PYMNTS Data: Chain Restaurants May Have Metaverse Edge

As restaurants make forays into the metaverse, chain restaurants may have better luck than their independent counterparts.

By the Numbers

Consumers who have exclusively visited chain restaurants in the last month tend to be more interested in the metaverse than those who have only visited independents. Research from the July edition of PYMNTS’ Digital Divide study, “The Digital Divide: The Move to the Metaverse,” created in collaboration with Paytronix, found that 27% of those who had only purchased from chain restaurants reported a high level of interest in metaverse experiences, while only 14% of independent-only diners said the same.

The Data in Action

Wendy’s is certainly making a play for these metaverse-interested customers. The company has announced multiple branded digital spaces in Meta’s Horizon Worlds. The most recent one, which debuted in mid-June, Sunrise City, features a “a breakfast-lover’s playground, complete with a breakfast-themed obstacle course,” according to the brand.

Read more: Wendy’s, Kraft Invest in Metaverse Restaurants

Also in June, Kraft Foods filed a series of trademark applications with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) earlier in the month, covering a range of digital assets for seven of its food brands — Kraft, Jell-O, Kool-Aid, Velveeta, Lunchables, Oscar Meyer and Philadelphia.