The Next Industry Giant to Get Involved in Virtual Reality? McDonalds.

Follow Our Foodsteps

When you think about the businesses taking advantage of cutting-edge virtual reality (VR) technology, McDonalds probably doesn't immediately come to mind. You might remember that the company did reveal a Happy Meal box that doubled as a set of Google Cardboard-type VR goggles earlier this year. Kids (or Happy Meal-loving big kids) could play a skiing video game using the glasses.

Well, the fast food giant is utilizing VR in a unique way. The UK chain of the restaurant has revealed "Follow Our Foodsteps," a marketing campaign that uses Gear VR and the Oculus Rift to educate consumers about its work with farmers to produce its menu. 

If you're located in the UK, you'll have the opportunity to catch a stop on the seven-month tour and try out the interactive displays to learn more about the McDonald's production line.

 

VR Partners

For the VR side of the campaign, McDonald's partnered with UK-based make[REAL], which produced, among other things, a two-player tractor driving minigame named Top of the Crop. Using the Oculus Rift and a steering wheel, players harvest potatoes and try to maintain an even load. make[REAL] told Upload VR that it was even able to extend both the Rift and tracking sensor’s reach via 10m active USB and HDMI cables, to move them both outside of the truck.

Using the Gear VR, visitors can view 360 degree videos made in partnership with FutureVisual that follow an organic dairy farm and free-ranger egg producer. There’s also an immersive cinema experience to view inside the tour truck.

As make[REAL]’s Sam Watts told Upload VR, the team set about creating the VR content with the help of “progressive young farmers” that was also tested by real-world farmers to check for authenticity. Now then, all of that said, it seems that we won't be taking a tour through a McDonalds' slaughterhouse (which probably surprises no one).

Your move, Burger King.