What makes food in the metaverse better than in the physical reality? It doesn’t make you gain weight!
The idea seems inconceivable: how can one think of bringing something so closely connected to the real world into virtual reality? Some have tried, and apparently with quite good results.
Fast Food in the Metaverse
The US chain Wendy’s has decided to open its first restaurant in the metaverse in collaboration with Horizon World, a platform under Meta by Mark Zuckerberg. Currently, to visit the location, you need to wear the Meta Quest headset, which was introduced last October by the former CEO of Facebook Inc. It will be possible to meet other avatars, interact with them, and engage in a basketball game.
But the most significant innovation comes from McDonald’s. The fast-food giant registered ten trademarks last February to open at least two restaurants. The patents should be ready within 8-9 months, but given the speed at which interest in the metaverse is developing, licenses could arrive sooner. The establishments will be able to provide multimedia content, artwork, augmented reality experiences related to the world of food. As patent expert Josh Gerben explained, “You just have to go to the McDonald’s restaurant, place your order, and shortly after, open the door for the rider who will deliver them to your doorstep.” One of the most famous sandwiches, the McRib, became a collectible item in the digital world as early as November. 10 McRib sandwiches were produced in the form of NFTs and distributed to lucky users through Twitter.
Italy’s First Metaverse Festival
In Italy, known for our taste for food and for valuing local experiences rather than fast-food chains, the “truffle experience” was organized—the virtual face of the 92nd International Alba Fair. An interactive journey in five stages to discover the Alba white truffle: etymology and scientific context, description of search territories, detection and extraction techniques, gourmet show cooking appointments, and the presentation of the World Market in Alba. What will be the next metaverse festival or fair?