The-award-winning burger joint, Pickl, is paving the way for the local F&B industry as the first UAE-based restaurant to enter the Metaverse.
Defined as a “simulating digital environment made up of augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and blockchain, the Metaverse promises to create a space with a rich user experience, while impersonating the real world”. With an evident surge in global interest to secure a presence in the Metaverse, the buzzword was bound to catch the attention of the innovative, trendy burger joint.
Pickl fans exploring the Metaverse will be able to participate in exclusive brand-themed games, purchase virtual apparel and Pickl-inspired NFTs which can be redeemed for physical items or be used as virtual apparel to customise their avatar. In addition, Pickl has announced plans to also launch its very first virtual restaurant later this year.
Pickl founder and CEO Steve Flawith comments: “We are excited to take our first steps into the Metaverse with the launch of a digital Pickl. It’s the beginning of what we are sure will be a bright future for the brand in the virtual world. In the short term, we will be able to hold meetings with our international teams and showcase our brand to our franchise partners in the Metaverse, giving us greater global reach than ever before.”
The plans don’t stop there, added Steve. “In the future, we want our virtual restaurant to replicate the full customer experience of our real-world venues. We even plan to integrate it with delivery so customers can order their Nashville Chicken Sando or Double Cheeseburgers in the Metaverse and then receive their burgers direct to their door – the full virtual-to-physical experience. We are actively exploring this possibility as we speak.”
Pickl is in the midst of worldwide expansion plans and is currently exploring franchise opportunities across the GCC. Chief Licensing Officer Ashley Griffiths said: “As Pickl is set to go global in 2022, the Metaverse is the next step in our expansion plans. As Chief Licensing Officer, I’ll be able to bring potential franchisees into the Metaverse to experience Pickl firsthand, no matter where they are in the world.”
Ashley Griffiths further comments, “Will we be selling virtual franchises of Pickl soon? Never say never – with virtual land prices rising and more opportunities opening up the different worlds in the Metaverse, the most profitable Pickls of the future could soon be virtual.”
The virtual world is also spilling into the physical world at Pickl, with its soon-to-open Innovation Test Kitchen featuring a dedicated Metaverse area for the Pickl team to experiment virtually.
Pickl’s extensive expansion plans, both virtually and globally, pay testament to its mission to provide an increase in accessibility to consumers worldwide, increasing its legends fanbase.
