McDonald's Wants to Bring Its Restaurants Into the Metaverse
The fast food company just filed trademarks for the innovative concept.
McDonald's looks to be the latest brand to tap into growing interest in the metaverse. The golden arched fast food joint has filed trademarks for an entirely virtual metaverse restaurant that delivers your food IRL, Insider reports.
According to trademark attorney Josh Gerben, who revealed details of the news on Twitter, McDonald's has plans for both a virtual and real-world dining experience that doesn't even require you hopping off your game to order.
"You are hanging out in the metaverse and get hungry. You don't have to put down your headset. You walk into a McDonald's and place an order. It arrives at your door a little while later," Gerben tweeted, before noting to Forbes that the US Patent and Trademark Office will likely approve the trademarks within eight to nine months.
In case you're still confused about the whole metaverse concept, it's a network of 3D virtual worlds with an emphasis on social connection. That means you can interact with others and even buy IRL items—like a Big Mac—without logging off.
McDonald's isn't the only brand capitalizing on this technology. Panera Bread has similarly filed a trademark for "Paneraverse," which will include NFTs, virtual entertainment services, and a virtual rewards program. Meanwhile, Nike, Gucci, Microsoft, and Crocs are all working on their own metaverse plans, according to Insider.
"I think you're going to see every brand that you can think of make these filings within the next 12 months," Gerben added to Forbes. "I don't think anyone wants to be the next Blockbuster and just completely ignore a new technology that's coming."