Hooters may soon bring its famous wings and waitresses to Web3. According to a March 25th application sent to the US Patent & Trademark Office, Hooters is serious about developing NFTs and a metaverse restaurant.
Although Hooters hasn’t released official plans for its Web3 endeavors, its recent patent lists three objectives. First, the American restaurant chain says it’s interested in making NFT versions of its menu items. This section also suggests Hooters is interested in making NFTs using art, music, and video clips.
In the second paragraph, Hooters says it wants to create “Online retail services featuring virtual goods.” In the last section, the company expands on this sentence when it mentions a “virtual restaurant.”
It’s also clear Hooters’ metaverse location will link with real-world restaurants. Hooters’ patent application suggests customers could order IRL delivery services in the company’s upcoming metaverse destination.
While there’s no mention of sports betting in its trademark application, Hooters has made headlines this year for adding gambling to some of its physical locations. Recently, Hooters announced it is working with BettorView and DraftKings to allow customers to place bets on popular pro sports.
It’s no secret that the platform DraftKings is getting more involved with NFTs. Considering Hooters’ recent NFT patent requests, some people suspect the restaurant chain may soon partner with DraftKings’ NFT market. For the time being, there’s no official press release on NFT collaborations between these two companies.
Hooters Joins Dozens of Other Restaurants in the Metaverse
Nowadays, analysts can split restaurant chains into two categories: Those already in the metaverse, and those who want to get in.
The same day Hooters filed its metaverse patent, Yum! Brands submitted three Web3-related applications for Taco Bell, KFC, and Pizza Hut. Like Hooters’ trademark request, Yum! wants to create NFTs and metaverse locations that let customers order real-world delivery services. Yum! Brands’ patents also mention new digital rewards points, NFTs, and video games.
While Yum! and Hooters have yet to launch virtual restaurants, other fast-food brands have already established their metaverse locations. For instance, Rarity Sniper recently reported on Wendy’s opening its first virtual restaurant in Horizon Worlds. Fans of the Ohio-based chain could now use a Quest 2 VR headset to explore Wendy’s-themed areas and try to win free IRL food.
Roblox fans may remember Chipotle opened a temporary virtual restaurant in October 2021. Earlier in 2022, McDonald’s created a Lunar Day metaverse site with the help of designer Humberto Leon.
Panera Bread is yet another chain that wants to create a metaverse experience. According to a February 3rd patent filing, Panera’s team is developing a Web3 identity it calls “Paneraverse.” Like its competitors, Panera highlights NFTs and a virtual restaurant in its USPTO patent.
From Dunkin’ and Arby’s to Jimmy John’s and Sonic, almost every fast-food restaurant now has a metaverse strategy.