blue sandwich, my wife gets a salad. You can order any combination so you're not stuck with the listed sandwiches.
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Atmosphere? There is no atmosphere. It is a slightly more upscale/organic deli that is geared mostly to take out for office workers. There are a few tables but nothing in the way of atmosphere.
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As everyone else says, it's just pre-made fast food sandwiches with fresh ingredients, but if you're looking to sit down, I'd go to the one right on sixth avenue, just a few blocks south of radio city. It has more seating and is larger than many of the others.
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re: ABT
In terms of quick, healthy, pre-made fast food in NYC, Pret is at the top of my list. Their salads are good, I LOVE their ham and swiss baguette (not sure what the magic ingredient is in there, but it's GOOD), and their carrot cake is pretty darn good for the little package. I like their sodas and yogurt parfaits, too. Oh, cookies...and muffins...
Enjoy!
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NAtiveNewYorker
Nov 12, 2009 11:18 AM
I think the warming bins (one for baked goods, one for warm wraps) are excellent. The cold sandwiches are very good. But the prices are very high.
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pret is absolutley fine if you're stuck in midtown or in a hurry, etc but i would certainly not seek it out or look forward to it. again, pret is fine but a far far far cry from being anything extraordinary...
that being said, when i do get food from pret i usually get the roast beef with manchego & arugula -
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Pret is basically a fast food sandwich shop that uses all natural ingredients. Everything is pre made fresh through the day so you can't order anything. You just pick it up from the cooler area. It isn't bad but probably not where you want to be going.
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re: mch
lisavf
Nov 12, 2009 10:00 AM
Actually, if the food is good, it sounds like it would work pretty well. Like I said, we have such a small window of opportunity to walk around, I want to find something clean and quick, and the teens aren't interested in getting great food - they will just want to eat and get going. But I want something that is at least good food where I can sit to eat b/c I won't be dressed to eat street food. Can you tell me anything more about it, and are there any significant differences among the different locations?
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