Metaverse's Impact On The Food Industry

• By Amara Hazel
• 09-11-2022
• Technology

The Metaverse is an intriguing technological application and an immensely complicated idea of the digital landscape that provides an opportunity to billions of individuals. Although the specific definition of Metaverse is still being developed, it can be described as a new online experience in which users use virtual reality to communicate with others, hold social events, and run enterprises. Neil Stevenson originated and popularised the term Metaverse in his 1982 novel Snow Crash, in which the characters might escape their oppressive authoritarian reality by entering an augmented virtual reality realm.

The inclusion of the food industry into the Metaverse is extremely significant since it allows many industries to develop their business and is more than simply a chance to gamify their food business. Foodverse might be a platform where individuals can order food, have it delivered, and have novel culinary experiences that are supplemented by virtual technologies.

Foodverse can provide a one-of-a-kind atmosphere for food fans, business owners, chefs, and businesses to come together and discover various cuisines, dishes, and food items. It also acts as a forum for businesses to promote or perform surveys for their brands.

Foodverse might potentially be used to raise awareness and cash for many social concerns such as world hunger, bringing individuals from all over the world together. Foodverse could be a fantastic economic opportunity for many restaurant owners. The pandemic had a significant impact on these service-based industries, and its application can benefit such businesses.

An Insight Into Virtual Worlds!
According to Steve Simoni, Chipotle has established a virtual restaurant within the Roblox online game platform to give away $1 million in free burritos. 3 This implied that gamers who registered into Roblox could virtually access the restaurant and receive a free promo coupon for a free burrito to use in real life. In this period of rapidly growing technology, virtual reality will alter the environment for many restaurants.

There are numerous virtual and gaming platforms for restaurants to leverage to attract their fans and a bigger target audience. Ariana Grande, for illustration, conducted a concert in the video game Fortnite. She was able to communicate with her fans and provide them with an entertaining virtual live experience.

Restaurants can now communicate with their clients online using the Metaverse because many use Instagram and Facebook to their benefit. McDonald's, Applebee's, Panera Bread, Wingstop, Chuck E. Cheese, Chick-fil-A, Hooters, Bareburger, and Yum Brands are among the other eateries to hop on the Metaverse rollercoaster.

A Metaverse And Food Perspective
Virtual reality food is currently a pricy gimmick, with prices as high as $2,000, but it has the potential to introduce a new type of food pleasure.

Mark Zuckerberg gave a "feast for your eyes" presentation to highlight how marketers might smoothly integrate this strategy into their eateries. To elaborate, "feast for your eyes" allows customers to swipe through a VR menu, allowing them to explore possibilities such as finding ingredients and watching the preparation and cooking procedures of menu items. According to Zuckerberg, businesses may even allow guests to order directly from the virtual menu when dining in or ordering for delivery.

Restaurant chains can also add a Metaverse environment in which their guests can virtually enjoy the restaurant with their friends or potentially have a virtual reality engagement. This will allow people to have the experience of a real restaurant while remaining in the privacy of their households.

Is Metaverse The Future For Restaurants?
While virtual reality is not a modern phenomenon or technology, it is now too expensive for restaurants to employ. There is also much debate about how VR is removing the true experience of dining because everything is seemingly done.

Regardless of whether this is true, there are several methods for restaurants to use virtual reality to give their customers a sensory experience without detracting from the actual restaurant experience. Diners, for one, are given VR headsets or menus to watch how their dish is prepared and what ingredients are utilized. Furthermore, restaurants can use VR to immerse their clients in a futuristic space adventure while their meal is being prepared.

When it comes to expanding technology and applications, the possibilities are endless, and restaurants have complete flexibility over what they select to do as the meta world expands.

Opportunities In The Metaverse
Restaurants can build up their digital counterpart in such a way that virtual consumers can sign up for their loyalty programs, in addition to growing your brand's footprint and exposure. They can also provide one-of-a-kind dining experiences or the option to pay for meals with NFTs. Avatars can even make a reservation or put an online order in the Metaverse, which is then translated into the actual world.

We admit it's a little perplexing for those of us who aren't as tech-savvy. Not everyone will be able to build a name for themselves in the digital world, but for those who do, the digital realm offers new and intriguing potential.

Brands Leading The Way In The Metaverse
The Metaverse, which is widely seen as the internet's potential, is still in its early stages, but that hasn't stopped legions of corporations from coming in and establishing a presence. Here are major brands that have been gaining traction in the Metaverse to give you a better idea of what's currently happening.

Wendy’s
Wendy's, most known for its bizarre Twitter feed and predilection for keeping up with the trend, has also found remarkable success in the Metaverse. It was quick to capitalize on the massive popularity of Fortnite - a free, multi-platform game with hundreds of billions of devoted players - with the rollout of its labeled play mode, dubbed 'Food Fight,' in which players are challenged to eradicate the world of frozen beef - an objective that was purposefully aligned with Wendy's policy of never serving frozen beef. The brand aired 'Food Fight' online shenanigans on Twitch, getting over a quarter-million views.

Coke
Struggling with the rise of the youth of today that is turning away from soda, Coca-Cola was quick to grasp the Metaverse's potential as a tool for re-establishing a link with tech-savvy youngsters. In honor of the Special Olympics, the soft drink behemoth joined forces with 3D digital design firm Tafi for its first NFT ad in July 2021. The campaign revolved around 'loot boxes,' which were essentially virtual gift bags filled with a range of one-of-a-kind digital assets, such as a branded puffer jacket wearable NFT, a "sound visualizer" NFT, and a "friendship card" NFT. Coca-initial Cola's NFT drop, which combines functionality and nostalgia, is a famous case study for businesses aiming to acquaint themselves with the virtual world.

All In All,
Most of us enjoy sitting together with friends at a relaxed restaurant and engaging in great chat in the physical world. That will not alter as a result of the Metaverse. Restaurants will continue to offer those one-of-a-kind moments. However, restaurants will likely access more customers who might not be able to attend in situ.

Can we forecast what this will imply as technology advances? No, not always. Our mobile app development company, on the other hand, and its bright, ambitious team of innovators, are always ready to think beyond the box and make our clients' aspirations a reality. Get in touch to see what we can achieve collectively!