Fast-growing Virtual Brand MrBeast Opens Its First Brick-and-mortar Restaurant
Virtual brand MrBeast Burger, helmed by YouTuber Jimmy Donaldson, who runs a channel by the same name on the video-sharing platform, set up its first physical location in New Jersey recently.
Who is MrBeast?
MrBeast is the online moniker assumed by YouTuber Jimmy Donaldson, who has amassed over 100 million subscribers and 17 billion lifetime views on his channel. His channel is the fifth-most subscribed on YouTube.
He began posting videos back in 2012 at the age of 13 and is known for carrying out expensive stunts a genre on the platform that he is credited with pioneering.
MrBeast is the world's greatest content creator, Don Ghermezian, CEO of American Dream, the mall where Donaldson recently launched MrBeast Burger's first store, said in a statement. His passion for creativity, powerful brand, and philanthropic nature aligns perfectly with the American Dream vision, added Ghermezian.
What is MrBeast Burger?
MrBeast Burger is an American virtual restaurant owned by Donaldson, along with Virtual Dining Concepts, LLC. They currently operate over 1,000 locations between North America and Europe.
All of these locations are virtual and hosted by partner restaurants that sell the food to delivery apps as an additional revenue stream. The virtual chain restaurant's menu features an exciting array of burgers, French fries, desserts, and canned beverages.
MrBeast Burger has shown consistent growth since its launch in late 2020, and the restaurant broke $100 million in revenue in July this year. Donaldson and Virtual Dining Concepts are determined to capitalize on this, enter new territories, and grow their business exponentially.
What makes MrBeast and his food brand so popular?
MrBeast Burgers are one of the most prominent virtual food brands in the United States. That the restaurant entered the market during the pandemic only helped it establish a solid foothold, as traffic was moving online anyway. But much of the brand's popularity can be attributed to MrBeast himself. He has, over the years, amassed extremely loyal fans, and this fan base took no time to respond to his new venture. With the brick-and-mortar store at the American Dream, these fans now have the chance to experience MrBeast's brand in real life.
Why was MrBeast Burger's opening such a hit?
Celebrities are becoming increasingly interested and involved in the food world. The days of restaurant brands using social media to merely keep their customers hooked are long gone. They now need to be more inventive, and MrBeast's burger restaurant was quick to realize and capitalize on this. It is the moment for brands to get used to the public's favorite social media stars venturing into the food world and work out strategies accordingly.
"The beginning has been just wonderful," said Robert Earl, CEO of Virtual Dining Concepts. "The guest reaction has been superb. And after having Jimmy create what is considered the leading virtual brand globally, to now build a bricks-and-mortar chain is very fulfilling," added Earl.
While it's a tad early to proclaim that MrBeast's brick-and-mortar store is a hit, the virtual brand's ability to pack a retail space of 3 million square feet is most certainly proof of its popularity as well as the popularity of its namesake!
Donaldson is well aware of the power his celebrity status allows him to wield. A day after the opening, he claimed that MrBeast Burgers had broken the world record for the highest number of burgers sold in a day. In a response on Twitter, Guinness World Records said, Send us the numbers, Jimmy.
What does this mean for the mall economy?
Malls are no longer the hotspots they once were, and many have found it difficult to recuperate from the ravages of the pandemic. Massive brands like MrBeast opening brick-and-mortar stores in once teeming locations like the American Dream, not only gives the customers a chance to experience the virtual brand in real life but also holds out hope for such shopping and entertainment complexes.
"American Dream is a world-class destination with one-of-a-kind experiences and first-to-market concepts, designed to delight a multi-generational audience", said Don Ghermezian, CEO of American Dream, in a statement. "MrBeast sparks the same feeling of happiness and amazement in his huge viewing and dining base. We're thrilled to be part of bringing his newest enterprise to life," he added further.
Several other virtual brands in the United States are transitioning to physical stores as the next step in their journey to find new revenue streams and strengthen their connection with their customers.
Future plans for MrBeast?
If the grapevine is to be believed, MrBeast's team is in no mood to slow down despite the recent phenomenal opening at the American Dream. Donaldson's newly launched brand, Feastables, will see a new addition to its candy line that will adorn the shelves at Walmart very soon.
Donaldson launched Feastables, a chocolate company, in January this year, as well as Beat Philanthropy in October 2020. The latter is a charitable organization that currently operates a food pantry and distribution network in North Carolina to address the food insecurity needs of remote and under-served food deserts, according to its website.
Others to follow in MrBeast's footsteps?
Donaldson is not the first digital celebrity to launch a New Restaurant in the United States. TikTok superstar Chef Pii partnered with Dave's Gourmet Sauces last month to mass-produce her infamous psychedelic goop. Other celebrities like Steve Aoki and DJ Khaled are also selling pizzas and chicken wings, respectively. The Restaurant Menu, as the reviews suggest, is not particularly out of the ordinary, but that was never their aim anyway. Brands like these whether online or in a mall are not for gourmands but for fans of these social media stars. And when you have the kind of backing MrBeast does, it's hard to go unnoticed!
