MrBeast Burgers explodes onto the food scene like a beast

MrBeast Burgers a virtual brand with 1700 locations ventures into the traditional restaurant world

YouTuber MrBeast created quite the stir this Labor Day weekend when he opened his new burger restaurant in the New Jersey mall, American Dream. Ten thousand plus fans turned up to the grand opening. On his Twitter account, he boasts that he wants to make the world a better place before he dies. Well, if you are to believe some of the negative hype online about his burgers, his people better learn how to cook first. MrBeast Burgers look like incinerated-looking burgers that appear less-than-stellar.  I am sure they will fine-tune these minor hiccups.

The concept MrBeast Burger restaurant graduated from a ghost kitchen to an actual brick-and-mortar location. I never saw such a big buzz for a hamburger joint in my life where people from far away come to eat. Is this the future where influencers generate new business through their base of fans? It is one thing to co-brand with an existing restaurant. It is a whole other level to create your own brand restaurant. 

Is MrBeast Burgers the wave of the future? I guess for now it’s only the glitter and shine that gets through.

“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 is the world’s greatest content creator. His passion for creativity, powerful brand and philanthropic nature align perfectly with the American Dream vision. We’re thrilled to have MrBeast join American Dream’s all-star lineup of entertainment, retail, dining and attractions.”

MrBeast is an award-winning digital content creator known for his over-the-top stunts and charitable endeavors. He has joined forces with Virtual Dining Concepts to create MrBeast Burger–a virtual restaurant brand, now available to order across the U.S. for delivery only. MrBeast Burger operates out of existing restaurant kitchens, allowing restaurateurs to add a new source of revenue without impacting the operation. Customers can only order MrBeast Burger via the proprietary app or through major food delivery service apps. MrBeast Burger is available for restaurants to prepare out of their existing kitchens as a way to generate a new revenue stream—the menu is accessed only via apps and it is delivered directly to your door.

“I’m getting lots of phone calls saying that this is a real shot in the arm for the mall economy,” Earl said.

Before the opening of Donaldson’s brick-and-mortar restaurant, the food was made in ghost kitchens, where some restaurants allow the use of their kitchen and staff to produce a limited number of dishes and have a third-party delivery service do the rest.

“The beginning has been just wonderful,” Robert Earl, CEO of Virtual Dining Concepts told Nation’s Restaurant News, “The guest reaction has been superb. And after having Jimmy [Donaldson, a.k.a. MrBeast] create what is considered the leading virtual brand globally, to now build a bricks-and-mortar chain is very fulfilling.”