You’ve probably encountered the terms “Metaverse” and “NFTs” (which stands for non-fungible tokens) at some point in the past few years. If you’re still confused, “virtual reality world” refers to a setting where users can “create a second life” in a digital environment. People’s interactions with one another and purchasing digital goods (including food) would occur in this parallel universe. That’s why users of the Metaverse will need a set of headphones, a microphone, and some control device to enter and move about in the 3D virtual space.
Ofcourse, if there is going to be another virtual shopping world, there will undoubtedly be places to eat there. McDonald’s has officially filed for several trademarks in the Metaverse, so the fast food giant may be the first to enter the market. McDonald’s and McCafe jointly filed for ten trademarks with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on February 4 to safeguard their businesses, by registering trademarks covering everything from “food in the metaverse and beverage products” to “operating a restaurant in metaverse online featuring home delivery” to “online actual and virtual concerts,” as reported by Insider.
My name is Almira Lopez; I act like a CMO and think like a boss. I’m a Metaverse marketing strategist, and this is the best place for you to learn about Metaverse and how to market it all. So if that sounds good to you, you’re excited?
So, let’s get started!
What is a Metaverse Restaurant?
Within the virtual world of the Metaverse, one can assume the role of an avatar. Shopping, working, and eating are all included in this category. Brands from the real world are making a name for themselves in the online gaming and dining scene. The Metaverse can be used to increase real-world actions like purchases and brand recognition due to these virtual encounters.
Fast food chain McDonald’s is the most recent company to embrace the Metaverse. The company’s primary goal is to position itself to profit from Web 3.0.
Listed below are the top 10 food brands in the Metaverse:
1. Burger King
When Burger King introduced its Keep It Real Meals in September 2021, it ran a promotion that included attaching QR codes to the takeout containers. If the customer scanned one of these codes, they could get some digital collectibles and some extra NFTs.
2. Flyfish Club
For members only, Gary Vee’s private dining club will be the first NFT restaurant to open in 2023. The Flyfish Club is holding a public sale of 1,151 NFTs for ordinary membership on January 7; the exclusive membership grants entry to the club and the high-end seafood restaurant, and it also grants the buyer the right to make reservations at the club’s omakase room, which seats 14, and is staffed by a master sushi chef who remains unnamed. Members are responsible for covering their food costs and the membership fee. On the other hand, memberships can be leased out for set amounts of time or sold to another party.
3. The Bored Breakfast Club
Bored Breakfast Club uses a novel approach by launching its direct-to-consumer coffee subscription service using custom NFTs. To buy the limited-edition coffee shipments the company offers, you must first own one of the NFTs from their exclusive collection of 5,000 unique digital assets.
4. Panera Bread
In an announcement to the Metaverse, Panera Bread stated its intention to open a virtual eatery that accepts orders for forthright shipment. Trademark attorney Josh Gerben revealed via viral media that Panera Bread had filed a trademark application for the name “Paneraverse” in preparation for the launch of its online cafe and restaurant. It is possible to use nun-fungible tokens (NFTs) as a form of payment in food delivery apps.
5. Mcdonald’s Virtual Landgrab
These metaverse plans are about expanding McDonald’s real estate business, a well-known secret in the business world, and the natural progression of the company’s core business beyond burgers. This may look like McDonald’s is trying to cash in on a trend, but the company appears to be just as interested in investing in digital assets as it is in physical ones.
6. DogeBurger
Dogeburger allows customers in the UAE to pay for burgers and other related foods with cryptocurrency. With a launch date in February 2022, the e-commerce restaurant aimed to simplify the process of ordering food for cryptocurrency holders while also introducing the concept of cryptocurrency to the underserved market of the United Arab Emirates.
7. Welly’s
To our knowledge, Welly’s is the first fast food joint to feature Shiba Inus as the mascot. Welly’s, the first restaurant based on the SHIB, was unveiled in February 2022 by Shiba Inu’s chief engineer, Shytoshi Kusama. With the help of these delicious SHIB-labeled dishes, Shiba Inus are sure to gain more widespread recognition.
8. Goi Rolls
The United Arab Emirates is among the countries successfully capitalizing on the restaurant industry. The food NFT market now includes at least two companies. GOI Rolls, a restaurant in the United Arab Emirates, boasts that they were the first to specialize in Web 3.0 summer rolls using NFTs. Customers can exchange half the value of each newly created NFT for actual food at the restaurant’s Jumeirah location.
9. Lion’s Milk Café
The Lion’s Milk Coffeeshop serves profile picture NFTs or PFPs. The cafe is widely regarded as the first NFT cafe because it showcased all varieties of NFTs in November during the New York City NFT display. In addition to being a hub for NFT society events, it is focused on accepting cryptocurrency for in-store purchases.
10. CamboFlare
Although the adoption of cryptocurrency as a payment method has been slow in the United States restaurant industry, some establishments, like CamboFlare, use an alluring Metaverse marketing strategy to bring the everyday consumer into the crypto world.
There are a variety of meals, from traditional Asian fare to American classics, on the restaurant’s menu. The grilled pork tacos are served in a broth made from king oyster mushrooms.
Implications for the Future of the Food Brands In The Metaverse
Marketplaces: When more people join the Metaverse, marketplace – apps will no longer be the primary channel for placing orders. As ordering and discovery become integrated into more open experiences, companies like DoorDash, UberEats, and GrubHub will need to rethink their approach. Doordash’s decision to focus solely on the logistics API is prudent, as the company will be safe even if it loses the ordering portal in the Metaverse.
Marketing: As a means of promotion, companies will soon begin including food in the metaverse experiences in their offerings. Instead of emailing potential customers, restaurants in the Metaverse can host them in a virtual version of their establishment. As Chipotle has demonstrated by launching their Boorito promotion as a digital-only initiative this year, the Metaverse will provide new avenues for testing promotions and loyalty programs.
Reservations: The interface for making reservations at a restaurant will undergo major revisions. Before reserving a table, diners will take a virtual tour of the restaurant. The best tables will have variable pricing.
Delivery: In the future, the Metaverse will be the foundation for group ordering thanks to delivery—ghost kitchens. Even if you’re on opposite sides of the world, you can still enjoy a meal with your pals because it will be delivered to you simultaneously.
QR Codes: They will be used for more than just taking food orders. They will function as the gateway to the AR experience. Anyone in the multiverse who wants to celebrate with you but can’t make it out for the night can send a bottle of champagne to your celebration.
Payments: While dollars will likely always be accepted at restaurants in Metaverse, several major cryptocurrencies will emerge as the best way to make purchases in the Metaverse over the next five years. In terms of branding and promotion, a restaurant’s willingness to accept various forms of payment is an important detail.
Membership: A members-only hospitality experience, SOHO house will take their home further into the digital world by offering similar services. If you have the right (non-fungible token) NFT, you’ll be able to enter members-only virtual worlds. Keys to various nightclubs will be represented by these NFTs, which can be bought and sold on open markets.
Possibilities in the Metaverse
Setting up a digital version of a restaurant in such a way that virtual customers can sign up for loyalty programs is a great way to attract new customers and increase brand awareness. In addition, they can provide one-of-a-kind dining opportunities or the option to pay for food with NFTs. Avatars can even make reservations or online orders in the Metaverse that will be fulfilled in the real world.
It is downright baffling to those who need to be tech-savvy. The digital frontier may not be the place for everyone to make their mark, but plenty of exciting new possibilities are waiting to be explored for those who do.
FAQS
Is it Possible to Eat in the Metaverse?
It’s not possible to eat in the virtual realm just yet. However, customers can have food delivered to them in the real world by placing an order online. To create NFTs for specific dishes, OneRare collaborates with chefs, eateries, and TV cooking shows. Avatars can impact the real world by eating at a restaurant featuring the cuisine of famous chefs, shopping at a virtual farmers market, and donating to a community fridge.
Is it Possible to Taste Food in the Metaverse?
A Japanese professor named Homei Miyashita created a prototype for a TV screen with a disposable hygienic film that mimics food flavors when licked at the end of 2021. This device is called Taste the TV (TTTV). Vocktail, a similar virtual cocktail, also deceives the taste buds by imitating real-world flavors. So, “someday” is the answer to whether or not we will be able to enjoy the taste of food and drink in the Metaverse.
