Word: prets
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...sounds laughably upper crust, but once you unwrap a Coronation Chicken sandwich, the name seems almost appropriate. It's made with white meat, mango chutney, fresh-roasted almonds and a curry dressing. And it's the signature product of Pret A Manger (that's French for "ready to eat"), a chain of spacious, well-lighted restaurants decorated with more chrome than a Ferrari showroom. The Coronation sandwich also fetches a fancy price--almost $7 in the chain's New York City stores--that translates into tidy profits...
Industry experts have grouped chains like Pret into a new category they call "fast casual" or "quick casual." These combine the convenience of a fast-food joint with the more sophisticated fare, atmosphere and price of a sit-down restaurant. The market leaders boast about the freshness of their ingredients and the diversity of their menus. Panera Bread, with headquarters in St. Louis, Mo., offers 14 kinds of bread--including Asiago Cheese and Olive Sourdough--freshly baked on its premises and sells loaves as well as sandwiches. Fazoli's, with restaurants in 32 states, serves pasta and Italian subs. Rubio...
...fast casuals account for only 4% of sales in the $130 billion fast-food sector, but their rapid growth has caught the attention of the burger barons. McDonald's has bought a 33% stake in Pret A Manger, with an option to buy the chain outright in 2005. The burger giant also owns a majority interest in Chipotle, which sells fast and fresh Mexican cuisine. And McDonald's bought Boston Market out of bankruptcy in 2000. Not to be outdone, Wendy's in June bought the Baja Fresh Mexican Grill, with 185 stores mostly in the West...
When she performs, Coco is all business. At a banquet room recently in Hong Kong's Grand Hyatt hotel, CoCo is doing a soundcheck before a Chanel pret-a-porter show. Earphones on, she belts out A Love Before Time. She is into it, but the others in the room sense something isn't right: CoCo sounds like a weak lounge singer at a crowded bar. Her performance smile fades as sister Nancy gives her the bad news. Throwing her shoulders back, the singer barks commands to the soundman, masking her anger with a shiny smile. With precision, Nancy...
...away, so she signed up herself and her unknowing sister for the program in Fort Lauderdale. Venus insists that within a few weeks she will land a real part-time job in fashion. And within three years, the sisters plan on designing their own lines, with Venus making pret-a-porter and Serena doing evening wear--and neither doing sportswear. "Right now we're sort of famous, and while you have a name, you might want to use it," says Venus. "We're going to school now, and we're seen out there looking fashionable...