UK. Draw Creative has offered a closer look at the bespoke Pret A Manger concept in Heathrow Terminal 5, which opened in July, highlighting the architectural details and design elements developed for the airport setting.
As reported, the airport has signed a multi-year contract extension with Pret A Manger across its estate and has, for the first time, introduced a flagship Pret shop in the Terminal 5 arrivals area.
The move brings Pret’s total presence at Heathrow to nine outlets and positions grab-and-go food more firmly as a core component of the airport’s commercial strategy.
The high-profile site is located directly outside the arrivals doors, giving the brand immediate visibility among arriving passengers, with an on-site kitchen preparing Pret’s handmade food throughout the day alongside its signature organic coffee.
Draw Creative has taken cues from Heathrow T5’s original architecture by Richard Rogers Partnership and Arup, translating the terminal’s large-scale aeronautical aesthetic into the new Pret A Manger concept.
Its design centres on three architectural forms that echo T5’s single-span roof and column-free interior:
- The Food Langars (Display Structures): Positioned between two arrivals exits, the central timber structure is designed to capture passenger flow and display Pret’s fresh and hot food. A counterweight system allows the beams to extend from the floor and upwards through the space to evoke the movement of wind.
- The Service Counter & Kitchen: Designed for pastries and hot drink pickups, the timber and steel structure features a cantilevered canopy that mirrors the counter below, and reflects T5’s aeronautical setting.
- The Seating Area & Brand Experience: The space is framed by curved ends featuring illuminated Pret roundels, artwork and embossed tiles carrying the Pret logo for maximum visibility.
Draw Creative Co-Founder Jessica Codrington said: “When we were appointed to pitch for this incredible site, we knew we had to make a dramatic statement. The site isn’t just an interior; it is a structural tribute to the aeronautics vision of the building.
“We wanted to focus the traveller’s eye on the key elements of the space while maintaining the uplifting, intuitive passenger experience that Terminal 5 is known for.”
Pret A Manger Global Head of Shop Format and Design Luke Kan added, “We are immensely proud of what we have achieved with our new shop at Heathrow Terminal 5 Arrivals.
“The project presented a complex design challenge: to create a flagship vision and tailored format that will welcome and impress the millions of passengers that will travel through T5.
“We are really happy with the outcome and hope the design will play a part in helping those visiting the UK form their first impressions of the country.”
Founded in 1986, Pret A Manger serves freshly made food and organic coffee, while donating unsold food from its shop kitchens to charity at the end of each day. The new Heathrow T5 concept builds on this offer through a bespoke airport design and on-site food preparation. 
