After 2020 and 2021 saw the rapid expansion of ghost kitchens, off-premises-only restaurants with no storefront, brands are now looking to utilize virtual reality (VR) technology to integrate storefronts back into their digital locations.
On Wednesday (March 30), major quick-service restaurant (QSR) chain Wendy’s announced the opening of a digital location in Meta’s Horizon Worlds VR space, wherein consumers can interact in a virtual restaurant or one of several other branded spaces.
“For years we’ve been meeting our fans in unexpected ways and places with our unique approach to social media, gaming and engagement,” Carl Loredo, chief marketing officer for The Wendy’s Company, said in a statement. “We’re excited to take this to the next level by launching the Wendyverse in Meta’s Horizon Worlds and bringing a totally new dimension of access to our fans. Truly a first of its kind, the Wendyverse bridges the best of today with tomorrow to show up for our fans across every world.”
Wendy’s is not the only major chain looking into the possibilities of metaverse locations. In February, news broke that McDonald’s had filed at least 10 trademarks for its name, logo, McCafe and the rights to various goodies for a virtual restaurant. Around the same time, it was reported that Panera Bread had submitted a trademark application for a virtual cafe chain called Paneraverse.
Read more: McDonald’s New Special Sauce? McMetaverse, With 10 Trademarks Already Filed
Additionally, as far as smaller restaurant chains go, news also broke in February that New York-based online ordering solutions provider Lunchbox had sold a virtual restaurant on the non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace to New York-based, 35-location, full-service burger chain Bareburger.
Related news: NYC Burger Chain Buys NFT Restaurant
Additionally, a week ago (March 24), food metaverse OneRare launched in the U.S. after successful deployments in other part of the world, which includes access to celebrity chefs, food brands and virtual restaurants.
See also: Food Metaverse OneRare Makes US Debut
Now, for brands that believe that the metaverse is the future of commerce, it is a race to the finish, with restaurants that establish themselves early therein having the opportunity to deeply embed their offerings in consumers’ virtual routines.
“It’s something retailers need to experiment with now and start to get ready for because it’s whoever starts first and builds these experiences that’s going to really bring that new generation of consumers into the store,” David Ripert, co-founder and CEO of Poplar Studio, told PYMNTS in a September 2021 interview.
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Certainly, consumers are getting more of their restaurant needs and desires met online than in previous years, according to data PYMNTS’ 2022 Restaurant Friction Index also created in collaboration with Paytronix. The study, which drew from the results of a survey of more than 500 managers of QSRs and full-service restaurants conducted in September, found that 41% of restaurant sales are now generated via digital channels, well above the 32% generated at the restaurant and the 26% generated by phone.
See more: New Data Show Digital Loyalty Programs Are Key Differentiator For Top-Performing Restaurants
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