Chipotle brings Halloween to the Roblox metaverse

Chipotle is getting into the (virtual) Halloween spirit. Today, the company announced it will become the first restaurant brand to open a virtual location on Roblox on Oct. 28 as part of its 21st annual "Boorito" event. Chipotle is the latest brand to tap into the appeal of Roblox, an online arcade-style metaverse popular among children. Users, through their avatars, play together in a series of minigames. The platform also allows players and brands to create their own worlds for other players to visit. Hyundai, Warner Bros. and Mattel have held branded Roblox events, which are often ways for these brands to connect with younger audiences. Roblox reported 43.2 million daily active users on its platform in the second quarter. Although company executives have said “over 50% of the people on our platform are over 13 [years old],” a large group of its players are children aged 9 to 12 years old. “As a digital innovator, we are always experimenting on new platforms to meet our guests where they are,” Chris Brandt, Chipotle’s chief marketing officer, said in a statement. “Roblox’s popularity has boomed over the past year, and we know our fans will be excited to celebrate the next evolution of Boorito in the metaverse.” Roblox players will be able to visit the in-game Chipotle starting at 6:30 p.m. ET on Oct. 28, and various food promotions will run until Oct 31. When users visit Chipotle’s Roblox world, they’ll be able to dress up their avatar in brand-related costumes, such as Chip Bag Ghost, Burrito Mummy, and Spicy Devil. The first 30,000 users to visit a virtual restaurant on each day of the promotion will receive a code for a free burrito. Others will receive a separate code — "Boorito" — to claim a $5 burrito, bowl, salad, or taco entree. After getting their codes, players can go into the Chipotle Boorito Maze, where they will collect ingredients to avoid monsters and reach the center of the maze. Once there, players can obtain that day’s Chipotle-themed virtual items for their avatar. Entree codes are valid until Nov. 14. The in-game costumes and maze will stay open for fun, starting on Nov. 1. Chipotle said it will donate its share of proceeds from in-game sales to a cause that supports young farmers.

Chipotle brings Halloween to the Roblox metaverse

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