Chipotle Offers Free Burritos, but You Need to (Sort of) Roll Your Own?
Restaurant chains are launching further into the metaverse this year to promote their products.
Already, McDonald’s (MCD) – Get McDonald’s Corporation Report in February filed patent applications to open virtual restaurants in the metaverse with 10 filings including the words “McDonald’s,” “McCafe” and “Golden Arches.”
Wendy’s (WEN) – Get Wendy’s Company Report didn’t want to be left out, so in March, in partnership with Facebook parent Meta (FB) – Get Meta Platforms Inc. Class A Report, it launched its entry into the Metaverse with Wendyverse.
Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) – Get Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. Report in October began its journey into the metaverse in partnership with Roblox (RBLX) – Get Roblox Corp. Class A Report with its Chipotle Boorito Maze to celebrate Halloween.
The duo continues their partnership with the roll-out of the Chipotle Burrito Builder on Roblox, a new simulation experience that will invite players to roll burritos in the metaverse to earn Burrito Bucks, the brand’s in-experience currency on Roblox1, starting on April 7, National Burrito Day.
The metaverse is commonly seen as the next iteration of the internet, a combination of video and virtual and augmented reality. Current coverage usually uses it interchangeably with virtual reality rather than the fully-immersive and avatar-led world of the future that its inventors envisioned.
“We’ve tapped into play-to-earn, an emerging engagement model in the metaverse, to launch our newest experience on Roblox that celebrates the iconic Chipotle burrito,” Chris Brandt, Chipotle’s chief marketing officer, said in a statement. “We’re blending the metaverse and real-world elements of our brand to take the Chipotle fan experience to a whole new level.”
The first 100,000 Chipotle/Roblox players to successfully roll a burrito will earn enough Burrito Bucks to exchange them for an entrée code that can be used on the Chipotle app, Chipotle.com, or Chipotle.ca2.
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Chipotle fans on social media, who have compared the complexities of rolling burritos to playing a video game, inspired the creation of Chipotle Burrito Builder. This is the first time a brand has enabled Roblox players to earn and exchange a Roblox in-experience currency for real-world items, as players can earn a burrito or other entrée from Chipotle. The Mexican grill chain also becomes the first national restaurant brand to serve virtual food on Roblox.
Chipotle Burrito Builder will be 1990s themed to honor the Chipotle burrito that was born in 1993 and the company’s first location in Denver, which opened that same year. The surrounding area is also inspired by the layout of the original restaurant’s neighborhood in Denver.
Chipotle Introduces New Menu Item
The restaurant will also introduce its first-ever menu item inspired by Roblox, the Chipotle Burrito Builder Burrito. It will feature white rice, black beans, chicken, fresh tomato salsa, tomatillo red chili salsa, sour cream, cheese, lettuce, and guacamole.
The burrito will be the first real-world menu item created by the metaverse community for a national restaurant brand, as Chipotle polled Roblox players on Twitter to help build their collective go-to burrito order.
The new burrito is also Chipotle’s first pre-configured digital entrée that can only be accessed by Chipotle Rewards members in the U.S. Starting April 7, the new menu item will be available on the Chipotle app and Chipotle.com for a limited time. Guests in Canada will be able to order the Chipotle Burrito Builder Burrito on the Chipotle app and Chipotle.ca.
