McDonald’s reportedly enters Metaverse by opening virtual restaurants with home delivery

McDonald’s, the famed American fast-food chain, appears to be preparing to enter the Metaverse by registering ten trademarks in the virtual world.

On February 9, Josh Garben, the trademark attorney and founder of Gerben Intellectual Property, tweeted that McDonald’s has filed a trademark application on February 4 and is planning to operate a digital restaurant featuring actual and virtual goods along with the home delivery option.

McDonald's is headed to the metaverse.

The company has filed 10 (TEN!) trademark applications indicating it plans to offer "a virtual restaurant featuring actual and virtual goods" and "operating a virtual restaurant featuring home delivery."#Mcdonalds #Metaverse pic.twitter.com/J9pK7EK9nl

— Josh Gerben (@JoshGerben) February 9, 2022

As per the filing, the company would be offering “downloadable multimedia files” for artwork, audio and video files, and NFTs.

Metaverse McDonald’s is also on the way

McDonald’s also submitted a trademark application for its McCafe brand. The company is preparing to provide entertainment services, such as “online actual and virtual concerts, and other virtual events.”

The fast-food chain giant is all set to compete with Animal Concerts and other emerging virtual concert producers. These types of performances dissolve geographical restrictions that formerly prevented fans from watching their favorite artists play, as well as drastically reducing the expense of touring.

Several restaurants and cafes are hopping in the virtual world. McDonald’s had already entered the digital world last year with the launch of NFT by its Chinese branch.

 In an effort to expand its brand into the Metaverse, the golden arches teamed up with bakery and café giant Panera Bread. On February 3, Panera Bread filed a trademark application for PANERAVERSE, a virtual restaurant and cafe business.

Coincidentally, it also has plans for downloadable content and NFTs, digital food and beverage items, and digital gathering areas for users.

“I think you’re going to see every brand that you can think of making these filings within the next 12 months,” Gerben told Forbes on February 9, adding, “I don’t think anyone wants to be the next Blockbuster and just completely ignore a new technology that’s coming.”

The US Patent and Trademark Office takes over nine months to consider a trademark application, but Gerben believes that neither McDonald’s nor Panera Bread would be having any trouble in getting their trademarks approved.