YouTube personality MrBeast is taking legal action against Virtual Dining Concepts, the company behind his branded line of fast food, which includes the MrBeast Burger. He claims that the food provided to customers was “inedible.” In 2020, Virtual Dining Concepts collaborated with James Donaldson, also known as MrBeast, to launch the menu from “ghost kitchens” – essentially storefronts without a physical presence that operate from existing restaurants.
According to Donaldson’s lawsuit, Virtual Dining Concepts prioritized expanding the MrBeast food line over maintaining quality control. The consistently poor quality of the food allegedly harmed MrBeast’s reputation. The lawsuit quotes negative reviews from MrBeast’s fans, who described the food as “revolting” and “likely the worst burger [they] have ever had.” The news was first reported by Bloomberg.
The lawsuit states, “As a result, MrBeast Burger has been regarded as a misleading, poor reflection of the MrBeast brand that provides low-quality products to customers that are delivered late, in unbranded packaging, fail to include the ordered items, and in some instances, were inedible.” Donaldson claims that he and his team expressed concerns about the food, but Virtual Dining Concepts did not address them.
Donaldson has utilized his online fame to promote a range of other products, such as branded basketballs, hoodies, and Feastables, a line of cookies and chocolate bars.
Since 2020, MrBeast Burger has gained popularity, with a grand opening event in New Jersey attracting 10,000 people eager to try the YouTuber’s food. Donaldson himself attended the opening and promoted it. Over 1,700 restaurants nationwide fulfill MrBeast Burger orders. Donaldson is now seeking to terminate the business partnership through legal means.
Virtual Dining Concepts has not yet responded to requests for comment.
Ghost kitchens, which experienced significant growth during the pandemic, have recently faced challenges. Earlier this year, Uber Eats removed numerous virtual restaurants and implemented stricter rules to combat spam. Despite concerns about quality, businesses continue to enter the virtual restaurant industry. Even TikTok has experimented with online-only restaurants operating from local Chuck E. Cheese locations.