Faster drip pickup
Over the last three years, Pret A Manger has focused on expanding breakfast sales and emphasizing its organic coffee, says Olly Smith, head of brand development. Now, it’s working on speeding service for drip coffee orders. Zia Ahmed, senior director of dining services for The Ohio State University, faced a similar conundrum with soft drinks, so he pursued a frictionless transaction solution. OSU embedded a chip into reusable cold-beverage cups, allowing students to go to the dispenser without waiting on a cashier. While Smith says Pret is still in the exploratory phase, “the filter coffee station is an area we are actively investigating integrating tap-and-go tech to reduce friction.”