Pret a Manger is to invest £50m in a new "lounge style" café-restaurant concept serving up more substantial meals in comfortable surroundings.
The idea is the brainchild of Pret founder Julian Metcalfe, who said he wants to offer modern dining without the wait. Customers will be served within 90 seconds.
The first Pret Café opened in a refurbished Pret a Manger outlet in Putney, south-west London, last week, and weekly sales have already risen 50%.
Average spend at the cafés, which are individually decorated with leather banquettes, wood fittings and low-level tables, is £5-£6.
The next Pret Café will open in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, next month and more can be expected over the next four to five years in and outside London.
"Pret Cafés are for people who want good food without the nightmare wait and ridiculously high cost," said Metcalfe.