Chili’s arcade-inspired video game slams rising fast food prices

Dive Brief:

Chili’s Grill & Bar is dipping into the nostalgia well with an online video game inspired by the ‘80s arcade title BurgerTime, according to a press release. The throwback concept digs at fast food restaurants that have jacked up prices.
In Chili’s Big Smasher BurgerTime, which has its own website, players step into the shoes of Joe ChiliHead as the pepper-shaped character tries to assemble the components of Chili’s Big Smasher Burgers while fending off mascots from fictional overpriced competitors.
Consumers with a My Chili’s Rewards account can race to achieve the highest score through July 14 for the chance to win free Chili’s burgers for life and an arcade cabinet of the game. Chili’s continues to ramp up marketing centered on value as consumers turn away from fast food due to price sensitivity.

Dive Insight:

Chili’s is promoting its Big Smasher Burger and 3 For Me value menu with a throwback video game pitting players against an “evil Fast-Food Syndicate.” While Chili’s Big Smasher BurgerTime doesn’t name any real-world competitors, it leans into a growing frustration that fast food brands — once an easy dining option on a budget — have gotten too expensive.

Nearly two-thirds (65%) of U.S. consumers have experienced sticker shock with fast food orders in the past six months while 78% perceive fast food as a luxury, according to a LendingTree survey of 2,000 adults published in May. Sixty-two percent of diners are eating fast food less often as a result of price hikes.

Some chains, including McDonald’s, are trying to address the price-driven pushback with new value menu offerings, but casual-dining companies like Chili’s and Applebee’s still see an opportunity to attract new business and boost their loyalty programs. Playing Chili’s Big Smasher BurgerTime requires submitting a phone number and password to sign up for My Chili’s Rewards. Agencies Jon Marshall & Daughters and Media.Monks led the marketing effort.

“We turned up the heat on fast-food when we dropped the Big Smasher Burger as part of our 3 for Me meal,” said George Felix, Chili’s chief marketing officer, in a statement. “We’re raising the stakes even more with our new Chili’s Big Smasher BurgerTime game, giving guests a virtual outlet to vent their very real frustrations with fast-food.”

Chili’s Big Smasher BurgerTime serves as a remake of BurgerTime, a video game originally released in 1982 under the title Hamburger in Japan. Chili’s take on the cult classic developed by Data East pays homage to the pixelated aesthetic of the original while improving audio-visual elements. It also ramps up the pace of play and introduces on-brand elements, including collectibles themed around Chili’s 3 for Me deal consisting of a beverage, starter and main course. Along with offering a grand prize of free burgers for life and a physical version of the game, Chili’s is giving the first 250 players who gather the 3 For Me bonus items a gift card covering a meal.