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An unwritten rule of a British cafe: 28% of customers can pay for free with their good looks.

Published: 2026-01-19 Author: World Gafei

Last Updated: 2026/01/19, CliveSchlee, the owner of PretAManger, a British sandwich and coffee chain, recently revealed to the media that the company has an unwritten rule: employees have the right to provide free coffee, snacks and other foods to customers who like them. As long as the waiter thinks that your smile is very warm, you look handsome in a white shirt, your hair is cool, and your makeup is great, you will have a chance to get free coffee and cakes.

CliveSchlee, the owner of PretAManger, a British sandwich and coffee chain, recently revealed to the media that the company has an unwritten rule: employees have the right to provide free coffee, snacks and other foods to customers who like them. As long as the waiter thinks that your smile is very warm, you look handsome in a white shirt, your hair is cool, and your makeup is great, you will have a chance to get free coffee and cookies.

Pret's boss also said that 28% of people have a chance to get free coffee. It is said that this is because Pret sold 1 million cups of coffee a week throughout 2014, so it is now giving back to consumers. Not only in the UK, but also in Shanghai K11 opened the PretAManger also has free food, Shanghai people can also go to test their appearance.

As soon as the news came out, a new standard for judging appearance quickly became popular in social circles. Friends are invited to Pret to see whether they belong to the 28% or the miserable 72%. Some people even go to N Pret in a day, summing up a lot of tips to please the waiters, but it turns out that appearance is the king! If there is no appearance, it all depends on the willfulness of the waiter.

Appearance is the king.

After hearing the news, a male reporter from Buzzfeed put on his cool outfit and set off for Pret in the morning. In the first store, after he smiled and asked for a cup of coffee, the waiter mercilessly took out the POS machine.

Do you think he's frustrated by this? No, I didn't! Next, he tried seven Pret, changed different strategies, smiled, played cool, and took the friendly route. The result was the same: he bought eight cups of coffee one morning in exchange for a reality that made him sad. More importantly, he doesn't like Pret's coffee at all!

A female journalist from Dailymail took the same test. She went to several Pret restaurants in casual clothes, all of which were charged. In a fit of anger, the girl put on makeup and changed her clothes and went into the fourth Pret. This time she got free coffee. To make matters worse, using the same trick, she not only got free coffee at the previous rejected Pret, but also gave away an extra biscuit.

No appearance, relying on props?

There is a girl named PaulaCocozza. One of her colleagues, Susan, has received two free cups of coffee in a week. One of the characteristics they summed up is that Susan rides a bike every time she goes to Pret. So she borrowed Susan's bike, wore a motorcycle helmet and went to Pret expectantly.

At the cashier, she made friends with others and talked about her ideals. As a result, the cashier charged her $2.15 without saving face. She tried another one, and she paid another $1.40. She expressed disapproval and asked the cashier who could get the free coffee, and the waiter said, "I think it's generous."

At the third Pret, she began to take the sad route, taking out her motorcycle helmet, saying that she had just lost her job and missed all-night rain, not even a motorcycle. It's time to work. This time, the waiter did a favor and sent her a cup of free coffee.

Free or charge, it all depends on the waiter's willfulness.

Does Paula's experience make you feel the urge to cry over a free cup of coffee on Pret? The experience of the following two girls proves that apart from the excellent appearance, the favor of the Pret waiter is really not as good as get.

ErinCardiff, 23, and BeckyBarnes, 27, went to Pret together. For comparison, they worked together. Erin took the Rakuten sweetheart route and Becky took the sad route of Paula and walked into the same Pret.

Erin flirted with the waiter, but instead of getting free coffee, she got a job-Pret's barista invited her to work at Pret, while Becky, with a sad face and no sympathy from the waiter, spent $2.10 each on a cup of coffee.

At the second Pret, Erin put on a bitter meat trick instead. She falsely claimed that her pet cat was sick, and then the waiter accidentally gave her a cup of free coffee. When it was Becky's turn to play, she walked into the Pret with a smile on her face and got a cup of free coffee without any effort.

After seeing their experience, many people said that they would also go to Pret tomorrow to "cry about their pet's illness", but many people said in person that the favor of the Pret waiter was really not get.

"I often get free coffee at Pret, but I actually took my money this morning!" said Joe, 26. Some people say that Pret waiters will provide free coffee to regular customers, while others say that if you are the last customer in the store, you don't have to pay.

For a while, Pret waiters are like martial arts masters in martial arts novels, with many legends, but in fact they are just more self-willed.

Author: Zhou Ruihua

Source: "V-MARKETING successful Marketing"