Recently, an increasing number of businesses have expressed interest in virtual reality, sometimes referred to as the metaverse.
Yum! Brands, the parent company of Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), has filed various trademark applications for non-fungible tokens (NFT) and metaverse products and services, following McDonald’s (NYSE: MCD) lead.
According to metaverse trademark attorney Michael Kondoudis, the applications were filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on March 25, 2022, signalling plans to expand these brands into non-financial transactions (NFTs) and virtual products and services, including virtual food and beverage products, retail services, and online virtual restaurants.
KFC has filed trademark applications for its name and logo for:
✅ Virtual foods + drinks
✅ NFTs + NFT backed multimedia
✅ Online stores featuring virtual goods
✅ Virtual restaurants with “actual and virtual goods”#NFTs #Metaverse #Web3 #Cryptocurrency #MetaverseNFT pic.twitter.com/vho6bYkuzy— Mike Kondoudis (@KondoudisLaw) March 30, 2022
In a news release, Mr. Kondoudis stated:
“Of course, Yum! Brands recognises the Metaverse’s promise and is preparing its trademarks and brands for the Metaverse’s virtual economy.”
Additionally, the attorney stated:
These trademark registrations “follow the lead of other restaurant industry companies such as McDonald’s, Burger King, Panera Bread, and Panda Express in preparing for Metaverse participation.”
Fast food has made its way into the metaverse.
It’s also worth mentioning that Inspire Brands, Inc., the owner of the Arby’s, Baskin-Robbins, Buffalo Wild Wings, Jimmy John’s, and Sonic trademarks, has filed a number of trademark applications.
Meanwhile, Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta (NASDAQ: FB), formerly known as Facebook, stated last week that it aims to enter the metaverse, taking steps toward the introduction of virtual services and cryptocurrency trading.
Disclaimer: These are the writer’s opinions and should not be considered investment advice. Readers should do their own research.