By this time, companies and consumers know that the metaverse is here for the long term. Its idea was conceptualised a century ago, and the term “Metaverse” was coined some 30 years back. Neil Stevenson used the locution for the first time in his novel, Snow Crash, released in 1982. It is no more a cognitive concept now as many firms, especially in the restaurant industry, have turned it into a reality after determining its full potential. Dozens of restaurants rush to register a claim to metaverse land by marking it with stakes, filing trademarks and lining up to launch their services in the tech space. Various experts believe that metaverse will be a consumer-first economy, and that’s why it is the best investment restaurant chains can ever make.

Restaurants would offer an impeccable dining experience for the upcoming generation of consumers. Platforms like Roblox, Epic and Meta would let diners use augmented and virtual worlds to order food and discover their next night out/party spot. The metaverse will completely transform and reshape the restaurant industry by impacting their marketing campaigns, QR codes, reservations, order and delivery process, payments and lastly, restaurant memberships.

Eateries would modify their marketing campaigns and how they highlight their offerings and reach their customers. For instance, they are blending food into virtual avatars. Restaurants would recreate their physical space in the metaverse to invite consumers around the globe, and build virtual avatars and characters. Many chains are devising metaverse-themed promotions and loyalty programs, including Chipotle’s Boorito promo as digital-only launched this year.

Changing Dynamics:

One of the interesting facts about metaverse is how it would change the restaurant reservation and table booking process. Diners would have a virtual tour of a restaurant, book their favourite table around the hall, and reserve it with particular instructions for special events like birthdays, anniversaries and others. Many ghost kitchens are entering the metaverse to let consumers order through it and share a meal with their friends and loved ones across the continents. To enhance the tech offerings, restaurants would embed access points into QR codes with the menus. Restaurants would accept NFTs such as cryptocurrency apart from real-world currencies as payments. SOHO house is expanding its house into the digital realm to offer a members-only experience. SOHO will allow members to have access to exclusive digital worlds if they own compatible NFTs.

Now let us have a look at the notable restaurants entering the metaverse:

1. McDonald’s 

McDonald’s, the unmissable golden arched fast food chain, would also be spotted in the metaverse as it applied for the Metaverse Trademark earlier this year. The world’s largest fast food chain acquired Israeli AI startup Dynamic Yield for a reported $300 million, and that is where the tech transformation began. McDonald’s plans to sell NFTs and virtual goods – including branded clothing and accessories to embellish avatars or virtual homes of customers in the metaverse.

2. Wendy’s 

Wendy’s has rolled out its virtual eatery in the metaverse’s virtual game Horizon Worlds and calls it Wendyverse. Earlier, the restaurant ventured into Fortnite with a fictional Durr Burgers chain. The game made Wendy’s gain 1.5m viewed minutes of its gaming streams and set social media on fire.

3. Tablz

Tablz is a San Francisco-based 3D restaurant platform and it has introduced its metaverse technology to allow diners to roam around the restaurants virtually before making the final reservations.  

4. Sublimotion (Island of Ibiza, Spain) 

Sublimotion, opened on the Spanish island of Ibiza in 2014, is the world’s most expensive restaurant and offers a futuristic dining experience to its consumers. Chef and owner Paco Roncero came up with this surreal restaurant concept. Diners feast on the scrumptious cuisine in a high-tech, interactive space called a capsule.

5. Burger King

Burger King is another famous restaurant to enter the metaverse. The chain would also embrace NFTs and has filed a trademark application already. The burger connoisseur would offer virtual goods, including food items and beverages, for use in virtual worlds.

6. Chick-fil-A

Chick-fil-A has filed for a metaverse virtual slot and calls its own “Moo-taverse” to enter the VR-powered world.

7. Panera Bread

Panera Bread is also launching its Paneraverse in the digital space of metaverse. The bakery-café fast-casual restaurant will roll out a virtual restaurant offering real-life food delivery.

8. Wingstop 

Wingstop is another eatery to launch its services in the metaverse and submitted a multi-class trademark to the US patent and trademarks office (USPTO). Wingstop would offer downloadable virtual products including NFTs, virtual food and drinks.

Other restaurant firms to enter the metaverse include Next Level Burger, Bareburger, Yum Brands, Inspire Brands, Hooters, Panda Express, Pickl and Bojangles. It is going to be an exciting VR-powered experience for diners and they would certainly love to have an exceptional gastronomic tour in the metaverse.