Just in case people don't know, although the name sounds French I've literally never seen one in France. I guess it's like Mexico's Taco Bell or something
I doubt Pret’s name really makes much difference to who it appeals to, though. It’s a well-known brand, but if you’re selling sandwiches and coffees for those prices as an everyday thing, you are clearly aiming for a certain type of customer anyway.
If they were more useful many more Brits would speak foreign languages to a useful level. I can get by in French and German and I can read Spanish. It’s been of extremely limited use to me except when I lived in Germany. English OTOH is the world’s favorite second language and the language of science and international business. If the British had a land border with people who spoke another language many more would speak that, and if fewer people spoke English more Britons would be motivated to learn a foreign language. Learning foreign languages is great but it’s kind of a giant waste of time for most English native speakers on any monetary level. Most people never live abroad and holidays are an atrocious reason to learn a language considering the enormous time investment necessary to get to passable never mind fluent.
For example, I enjoy travelling and exploring other cultures. If I’m going to be spending some time in someone else’s community, I feel both a little vulnerable and a little… inconsiderate?… if I haven’t studied at least the rudiments of their language and culture before I go. Sometimes the locals seem to appreciate it if we’ve made the effort as well, even if we’re obviously tourists and only able to do basic things like ordering lunch or simply being polite and friendly using their language. And of course, not everyone speaks English, particularly once you move away from the main tourist areas.
Sometimes I also find it interesting to see foreign perspectives on current events. Brexit is the obvious recent example given I’m a Brit, but more generally, I think it’s healthy to see different views of international relations or global issues from time to time, and sometimes also to understand the domestic politics of our geographic neighbours and our foreign partners in trade or other matters.
As a rather different point to end on, I think studying languages in school can also be helpful just for expanding the young mind. It requires being able to see things from different points of view and to think logically, and I think those are healthy characteristics to develop in general. IMHO, school at that age shouldn’t just be about memorising raw facts and figures and about learning economically valuable skills.
Q. What do you call someone who speaks multiple languages?
A. multilingual
Q. What do you call someone who speaks two languages?
A. bilingual
Q. What do you call someone who speaks one language?
A. english
Q. What do you call an englishman who speaks multiple languages?
A. MI6
London signage is the most unilingual I’ve seen anywhere. In the US you will often see Spanish, and in Canada you sometimes see French but in the UK, nope, just English. I guess it makes sense... what other language would one put on UK signage?
The name is a pun on the fashion term "prêt-à-porter" which is often used in English. See https://www.net-a-porter.com/ for another example of a brand that riffs on the term without being French.