Wingstop is making headlines, but this time it isn’t because of rapper and Wingstop franchise owner Rick Ross.
Business Insider reports Wingstop filed a multi-class trademark to the US Patent and Trademark Office on Feb. 25 as it seems to be looking to secure a spot in the metaverse. The application reportedly includes “downloadable virtual goods” such as non-fungible tokens (NFTs), virtual food, and virtual drink.
Wingstop may be planning for users to trade NFTs, digital assets, and artwork through an online marketplace. In addition, the trademark extends to downloadable software for trading cryptocurrency, NFTs, digital tokens, downloadable loyalty, and reward cards. Wingstop states users will benefit from loyalty and reward cards not only in the virtual world but in real life, too.
A Wingstop spokesperson could not disclose further details about Wingstop’s plans in the metaverse but they were able to reveal, “the filing signifies an exciting public step to serve the world flavor in a virtual space,” Business Insider reports.
Food Chains Are Racing To Provide Virtual Offerings
Wingstop is not the only food chain racing to the metaverse. Forbes reports Panera filed the “Paneraverse” to integrate downloadable virtual food and beverage items “for use in virtual worlds,” accompanied by NFTs to purchase goods.
On Feb. 4, McDonald’s chimed in with their filing to launch a virtual restaurant with real and virtual goods and to integrate “a virtual restaurant online featuring home delivery.”
“When you see this critical mass of large companies making this many new trademark filings, it’s very clear this is coming,” trademark lawyer Josh Gerben said, according to Forbes. “I think you’re going to see every brand that you can think of making these filings within the next 12 months. I don’t think anyone wants to be the next Blockbuster and just completely ignore a new technology that’s coming.”
