December 2024 by May Fripp
I usually love a Pret? but our experience today was AWFUL!
The atmosphere as we entered was as expected? It was rather busy and noisy (due to the hectic Christmas markets that were drawing people inside). This wasn?t really an issue for us, as we were planning on taking our order ?to-go? anyway. But we understood that the workers may be a bit swamped and overwhelmed. To our delight, the queue went don?t quite fast!
When I got to the front, I smiled at the gentleman behind the counter (tall, dark hair, long beard, glasses and red top) and said ?Hello!? Strangely, he didn?t look at me, but appeared to be looking over my head. He replied with a simple ?Yes??.
I asked for two, large, oat milk lattes (with a ?please? included).
No response. I was awkwardly waited for a ?no worries!? Or an ?anything else?? But he just tapped the order into the screen, silently.
I continued my order and sheepishly asked for vanilla syrup in one and pumpkin spice in the other. Again? no response. He just tapped on the screen again.
My friend, who is ALLERGIC to milk, asked if the syrup was vegan. The man physically shrugged and said ?I don?t know.? There was an awkward few seconds of silence before he walked away from us without explanation. He seemed rather agitated.
Me and my friend waited patiently for him to come back.
I joked with the customer behind us, saying ?Was there something I said?? The customer responded with a snigger and said ?Looks like someone?s having a bad day!?.
The server then shouted at us from the other side of the counter ?They?re not vegan!?
My friend then reassured the server not to worry about it and she?d just have her coffee as it came.
When the server returned, I asked if I could have cream on my coffee. He laughed at me, for some reason, and said ?No. Because you?re having oat milk, you can?t have cream on it.? (For reference, unlike my friend, I do not have a milk allergy. I just prefer the taste of oat milk in my coffee.) I began to explain that I had placed the same order 3 days prior and it was no problem, but he interrupted me with quite a snappy tone and said ?I?ll just put it on the side then. Okay??
This was the last straw for me. I said ?Actually, no thank you. We?ll try somewhere else.? To which he responded ?Okay then.? with a confused look.
Listen, I get it. Sometimes, hospitality SUCKS. I worked in the same industry for 3 years before moving onto retail and customer service for another 2? it?s busy, loud, stressful, tiring and thankless 98% of the time. I appreciate that he may have been having a rough day and feeling overwhelmed or run-down.
But why such hostility? No smile, no friendly conversation, no understanding or welcoming demeanour. Can you not at least fake it? We?re human being?s with valid feelings? not just ?customers?.
My embarrassed friend muttered to me as we left ?excuse me for having an allergy I can?t control!?
Why are dietary requirements so frowned upon and judged these days?
We both did some research when we got home and discovered that TWO PEOPLE on separate occasions have DIED because of PRET A MANGER?s incompetence to recognise important allergen rules and regulations.
For the worker to have no idea about the content in one of the most common ingredients on their menu is one thing? But to have no initiative to check an allergy book or ask a co-worker is wild! AND to make us feel so awful for asking about it in the first place is ridiculous!!!
Utterly unacceptable, unprofessional and unbelievable.
Needless to say, we opted for COSTA instead. They were warm and friendly from the get-go and instantly pulled out their allergen folder when we asked and even offered for us to read the labels ourselves.
Their service even convinced us to spontaneously add a sweet treat to our purchase? EACH!
Boycotting PRET? especially the Bournem
November 2024 by Rachael Cook
Amazing staff, drinks, and food
Recommend coming in
November 2024 by Elizabeth Naylor (Purplefluffy)
Near cold cappuccino and an almond croissant
November 2024 by simon booth
LeSherif and staff are amazing, always busy and a warm friendly greeting every time???????
November 2024 by lina yasin
It?s shame the price is keep going up i understand everything gone up but not like this price keep changing every 3 to 6 months I love staff there all of them nice but price I use to go every week but now I changed once a month
September 2024 by Doc Boots
We've been here before and have been well treated and today was no exception. Thank you Alessia and
September 2024 by Bessie Page
Thankyou Jacob for your friendly help , Bessie ( lady n black with trionic walker ) ? a revisit , Thankyou Alessia and SURA , lovely, kind and helpful ?
September 2024 by Yasser Arafat
The customer service was the worst I've ever experienced, and on top of that, there was no variety in the food options. It seems like they only cater to what the regulars prefer.
July 2024 by adithi prashanth chandra sekar
I love the coffee from pret and yllka is such a sweet lady with a wonderful smile always.she makes the best coffee and a wonderful human
July 2024 by ??? ????
Their American coffee is very nice, but the treatment of the Indian cashier like tar makes you feel that you are coming to buy on his conscience
June 2024 by ??????? ????
Good :)
May 2024 by Abigale Mcnicol
Wonderful staff, great vegan option... ??
May 2024 by Sophie Cox
I am APPALLED and upset!!!! I am the assistant manager of a busy cafe/ bar in town so I understand what it?s like to work in hospitality!! However I?ve never been treated so rudely any where. I was visiting to pick up a too good to go order on my way home and this lady with curly hair and glasses was extremely rude and patronising because I had apparently swiped something on my app (which I did as instructed on the app) she then refused to give me my too good to go bag (which was already pre-paid) until another lady simply double checked my order and gave it to me! What a great experience for someone who suffers from anxiety! If she cannot speak to people politely she should not work in customer service!
May 2024 by Eleanor Morrison
Staff here are really kind
May 2024 by Sophie Dengate
I visited the store today and there was one woman, with grey curly hair and glasses, who was extremely rude to me when I went to sit down, shouting at me that the area was closed when I was clearly not aware. I told her I was moving and she attempted to repeatedly shout at me, not giving me a chance to actually move. Then when I went to the toilet she shouted at me again to go around a certain way, which also, was not clear. The attitude and behaviour of this woman working was so unnecessary and plain rude, something I was not expecting when nipping in for my coffee and croissant. To top this off the croissant was stale. What a great Thursday in Bournemouth!
