Daily

GAME, SET, EAT

Fast-food chains target gamers

A recent study showed nearly two-thirds of mobile gamers order take-out food from quick-service restaurants, and nearly a third eat fast food once a week. When you think about it, it makes sense why gamers would be reaching for Big Macs and Crunchwrap Supremes over other food options – when you’re gaming, quick and easy bites are key. But to ensure they’re top of mind when hunger strikes, fast-food brands need to creatively connect with the gaming community. Ahead, three that are doing it successfully.

Image of a McDonald branded gamer chair with fries on one arm rest and a drink in the other

MCDONALD’S

Perhaps no fast-food chain has embraced gaming culture quite like McDonald’s. Just look at their partnerships with popular esports organizations FaZe Clan and Gen.G, or their recent Roblox activation, or last month’s gaming multiverse challenge that caught the eye of top gamers around the world. But nothing demonstrates the chain’s love of gamers quite like the McCrispy Ultimate Gaming Chair, designed for those who like to double-fist Big Macs while fighting dragons (on screen, that is). Decked out in grease-proof leather with an integrated burger warmer feature, only four of these limited-edition chairs were produced – but they generated so much buzz, we wouldn’t be surprised to see a second run.

Image of a Burger King meal in collaboration the game Call of Duty

BURGER KING

Burger King recently collaborated with the popular video game, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, on a worldwide activation that took place both in-game and IRL. Launching across 39 global markets, this deal marked the largest-scale video game partnership to date. With the purchase of a Call of Duty Whopper Meal, Burger King offered players in-game rewards, like a Burger Town-themed Operator Skin and or extra Double XP playing time. Burger Town also appeared as a fictional quick-service chain within the game. IRL, Burger King also debuted Call of Duty-themed restaurants everywhere from Paris to Puerto Rico, Saudi Arabia to Denmark.

Image of a Shake Shack restaurant in the Metaverse

SHAKE SHACK

Shake Shack has been on an expansion spree over the last few years, but one of its latest locations isn’t one you can actually set foot in – and we’re not talking about their recent push into drive-thrus. The beloved burger chain tapped BeansBuilds and Insimnia, two popular Tumblr mod creators, to build an exact replica of the restaurant and menu for the social simulation game The Sims 4. Inside the Sims-size Shake Shack, players can explore the gamified version of the chain and order favorites like ShackBurgers and frozen custard. To promote the launch, the chain partnered with Twitch streamer and Sims superfan “KelseyDangerous” for a two-hour sponsored livestream.