Chipotle launches burrito-rolling game — online
Chipotle Mexican Grill is offering a new promotion on the popular Roblox digital gaming platform with “real world” crossover.
The quick-service retailer is launching “Chipotle Burrito Builder” on Roblox. The new simulation experience will challenge customers to roll burritos in the metaverse to earn “Burrito Bucks,” Chipotle’s in-game currency on Roblox, starting on Thursday, April 7, which is also National Burrito Day. The first 100,000 Roblox players to successfully roll a burrito will earn enough Burrito Bucks to exchange them for an entrée code that can be used on the Chipotle app or its U.S. or Canadian e-commerce site.
In October 2021, Chipotle Mexican Grill became the first restaurant brand to open a virtual location on the popular Roblox immersive video game platform as part of its Halloween 2021 promotion. The quick-service retailer offered a limited-time virtual storefront and maze experience that included free burrito codes for use on digital orders, Chipotle-inspired costumes for virtual avatars, and a “Chipotle Boorito Maze” with exclusive virtual items that could be unlocked.
Chipotle Burrito Builder will be 1990s themed, in honor of the company opening its first store that year, in Denver. Roblox players will also have the chance to wear Chipotle '90s-inspired uniforms on their avatars while rolling burritos and unlock new virtual items inspired by '90s fashion.
Customers will approach the counter and place their order via images of Chipotle ingredients. Players will need to drag and drop the correct ingredients into the tortilla situated at the bottom of the screen before the tortilla gets to the end of the line.
Players will need to complete the customer's order by rolling the burrito using arrow keys before the burrito roller timer runs out. If the player doesn't build the full burrito order before the tortilla reaches the end of the line or they don't roll the burrito before the burrito roller time limit, the game is over. Players will have the option to play an unlimited number of times.
Adding to the gamification aspect, Burrito Builder will feature a real-time leaderboard, and the top five U.S. players on the leaderboard by 11:59 p.m. PT each day from April 7 to April 13 will win free burritos for a year. After rolling burritos, players can participate in a side quest where they will be challenged to deliver burritos to customers in the neighborhood for a chance to unlock additional rewards.
Other retailers, including Pacsun and Nike, have also introduced immersive virtual environments – with real-world integration – on the Roblox platform.
Real-world crossovers
Chipotle is also launching the first-ever menu item inspired by Roblox. On April 1, Chipotle polled Roblox players on Twitter to build a burrito order based on their popular input. The result, the Chipotle Burrito Builder Burrito, will be the first real-world menu item created by the metaverse community for a national restaurant retailer, and Chipotle's first pre-configured digital entrée that can only be accessed by Chipotle Rewards members in the U.S. Starting April 7, the new menu item will be available on the Chipotle app and Chipotle.com for a limited time.
In addition, the company became the first restaurant brand to enable its loyalty members to exchange rewards points for a Roblox gift card, starting April 7. Through the Chipotle Rewards Exchange on the Chipotle app and website, rewards members in the U.S. will have the opportunity to exchange 100 rewards points for a $5 Roblox digital gift card. A total of 10,000 gift cards will be available through the Chipotle Rewards Exchange.
"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," said Chris Brandt, chief marketing officer, Chipotle. "We're blending the metaverse and real-world elements of our brand to take the Chipotle fan experience to a whole new level."