Chili’s latest attack on fast food includes a 1980s-era video game

Chili’s is taking it back to the 1980s in its latest attempt to woo disgruntled fast-food fans. The casual chain is rolling out a branded version of the BurgerTime arcade game called Chili’s Big Smasher BurgerTime, offering players a chance to win free burgers for life. Fans will play as Joe ChiliHead, trying to build burgers while fighting off fast-food mascots through six levels of gameplay. Agencies involved in the effort include Jon Marshall and Daughters and Media.Monks. Chili’s began targeting fast food chains in April with a campaign that took a shot at McDonald’s’ Big Mac, while also asserting it can keep prices down because it doesn’t have to pay for mascots. The new video game does not directly call out rivals—a trailer portrays competitors with generic monikers such as Burger Barn. It also calls out an “evil fast food syndicate” as not happy with Chili’s “3 For Me” deal, which goes for $10.99 with one option including a Big Smasher burger, a bottomless non-alcoholic beverage and bottomless chips and salsa. The meal deal squarely aims at fast food competitors such as McDonald’s and Burger King, which have had to raise prices in recent years due to inflation and labor costs. Now, the game gives diners “a virtual outlet to vent their very real frustrations with fast-food,” George Felix, Chili’s chief marketing officer, said in a statement. Authentic nostalgia Chili’s decision to recast the BurgerTime classic video game came from the insight that Chili’s customers overlapped with Twitch viewers. “We wanted to find a way to talk about industry-leading value in a fresh way that doesn’t take itself too seriously,” said Jesse Johnson, VP of marketing at Chili’s. “The idea of BurgerTime came up and we thought about making a different game, but we wanted to be authentic to the gaming community.” The original BurgerTime was released in 1982 as an arcade video game from Data East. In the game, players control chef Peter Pepper, who must walk over hamburger ingredients in a maze of platforms and ladders to build burgers while avoiding anthropomorphic hot dogs, fried eggs and pickles. @gamercelebrations 👨🍳🍔 Throwing it back to 1982 with BurgerTime on the Intellivision! Originally an arcade classic, BurgerTime had us all racing to create the perfect burgers while dodging those pesky hot dogs and eggs. This Intellivision version, released in 1982, was a fan-favorite and kept us glued to our screens! Guide Chef Peter Pepper to build burgers while avoiding enemies. Pro tip: Use the pepper spray to stun enemies and strategically drop burger pieces to crush them for extra points! Did you know BurgerTime has been ported to numerous platforms, from Atari to NES? Which version was your favorite? Mine's the Intellivision version because it was my first taste of this deliciously fun game! Dive into nostalgia and share your BurgerTime memories! 🍔 Comment, share, like, and don't forget to follow! Visit GamerCelebrations.etsy.com and favorite an item for a discount code! #BurgerTime #Intellivision #RetroGaming #ArcadeClassics #1980sGames #VintageGaming #GamerLife #OldSchoolGamer #RetroGames #GamingNostalgia #VideoGameHistory #ChefPeterPepper #GamingCommunity #ClassicGames #GameOn #LevelUp #NostalgicVibes #RetroRewind #GamingMemories #RetroGamingCommunity #GamerFun #gamercelebrations ♬ original sound - gamercelebrations For its version, Chili’s sought permission from Japanese video game company G-Mode, which now controls the intellectual property for BurgerTime. “We sent them the game for final approval, and they sent us a note back saying how respectful the recreation was,” said Johnson. “BurgerTime fans will feel rewarded and find some cool Easter eggs.” The game will be promoted via digital media buys aimed at gaming communities, including on YouTube and Reddit. Chili’s is also partnering with RDC World, a group of gaming creators, who will post about the game. Chili’s will also have a presence at Austin DreamCon. The gaming strategy also leans into nostalgia, which Johnson says does well with millennial customers. “We know we have a strong millennial target who probably went to Chili’s as a kid, maybe for their birthday or after a little league game,” he said. “Now, they may not have been in 10 or 15 years, and many are now parents. We want them to say, ‘We should go back and take our kids.’” The game also promotes Chili's loyalty program. Anyone can play the game at chilisburgertime.com but players must log in or create a My Chili’s Rewards account to be eligible for prizes. The first 250 players who gather the 3 For Me bonus within the game receive a Chili’s gift card for a free “3 For Me” meal. The player with the highest overall score at the end of the competition, July 14, will be named Chili’s Big Smasher BurgerTime Champion and receive free Chili’s burgers for life along with a limited-edition Chili’s Big Smasher BurgerTime arcade cabinet. The second and third-place players will also receive the arcade cabinet.

Chili’s latest attack on fast food includes a 1980s-era video game

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