The notion of having a meal in the metaverse conjures that scene in the matrix where Cypher (Joe Pantoliano) savors a rare steak and cabernet while selling out his friends to Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving).
The steak looked delicious, but (spoiler alert) it was really just ones and zeroes. So maybe not so delicious?
Today, dining in the metaverse is a real conversation. And it involves real food. Not Cypher’s fake steak.
Case in point. McDonald’s recently filed 10 patent applications in the U.S. focused on “virtual food and beverage products.”
What McDonald’s has in mind is an environment where someone playing a game can order food for delivery. And do so without having to put down their headset.
The McDonald’s application involves creating avatars that mimic the identity of those interacting in the metaverse McDonald’s. Right down to their clothing, speech, and movements.
It’s not hard to see this as a natural early use case for food in the metaverse. It’s really not hard to see gamers sliding into McD’s to order some spicy McNuggets, fries, and a shake. And have it delivered while they keep playing Halo with some dudes in Finland, Australia, and South Korea. The only thing missing in this scenario is the toilet chair from “Idiocracy”.
Food Halls for Avatars
In fairness, if you believe in the metaverse, then you believe it will be much more than just a virtual playground for antisocial gamers. It will evolve into the digital infrastructure for interacting with others online. Kind of like the Internet.
Of course, cloud kitchens are an obvious player in metaverse dining. After all, cloud kitchens made it possible to start a restaurant that is 100% online (delivery online). This means all a restaurant owner has to do is create a brand, outsource all of the operations to a cloud kitchen and focus on building its brand. Simple in concept, but not easy to execute.
At a recent digital technology conference in Dubai, two-year-old cloud kitchen software company Grubtech announced it was creating a platform for metaverse food halls where dining brands can host virtual food operations, much like what McDonald’s is envisioning. Complete with avatars that mimic the looks and personality of their humans.
All in on the Metaverse
The company’s CEO, Moe Fayed was so enthusiastic that he said metaverse-related solutions would soon represent a third of his business.
“The infinite world just got smaller; we are now in the age of the metaverse, so it cannot be ignored,” said David Singleton of Socius Group, a consultancy that is working with Grubtech on its metaverse strategy. Singleton joined Fayed on stage at the conference.
“As we design, create and curate brands and experiences we are already building three-dimensional drawings within the screen, so it’s a natural and essential extension of the creative process to construct and exist within the metaverse. Our social and web-based existence will remain. But it will become secondary to a world where we learn, do business, sell, train, play, and exist. If I can’t play or engage (at any level) with the brand in the metaverse, the consumer will move to where she can.”
So stay tuned for big players in ghost kitchens and virtual dining to start announcing metaverse plays. George Lopez tacos in the metaverse may be a lot closer than you think.
