Chipotle (CMG.Q) puts you to work in the metaverse

Pandering to Gen-Z

$44.49B Market Capitalization

Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. (CMG.Q) announced today that on April 7, 2022, it will be launching Chipotle Burrito Builder, a new metaverse experience, on Roblox (RBLX.Q) for National Burrito Day. Through the Burrito Builder, players will be challenged to roll burritos in exchange for Burrito Bucks, the Company’s in-experience currency on Roblox. Sounds bizarre, but there’s more to it.

“We’ve tapped into play-to-earn, an emerging engagement model in the metaverse, to launch our newest experience on Roblox that celebrates the iconic Chipotle burrito…We’re blending the metaverse and real-world elements of our brand to take the Chipotle fan experience to a whole new level,” said Chris Brandt, Chief Marketing Officer.

It is worth noting that Roblox is one of the largest platforms in the world, averaging 190 million monthly players in 2021. Compared to the platform’s peak of 25 million monthly users in April 2016, Roblox has grown 800% to a peak of 202 million users in April 2021. According to ActivePlayer.IO, Roblox hit an average monthly player count of more than 225 million in December 2021.

Personally, you would have to pay me a modest sum of money to step anywhere near Roblox. While I do think the concept of putting the tools of game development into the hands of players is cool, the platform is notorious for housing sugar-addicted kids screaming into their mics. While I have no statistical proof, feel free to hop into a Roblox lobby for yourself. You’ll know what I mean.

Chipotle Burrito Builder

However, numbers are numbers. This is a brilliant marketing strategy used by Chipotle to capitalize on the impressionable minds of Gen-Z fans on Roblox. Sinister, yet brilliant. This represents the Company’s second custom experience on Roblox, the first being the Chipotle Boorito Maze in October 2021. Chipotle’s Burrito Builder will be ’90s themed, paying homage to the Chipotle burrito that was born in 1993.

Furthermore, the Burrito Builder location will reflect Chipotle’s first locations in Denver, Colorado. The surrounding area in the metaverse will also be inspired by the layout of the original restaurant’s neighborhood in Denver. In order to fully immerse themselves in this nostalgia trip, Roblox players will have a chance to wear Chipotle ’90s inspired uniforms and unlock new virtual items inspired by ’90s fashion, including:

Chipotle Guacman
Chipotle Foil Fanny Pack
Chipotle Cheese Frosted Tips
Chipotle Spoon Shades
Chipotle Pepper Choker
Chipotle Doodle Bandana
Chipotle Pepper Tie Dye Shirt

The Challenge

Chipotle’s Burrito Builder challenge will put your burrito-building skills to the test. Comparable to a video game such as Overcooked, players will need to fulfill orders using the ingredients requested by customers within the allotted time. If time runs out or the burrito is made incorrectly, it’s game over. However, players can play as many times as they like, earning Burrito Bucks and unlocking new virtual items for every successful attempt.

That being said, the most dexterous Roblox burrito builders will be handsomely rewarded. To be more specific, the first 100,000 Roblox players to roll a burrito will be awarded enough Burrito Bucks to exchange for a free entree code. In other words, by being one of the first to roll a burrito, you could earn yourself a burrito in real life. Not a bad deal, but it gets even better.

Burrito Builder will also feature a real-time leaderboard. By 11:59 PM PT each day from April 7 to April 13, the top five players on the leaderboard will win free burritos for a year. That’s almost enough for me to consider playing Roblox. Unfortunately, only players in the United States (US) are eligible.

Players will also be able to participate in Chipotle’s sidequest, whereby players will be required to deliver burritos to customers in the metaverse. By spending their hard-earned Burrito Bucks, players can purchase a hoverboard that will provide them with a speed boost. Burrito Bucks can also be used to buy the virtual version of the Chipotle Burrito Builder Burrito.

A Roblox Flavoured Burrito

Speaking of which, the Chipotle Burrito Builder Burrito represents the first-ever menu items inspired by Roblox. Earlier this month, on April 1, 2022, Chipotle polled Roblox players on Twitter to create a “collective” burrito order. Thus the Chipotle Burrito Builder Burrito was born, filled with white rice, black beans, chicken, salsa, tomatillo red-chili salsa, sour cream, cheese, lettuce, and guac.

I was fully expecting Doritos and Mountain Dew in there somewhere. However, the Chipotle Burrito Builder Burrito will only be available to Chipotle Rewards members in the US, starting on April 7, 2022, through the Chipotle app and Chipotle.com for a limited time. For us Canadian folks, we will also be able to order this burrito on the Chipotle app as well as Chipotle.ca.

In a series of firsts, Chipotle will also become the first restaurant brand to enable its loyalty members to exchange Rewards points for a Roblox Gift Card, starting on April 7, 2022. Through this limited promotion, Chipotle’s more than 27 million Rewards members in the US will be able to exchange 100 Rewards points for a $5 Roblox Digital Gift Card, which has a value of 400 Robux, Roblox’s in-game currency.

However, only 10,000 gift cards will be available through the Chipotle Rewards Exchange on the Chipotle app and Chipotle.com. If you’re feeling lucky, the Company will also be giving away a total of 1 million Robux to fans on April 7, 2022, via its Twitter account. If rolling virtual burritos and giveaways don’t tickle your fancy, Chipotle will also have a National Burrito Day offer.

This offer will only be available to Chipotle Rewards members in the US and Canada via the Chipotle app, Chipotle.com, and Chipotle.ca. In the US, when using the digital-only promo code “NBD2022” with the purchase of an entree, members will receive a free side or topping of Queso Blanco. In Canada, members are required to use the digital-only promo code “QUESO22.”

Chiptole’s share price opened at $1,608.08 today, down from a previous close of $1,610.75. The Company’s shares were down -0.33% and were trading at $1,605.51 as of 11:46 PM EST.