Yesterday, California-based restaurant chain Chipotle Mexican Grill became the first restaurant to debut a new menu item in the Roblox metaverse.
The Garlic Guajillo Steak features tender cuts of steak seasoned with garlic and guajillo peppers and topped off with fresh cilantro and lime. It was launched through the Chipotle Grill Simulator experience in Roblox and will be available in-real-life (IRL) at select Chipotle restaurants across the U.S. and Canada.
The simulator is a virtual cooking challenge located within Chipotle’s Burrito Builder world in Roblox. Here are some of the details about the experience:
- Upon entering, users meet head Chef Nevielle and choose their uniform. Then they are teleported to Chipotle’s kitchen where they participate in a cooking challenge to perfectly grill and season as many steaks as possible before time expires.
- Users who successfully complete the challenge earn a free entrée code that can be used to redeem a IRL Garlic Guajillo Steak.
- Users also earn BURRITO BUCKS, which unlock exclusive virtual items and gear inspired by the Garlic Guajillo Steak.
Besides Roblox users, an additional 30 million Chipotle Rewards members in the U.S. and Canada were given access to the new item via Chipotle.com, Chipotle.ca, and the Chipotle app.
And for those who missed out on the early drops, beginning today, the Garlic Guajillo Steak will be available at restaurants, online, and for delivery orders in the U.S. and Canada for a limited time.
Chris Brandt, Chipotle’s Chief Marketing Officer, said that launching the new menu item in the metaverse was a way to share the restaurants “culinary traditions and real food proposition with Gen Z.” Chipotle has been consistently collaborating with Roblox since 2021, when it launched a Halloween-themed “Boorito Maze” in the metaverse.
Restaurant Chains Are Entering the Metaverse
Chipotle may be the first major restaurant chain to launch a new menu item in the metaverse. But it certainly isn’t the only restaurant that’s investing time and energy in Web3. At Rarity Sniper, we’ve covered dozens of stories about food and beverage companies setting up shop in the metaverse. Here are three of the most interesting.
Earlier in the year, Wendy’s announced that anyone with a Quest 2 headset could visit its metaverse restaurant in Meta’s Horizon Worlds. Like Chipotle’s simulator experience, users can compete in challenges and win IRL food. There is also a “Fanta-filled” park fountain and a virtual basketball court.
Next, American wings and waitresses chain Hooters applied for Web3 and metaverse-related trademarks. The restaurant said it was interested in creating NFT versions of menu items as well as a virtual restaurant.
Finally, Subway sent three metaverse-related patents to the US Patent and Trademark Office in May. The trademarks mention NFTs and virtual “food and beverage” items repeatedly. It also plans for a virtual restaurant that will be linked with IRL stores.
For now, Chipotle looks like a leader when it comes to innovative restaurant chains in Web3 and the metaverse. And although we still haven’t tried the new Garlic Guajillo Steak, if it’s as good as its launch was novel, we’re sure Chipotle fans will be pleased.