MrBeast Burger

MrBeast Burger
IndustryFast food
FoundedDecember 19, 2020; 4 years ago (December 19, 2020) in Wilson, North Carolina
FounderJimmy Donaldson in partnership with Virtual Dining Concepts, LLC
Number of locations
1 physical restaurant (2022)[1]
Areas served
  • Australia
  • Brazil
  • Canada
  • Colombia
  • Ireland
  • Mexico
  • Philippines
  • Sweden[2][dead link‍]
  • Saudi Arabia
  • United Arab Emirates
  • United Kingdom
  • United States
Products
  • Burgers
  • Sandwiches
  • Fries
  • Drinks
Websitemrbeastburger.com
This article is part of
a series about
MrBeast
Videos
Brands
Fundraisers
Television
Lawsuits
Associated people
MrBeast's signature

MrBeast Burger is an American virtual restaurant founded and developed by internet personality Jimmy Donaldson (MrBeast), in partnership with Virtual Dining Concepts, LLC.[3] There are virtual locations in North America and Europe,[4] with plans to expand to more countries and increase the number of locations significantly.[5][6]

The chain features a menu consisting of various burgers, french fries, desserts, and canned beverages. Customers order food from a delivery app,[7] which in turn is prepared at the brick-and-mortar locations of contracted restaurants.[8][9]

History

Pre-release

Although it is unclear when Donaldson began working on MrBeast Burger, he said on his Twitter account that he had been planning on the release "for forever". Will Hyde, a manager for Donaldson's YouTube channel, said that the project had been in the works for several months,[10] while Reed Duchscher, another manager, stated that it had been planned for over a year.[11] The official Twitter account for MrBeast Burger was created on August 12, 2020, and locations began appearing to users on delivery apps days before the official release.[12]

Official opening

Clockwise from top: Beast Style Fries, Nashville Hot Chicken Tender Sandwich, Beast Style Burger, Chris Style Burger

The first MrBeast Burger location officially opened on November 10, 2020, in Wilson, North Carolina.[10] This location, which was a temporarily redecorated Burger Boy restaurant, was the only physical location of the store. As part of a YouTube video, Donaldson advertised free food and gave away money, technology, and even a new car to patrons who lined up in the building's drive-through.[13] The event attracted thousands of customers, with the line reaching as far as 20 miles (32 km) at times.[14]

Although police worked to control traffic, the line eventually became too long to handle and, at the request of the police department, the line was closed.[15][16][17] Donaldson uploaded a video of this event to his YouTube channel on December 19, 2020, where he officially announced the chain's opening with pop-up and contracted 300 locations across the United States.[18] Donaldson also announced that a portion of each order would be donated to charities helping to ensure food security worldwide.[19][20]

MrBeast Burger rapidly rose to popularity after it was announced. Shortly after the video was uploaded, it reached the #1 trending spot on YouTube, and the corresponding MrBeast Burger apps rose to the top spot on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. The apps were downloaded at such a rate that servers became overwhelmed, causing temporary service outages for some users.[21] The issue was fixed shortly thereafter. Due to its surge in popularity, almost all of the pop-up and contracted 300 locations reported running out of food on the first night.[22]

Map of countries where MrBeast Burger is available (Outdate)

Three months after its opening, MrBeast Burger passed 1 million burgers sold.[23][24]

On April 26, 2021, MrBeast Burger announced a partnership with YouTuber Dream involving the introduction of a new limited-time Dream Burger featuring two smashed beef patties, American cheese, lettuce, mayo, bacon, two pickles, and smashed avocado.[25]

On October 7, 2021, Christopher Hedgecock filed a class action complaint against Virtual Dining Concepts. Hedgecock claimed to have been overcharged by $3.16 on a Beast Style Burger Combo, despite Oregon law prohibiting the charge of sales tax on fast food.[26][27][28]

On March 18, 2022, Donaldson uploaded a video on his MrBeast 2 channel, titled "I Made 100 People Try This!". It featured the release of the newest item on the MrBeast Burger menu, the Shrek Quesadilla. Universal Studios had allowed him to license the Shrek IP. The quesadilla consists of two beef patties, cheese, pickles, and onions.[29]

Expansion

The American Dream Mall holds the first MrBeast Burger restaurant in the United States.

Since its initial opening, plans for the expansion of MrBeast Burger locations have been announced.[5] Following complaints from fans who did not live in areas served by delivery, Donaldson acknowledged the issue and stated that efforts were underway to double and triple the number of locations.[6]

The first locations in Canada were opened in early February, with locations in Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary,[30] with additional locations opening shortly after in Vancouver, Halifax and in Winnipeg. The first locations in the United Kingdom (UK) opened in early May, with five locations.[31]

On August 30, 2022, Donaldson announced that he would bring a MrBeast Burger shop to the American Dream Mall in East Rutherford, New Jersey, near New York City, to be the location of his first U.S. restaurant.[32] The restaurant then proceeded to open on September 4, 2022,[1] where thousands of patrons flooded the mall so much so that New Jersey state troopers were called in to control the crowd situation.[33]

It also opened its first Southeast Asian virtual location in the Philippines in partnership with JustKitchen Philippines and GrabFood on March 22, 2023.[34][35]

MrBeast Burger has over 300 virtual locations across the US mainland, and a location in Puerto Rico.[36] In 2023, the business came to Mexico.[37] In 2024, the chain debuted in Brazil.[38] Since 2023, the chain serves in Colombia.[39]

Reception

Quality concerns

Upon opening, MrBeast Burger received mixed reviews.[40] Many customers shared their opinions on Twitter, with some praising the chain[41] while others complained of poor service and long waiting times.[42] Additionally, accusations surfaced that chains were serving uncooked food.[43][44][45]

Although many customers tried to contact Donaldson to express their complaints directly, others came to Donaldson's defense and redirected the blame to the restaurants preparing the orders. Because the chain is operated as a ghost kitchen, the orders are cooked by staff of the contracted restaurant,[46][47][48] hence the quality of an order can be dependent on the location it was ordered from. Donaldson addressed the complaints on Twitter, stating, "I'll be the first to admit we are not perfect!...[S]ome people had problems and I will gladly refund them and do what I have to to make it right!"[49]

Benefit to struggling restaurants

MrBeast Burger became a second source of revenue for struggling restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic.[21] The chain featured a menu that easily suits many restaurant kitchens without the need for new equipment or training. One location outside Dallas reported earning over $7,000 on their first day open.[50][51] Most of the restaurants that Beast Burger operates from are Buca di Beppos, Bertucci's, and Bravo! Italian Kitchens,[52][53] but other restaurants can also apply to become a MrBeast Burger location.[54]

Lawsuit

On June 17, 2023, after a fan tweeted a query on the deletion of the MrBeast Burger announcement video, Donaldson replied, stating that he is "moving on from MrBeast Burger" to "focus on Feastables and making snacks". He said he regrets signing "a bad deal" with Virtual Dining Concepts, LLC, but said the company "won't let me stop even though it's terrible for my brand". Donaldson's replies were deleted soon after.[55][56][57][58]

On July 31, 2023, Donaldson filed a lawsuit against Virtual Dining Concepts for breach of contract. Donaldson's complaint stated his belief that the company behind his chain has failed to uphold the quality he so desired, alleging that it was more focused on its own growth than the quality of the venture's product. The filing also stated that Virtual Dining Concepts trademarked MrBeast without the knowledge of Donaldson, and because of such, Donaldson has not received any compensation from MrBeast Burger.[59][60][61][62][63]

Virtual Dining's lawyers quickly dismissed the complaints and alleged that Donaldson's allegations are "riddled with false statements and inaccuracies", noting that Donaldson recently attempted to negotiate a new contract with Virtual Dining. The firm, represented by Greenberg Traurig, further claims that Donaldson used "bullying tactics" in order to escape from his existing contractual obligations without sensible reasoning. Virtual Dining "had hoped Mr. Donaldson would act honorably", but said he had "elevated greed over his word and the truth", and that he "will face the consequences in court when Virtual Dining files it [sic] claims against him". The case will be heard in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, with no judge assigned as of yet.[64][65][66]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Kanzler, Kaitlyn (September 4, 2022). "Beast Mode at American Dream: MrBeast Burger opens first location to thousands of fans". North Jersey Media Group. Woodland Park, NJ , USA. Archived from the original on September 5, 2022. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
  2. ^ "Sweden". MrBeast Burger. Archived from the original on June 21, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
  3. ^ "MrBeast Burger Crashes the Virtual Dining Scene". QSR magazine. December 21, 2020. Archived from the original on October 20, 2022. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  4. ^ Weiss, Geoff (November 3, 2021). "MrBeast Burger Adds Vegan Options In Partnership With Impossible Foods". Tubefilter. Archived from the original on November 22, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  5. ^ a b Perine, Aaron (December 20, 2022). "MrBeast Announces Plan to Expand MrBeast Burger Restaurants". comicbook / irl. Archived from the original on October 21, 2022. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  6. ^ a b MrBeast [@MrBeastYT] (December 20, 2020). "I see your tweets and I'm trying to double and triple the amount of restaurants asap! I want you all to be able to try a MrBeast Burgers" (Tweet). Retrieved March 24, 2021 – via Twitter.
  7. ^ Post, Susan (January 7, 2021). "YouTuber MrBeast Brings Burgers to Columbus". Columbus Underground. Archived from the original on October 18, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  8. ^ "YouTube Star Brings "Ghost Kitchen" Burger Chain to Pasadena – Pasadena Weekendr". The Pasadena Now WEEKENDR. December 22, 2020. Archived from the original on October 18, 2022. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  9. ^ Zwiezen, Zack (January 10, 2021). "I Accidentally Ordered Burgers From A YouTuber". Kotaku. Archived from the original on October 17, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  10. ^ a b Olphin, Olivia (November 11, 2020). "Mr Beast Burger: YouTuber takes over Burger Boy restaurant for a good cause". The Focus. Wilson Daily Times. Archived from the original on October 20, 2022. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  11. ^ Gwilliam, Michael (January 5, 2021). "MrBeast's manager explains how MrBeast Burger & restaurants were picked". Dexerto. Archived from the original on December 2, 2022. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  12. ^ Tierney, Kevin (November 26, 2020). "Second Seamless page pops up with Plymouth Meeting Mall's address. Plus, more on Flavortown". MoreThanTheCurve. Archived from the original on October 16, 2022. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  13. ^ Written at Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India. "Burgers with a side of iPads? YouTuber opens fast-food chain, gives away money, gadgets". The Indian Express. New Delhi, India: Indian Express Limited. December 22, 2020. OCLC 70274541. Archived from the original on October 18, 2022. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  14. ^ Weiss, Geoff (December 21, 2020). "MrBeast's Latest Video Stunt Spawns Nationwide, Delivery-Only Burger Chain". Tubefilter. Archived from the original on October 20, 2022. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  15. ^ "10,000 People Swarmed a New Mall Restaurant. The Owner? YouTuber MrBeast". Bon Appetit. September 6, 2022. Archived from the original on December 4, 2023. Retrieved December 4, 2023.
  16. ^ Behr, Felix (December 28, 2020). "This YouTube Star Just Started His Own Burger Chain". Mashed.com. Archived from the original on December 3, 2022. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  17. ^ "This American YouTuber pays people to eat a burger at his newly opened restaurant - Times of India". The Times of India. Mumbai, Maharashtra, India: The Times Group. December 23, 2020. ISSN 0971-8257. OCLC 23379369. Archived from the original on October 16, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  18. ^ Donaldson, Jimmy (December 19, 2020). I Opened A Restaurant That Pays You To Eat At It (Video). MrBeast. Event occurs at 9:31. Archived from the original on February 7, 2023. Retrieved January 26, 2020 – via YouTube.
  19. ^ "This YouTuber pays people to eat at his restaurant". www.businesstoday.in. December 24, 2020. Archived from the original on October 21, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  20. ^ "You Can Now Order MrBeast's Delivery Only Burgers in Dallas, Houston, Austin and Surrounding Cities". Texas is Life. January 8, 2021. Archived from the original on February 12, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  21. ^ a b Watson, Amie (January 7, 2021). "The Untold Truth Of MrBeast Burger - Mashed". Mashed.com. Archived from the original on January 18, 2021. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  22. ^ Wilusz, Ryan (January 8, 2021). "Charitable YouTube star MrBeast is selling food out of a Knoxville ghost kitchen". Knoxville News Sentinel. Archived from the original on August 14, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  23. ^ Guzkowski, Joe (March 12, 2021). "Breaking Down MrBeast Burger's first 1 Million Burgers". Restaurant Business Online. Archived from the original on November 27, 2022. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  24. ^ "Ghost Kitchen". KROC. December 2022. Archived from the original on June 5, 2023. Retrieved October 24, 2023.
  25. ^ "MrBeast Burger Releases New Dream Burger". QSR magazine. April 26, 2021. Archived from the original on October 16, 2022. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
  26. ^ "Class Action Claims Mr. Beast Burger Charged Hidden Tax on Fast Food in Oregon". ClassAction.org. October 11, 2021. Archived from the original on August 2, 2023. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
  27. ^ "Hedgecock v. Virtual Dining Concepts, LLC" (PDF). ClassAction.org. October 7, 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 22, 2021. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
  28. ^ "MrBeast Burger Surcharge Tax Class Action Lawsuit - Illegal Hidden Tax". Consider the Consumer. October 19, 2021. Archived from the original on November 6, 2023. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
  29. ^ "MrBeast Burger goes green with the Shrek Quesadilla". March 16, 2022. Archived from the original on October 20, 2022. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  30. ^ Doradea, Karen (February 8, 2021). "MrBeast burgers are now available in Canada". dailyhive.com. Archived from the original on December 26, 2022. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
  31. ^ Cooney, Bill (May 11, 2021). "MrBeast Burger is now officially available in the UK". Dexerto. Archived from the original on February 7, 2022. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  32. ^ Pries, Allison (August 30, 2022). "MrBeast Burger picks American Dream as location of its first restaurant". NJ.com. NJ Advance Media. Archived from the original on August 30, 2022. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
  33. ^ "Over 10,000 Mr Beast fans showed". Mashable. September 6, 2022. Archived from the original on December 4, 2023. Retrieved December 4, 2023.
  34. ^ "YouTube sensation MrBeast's burger chain coming to PH". ABS-CBN News. March 21, 2023. Archived from the original on March 21, 2023. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  35. ^ "MrBeast Burger Comes to Philippines". GameOPS. March 21, 2023. Archived from the original on March 21, 2023. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  36. ^ Kantrow-Vázquez, Michelle (December 14, 2022). "MrBeast Burger opens 1st 'ghost kitchen' in Puerto Rico". News is my Business. Archived from the original on December 15, 2022. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  37. ^ Arteaga, José Roberto (May 18, 2023). "Este es el plan de MrBeast Burger y Foodology en México" [This is the plan of MrBeast Burger and Foodology in Mexico]. Forbes México (in Mexican Spanish). Archived from the original on June 18, 2023. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  38. ^ "MrBeast Burger desembarca no Brasil: meta de 60 mil hambúrgueres no primeiro mês". CNN Brasil (in Portuguese). Retrieved May 22, 2024.
  39. ^ "Las hamburguesas de MrBeast llegan a Colombia: ¿cuánto valen y dónde comprarlas?". El Espectador (in Spanish). Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  40. ^ Perine, Aaron (January 15, 2021). "MrBeast Burger Quality Debated by Fans". Comicbook / irl. Archived from the original on October 21, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  41. ^ Marston, Jennifer (December 22, 2020). "MrBeast Burgers' Overnight Success Actually Holds Some Lessons for Aspiring Virtual Restaurants". The Spoon. Archived from the original on October 18, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  42. ^ Upadhyay, Nayna (December 19, 2020). "What is the cost of a MrBeast Burger? Customers say it looks like a 'dirty diaper' but 'tastes pretty great'". meaww.com. Archived from the original on October 17, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  43. ^ "This Popular New Burger Chain Is Being Called Out for Terrible, Raw Food". Eat This, Not That. May 18, 2021. Archived from the original on June 20, 2021. Retrieved June 20, 2021.
  44. ^ "Fans accuse MrBeast Burger of selling raw food, and the internet is divided". Sportskeeda. December 21, 2020. Archived from the original on May 12, 2021. Retrieved June 20, 2021.
  45. ^ Oh Seo-rin (May 14, 2021). ""모르고 먹었나" 유튜버 영국남자 조쉬·올리, 햄버거 리뷰 중 곰팡이 핀 빵에 당황". TopStarNews (in Korean). Archived from the original on May 25, 2021. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  46. ^ Roman, Mandie (December 22, 2020). "We ordered the MrBeast burger and it was...fine". InvenGlobal. Archived from the original on December 22, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  47. ^ Corbett, Julia (December 23, 2020). "MrBeast Burger Comes to Reading". thereadingpost.com. Archived from the original on May 16, 2021. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  48. ^ Camba, Janelle. ""MrBeast Burger": Good Food for a Good Cause". The Treaty. Archived from the original on October 18, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  49. ^ MrBeast [@MrBeastYT] (December 20, 2020). "I'll be the first to admit we are not perfect! An overwhelming majority of people are happy with their orders but yeah, some people had problems and I will gladly refund them and do what I have to to make it right!" (Tweet). Retrieved March 24, 2021 – via Twitter.
  50. ^ Caplan, Anna (December 21, 2020). "YouTuber MrBeast brings delivery-only burger chain to Dallas area, and business has been 'crazy'". The Dallas Morning News. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved January 27, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  51. ^ Borden, Noah (December 30, 2020). "You Can Finally Get Mr. Beast's Famous 'Deliver-Only' Burgers In Dallas". www.narcity.com. Archived from the original on February 12, 2023. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  52. ^ Barnes, Steve (January 4, 2021). "YouTube star MrBeast launches 300 takeout/delivery restaurants at once". Albany Times Union. Archived from the original on October 20, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  53. ^ Klein, Michael (December 23, 2020). "YouTube star MrBeast hits the Philly area with ghost kitchens delivering burgers and chicken". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on December 5, 2022. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  54. ^ Rojas, Angel (January 25, 2021). "Famous YouTuber MrBeast creates a fast-food chain overnight | University News". info.umkc.edu. Archived from the original on May 17, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  55. ^ Robson, Shay (June 17, 2023). "MrBeast "moving on" from Beast Burger restaurants after just two years". Dexerto. Archived from the original on June 18, 2023. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  56. ^ Das Mahapatra, Tuhin (June 20, 2023). "'I can't guarantee the quality of the order,' MrBeast regrets launching Beast Burger, Shifts focus to feastables amid". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on June 27, 2023. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  57. ^ PYMNTS (June 21, 2023). "Is MrBeast's Pivot From Burgers to CPG Bad News for Influencer-Helmed Brands?". PYMNTS. Archived from the original on June 27, 2023. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  58. ^ Strozewski, Zoe (June 21, 2023). "Controversial Burger Brand MrBeast May Be Closing Up Shop". Eat This Not That. Archived from the original on January 17, 2024. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  59. ^ "YouTuber Jimmy "MrBeast" Donaldson sues company that developed his burgers - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. August 2, 2023. Archived from the original on August 3, 2023. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  60. ^ Heil, Emily (August 1, 2023). "YouTube star MrBeast sues ghost kitchen partner over 'inedible' food". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
  61. ^ Rosenblatt, Kalhan (July 31, 2023). "MrBeast sues his food delivery partner over 'low quality' food". NBC News. Archived from the original on August 1, 2023. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
  62. ^ Fantozzi, Joanna (August 2023). "MrBeast sues Virtual Dining Concepts parent company over 'disgusting' MrBeast Burger food". Nation's Restaurant News. Archived from the original on December 21, 2023. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  63. ^ Moyer, Matthew. "YouTube star MrBeast now countersued by Orlando-based virtual kitchen". Orlando Weekly. Archived from the original on August 12, 2023. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
  64. ^ Maruf, Ramishah (August 2, 2023). "MrBeast sues to shut down the ghost kitchen-produced MrBeast Burger". CNN. Archived from the original on August 3, 2023. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  65. ^ "MrBeast sues food company over 'revolting' burger". BBC News. August 1, 2023. Archived from the original on August 1, 2023. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
  66. ^ "VDC response to MrBeast". DocumentCloud. August 1, 2023. Archived from the original on August 4, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2023.