Pret A Manger axes smoothies, frappes and milkshakes in major menu shakeup

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Pret A Manger have said they are scraping smoothies, frappes and milkshakes and introducing a new range of frozen drinks ahead of the summer.

Pret A Manger have announced they are axing smoothies, frappes and milkshakes from its menus. The news comes as yet another blow to the chain’s drink subscribers, as the company has recently received thousands of complaints for not including their full drinks menu on their £25 a month subscription service.

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The frappes and smoothies will be phased out over the months leading up to summer as the drinks are usually more expensive and take longer to make, with the drinks banished  altogether after May 29. Instead, blenders are being replaced with ice machines to make way for a new range of iced drinks in what the company calls “"the biggest drinks innovation in more than five years" introduced in April.

A Pret A Manger spokesperson said: "We know that Pret customers are huge fans of iced coffees and drinks, so over the next few months we’ll be increasing their availability across more Pret locations with new ice machines installed across our shops.

"We will also be replacing our current range of frappes and smoothies from April, and bringing in a bigger range of iced drinks to choose from. Once the changes are complete, iced drinks will be available in over 90% of Pret shops, so that even more of our customers can enjoy our full range of barista-prepared drinks."

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The company told the BBC: "To get shops ready for the new range, Pret is beginning to install new ice machines in its UK shops, removing blenders to make way for them. Smoothies and frappes will still be available in select shops until 29 May."

Pret A Manger previously received thousands of complaints after their subscription service didn’t include all drinks on the menu. The service, which promised 5 barista-made drinks a day with 30 minutes between each order, included all teas, coffees, smoothies, hot chocolate, milkshakes and frappes including extras such as syrups, extra caffeine and cream. But due to availability, the service lacked blended, cold drinks.

This has caused customers to take to social media to complain, with Peter from London saying he "wouldn’t actually mind paying a smoothie supplement on my subscription if availability was better guaranteed".

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He added: "When I complained in the Great Peter Street branch, they muttered some nonsense about there ‘not being the demand for them’ despite admitting they served 600 a day. I wish they’d be more transparent rather than spouting all these tall stories."

When originally reporting on the story, the BBC said over 5,000 complaints had been filed since the introduction of the service in September 2020.

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