Wingstop has filed a trademark to sell chicken wings in the metaverse

• Fast-food chain Wingstop filed a multi-class trademark to enter the metaverse.
• The application covers "downloadable virtual goods," including NFTs and virtual food and drink.

Wingstop has filed a multi-class trademark to enter the metaverse.

The chicken-wing chain followed other restaurants, including McDonald's and Panera Bread, when it filed the trademark applications to the US Patent and Trademark Office on February 25.

The application covers "downloadable virtual goods," including non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and virtual food and drink. It also includes the creation of an online marketplace where people can trade NFTs, digital assets, and artwork.

The multi-class trademark also covers downloadable software for trading cryptocurrency, NFTs, and digital tokens as well as downloadable loyalty and reward cards that the company says can be redeemed for food in both the real and virtual worlds.

A Wingstop spokesperson told Insider that the company couldn't comment on its exact metaverse plans but that "the filing signifies an exciting public step to serve the world flavor in a virtual space."

McDonald's has filed trademarks for a virtual restaurant that will deliver food both online and in person, while Panera Bread filed for a trademark for a "Paneraverse," which includes NFTs, virtual entertainment services, and a virtual reward program.

"I think you're going to see every brand that you can think of make these filings within the next 12 months," trademark lawyer Josh Gerben told Forbes in February. "I don't think anyone wants to be the next Blockbuster and just completely ignore a new technology that's coming."