Skip to content
City PM
  • Germany
  • France
  • Europe
  • Markets
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • DE
  • Germany
  • France
  • Europe
  • Markets
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • DE
Monday 05 December 2016 11:38 am

Pret-phobia: Londoners are not happy with the lunch options available to them

By: Helen Cahill

Add as a preferred source on Google

Londoners are not happy with their lunch options.

According to research from lunch platform MealFix, 40 per cent of us are getting sick of what's being served up on the high street.

Having a Pret on every corner is starting to get Londoners down, with a third of us feeling guilty about buying lunch from chains.

Read more: Smokestak review: You'll smell like an arsonist, but it's worth it

So why all the Pret guilt?

Apparently, we feel they are "killing independent cafes and restaurants". A quarter of Londoners think we need to support more independent food outlets.

[poll id="54"]

The people of Lewisham are most unhappy about their choice of lunch, with 49 per cent of people who work there saying it's just not good enough. And, as a result, most people (71 per cent) bring food from home.

Read more: Working Lunch: Gold leaf wagyu at Harrods' Chai Wu

So where should you work to get yourself some good lunch grub? Workers in Greenwich are the happiest with what's on offer, followed by people working in Haringey.

And it might surprise you to find out that City workers are not spending the most on lunch. People in Croydon, Greenwich, Havering and Sutton are spending more; 10 per cent of them spend more than £10 on lunch each day.

The borough spending the least is Ealing. Over half (53 per cent) say they spend less than £5 each day on their midday meal.

Share this article

  • Facebook
  • X
  • LinkedIn
  • WhatsApp
  • Email

Similarly tagged content:

Sections

  • News

Categories

  • Business
  • Retail

Related Topics

  • London business

Trending Articles

  • Citroën 2CV returns as a £13,000 electric car, and the timing is no accident

  • The former African gold miner taking on the billionaire Issa brothers

  • Music tycoon Simon Cowell sued by prominent City lawyer

  • As it happened: Choppy day for FTSE 100 after Iran closes Strait of Hormuz as strikes ramp up

  • Barclays and Lloyds back calls to digitalise UK markets and unlock £33bn boost

More from City PM

  • Heinz sandwich ‘automat’ to flog sarnies in Soho for just 57p

    Life&Style
    Heinz ketchup bottle with iconic label on a wooden table, emphasizing brand recognition and classic product design
  • Pret A Manger dumps US franchise agreement after just two years

    Retail
    A busy Pret A Manger storefront with customers entering and exiting during lunchtime in a bustling city center.
  • Cruxy founder: The worst advice I’ve ever had? Stay in your lane

    Opinion
    Carrie Osman, business strategist, speaking at a conference with a focused audience in a modern, well-lit venue.
  • London homeowners should stand up to Burnham’s property tax grab plans

    Opinion
    London residential architecture showcasing a classic townhouse with brick facade and traditional design elements
  • Londoners should back Andy Burnham’s property tax reforms – not fear them

    Opinion
    Luxurious mansions surrounded by manicured gardens in an upscale residential neighborhood, highlighting opulent housing tr...
  • Fogo de Chao nominated for Best Casual Dining Toast award

    Toast the City
    Fogo de Chão restaurant exterior with vibrant signage and bustling entrance at popular city location
  • Nail your hospitality package this summer with Exact Lifestyle

    Life&Style
    Exact lifestyle concept featuring modern elements, showcasing contemporary living trends and stylish design elements.
  • Soho killjoys are the worst kind of Londoners

    Opinion
    LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 19: A woman walks past the Raymond Revuebar in Soho on January 19, 2015 in London, England. A growing number of campaigners, including Stephen Fry, are pushing developers and representatives of Westminster Council to preserve the area's unique identity, which they fear is being lost as the area is gradually redeveloped. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)

City PM — European politics, business and analysis.

Europe

  • Germany
  • France
  • Europe
  • UK & Ireland

Topics

  • Business
  • Markets
  • AI
  • Technology
  • Opinion
  • Energy

More

  • Politics
  • Economics
  • Fintech
  • Legal
  • Sport
  • Life

Company

  • About City PM
  • Editorial Policy
  • Corrections
  • Contact
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
© 2026 City PM · Published by CityPM Media, Bahnhofstrasse 65, 8001 Zürich, Switzerland
About · Editorial Policy · Corrections · Contact · Privacy · Facebook