Virtual brand Great American Cookies debuts under the management of Virtual Dining Concepts
Virtual Dining Concepts (VDC), the innovative company behind popular virtual brands such as MrBeast Burger and Pardon My Cheesesteak, is growing its portfolio with the addition of Great American Cookies. Known for its large cookie cakes, the brand is now focusing on individual cookies, offering five flavors: chocolate chip, sugar, red velvet, cookies and cream, and snickerdoodle.
In a strategic partnership with Fat Brands, VDC will operate the Great American Cookies virtual brand, while Fat Brands continues to support the chain's brick-and-mortar shops. The delivery-only service is already available at about 200 of Chuck E. Cheese's 470 locations, with the rest set to follow next week.
Leveraging Established Brands and Advanced Technology
VDC's growth strategy revolves around partnering with established brands, like Great American Cookies and Chuck E. Cheese, and integrating advanced restaurant technology for seamless delivery operations. The company deploys its proprietary technology platform, including Linked Eats—an AI-powered automation and delivery operations system—to streamline menu management, pricing, marketing, and real-time decision-making.
This approach allows partner restaurants to easily add virtual brands alongside their core operations without extra complexity or staff training, facilitating fast onboarding and operational efficiency.
Expanding the Virtual Brand Portfolio
By acquiring and launching multiple virtual brands such as Man vs. Fries and Empanadas United, VDC diversifies its offerings and addresses different food categories and customer segments, increasing reach and revenue opportunities for both VDC and its restaurant partners.
Enhancing Revenue Streams for Partners
The virtual brands enable restaurants to grow their sales and customer base without investing in new physical infrastructure or disrupting their in-store operations. Partner kitchens keep the revenue from delivery orders fulfilled under the virtual brands, creating additional income paths.
A Boost for Chuck E. Cheese
The introduction of Great American Cookies is expected to help Chuck E. Cheese drive incremental sales both for off-premise and, eventually, in-store. The cookies, which start at $2.49 each, are generating an average of $500 to $750 in weekly sales per unit for Chuck E. Cheese, with some sales exceeding this amount.
The Rise of Virtual Brands
Virtual brands took off during the pandemic as a means for restaurants to generate additional revenue streams when dining room capacity was limited. Despite a slight cooling off of the trend, with Pasqually's no longer in operation, VDC is still growing and expanding its reach in the delivery-only food sector.
Customers can order the cookies via third-party delivery apps either individually or in packs of up to 50. Seasonal and limited-time options will also be offered.
Sources:
[1] Virtual Dining Concepts. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://virtualdiningconcepts.com/
[2] Great American Cookies. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.greatamericancookies.com/
[3] Linked Eats. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://linkedeats.ai/
[4] Fat Brands. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.fatbrands.com/
[5] Chuck E. Cheese. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.chuckecheese.com/
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Joe Guszkowski, a senior editor with Restaurant Business, covers technology and casual-dining chains.
In line with its strategic growth, Virtual Dining Concepts (VDC) plans to integrate advanced technology and partner with established brands like Great American Cookies to expand its virtual brand portfolio. Drawing on technology like Linked Eats, VDC aims to simplify menu management, pricing, marketing, and real-time decision-making for its restaurant partners.
In addition to Great American Cookies, VDC's portfolio includes food-and-drink brands such as Man vs. Fries and Empanadas United, catering to various tastes and customer segments, and enhancing the overall lifestyle experience for consumers through superior food-and-drink offerings, complemented by seamless technology.
