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Why restaurant operators should reserve a spot in the metaverseWhy restaurant operators should reserve a spot in the metaverse

The metaverse is and will be the next generation of social media, the new home of the digital loyalty program and a massive branding opportunity for restaurants of all sizes

Joanna Fantozzi, Senior Editor

May 23, 2022

11 Min Read
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The metaverse — the Internet 3.0 playground that is often followed in the same breath by buzzwords like Web3, cryptocurrency, NFTs and blockchain — is Schrodinger’s digital universe: It simultaneously exists and does not exist (yet). 

To a pre-teen, the metaverse is just a virtual platform where they can play online games and meet up with their friends virtually using programs like Roblox. To a marketing executive, the metaverse is an opportunity to dial up their brand’s social media presence to a whole new digital three-dimensional level. To a science-fiction fan, our first foray into the metaverse is just the start of a semi-dystopian future where people spend more time with their headsets strapped on escaping into a virtual reality uni...

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About the Author

Joanna Fantozzi

Senior Editor

Joanna Fantozzi is a Senior Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality. She has more than seven years of experience writing about the restaurant and hospitality industry. Her editorial coverage ranges from profiles of independent restaurants around the country to breaking news and insights into some of the biggest brands in food and beverage, including Starbucks, Domino’s, and Papa John’s.  

Joanna holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature and creative writing from The College of New Jersey and a master’s degree in arts and culture journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY. Prior to joining Informa’s Restaurants and Food Group in 2018, she was a freelance food, culture, and lifestyle writer, and has previously held editorial positions at Insider (formerly known as Business Insider) and The Daily Meal. Joanna’s work can also be found in The New York Times, Forbes, Vice, The New York Daily News, and Parents Magazine. 

Her areas of expertise include restaurant industry news, restaurant operator solutions and innovations, and political/cultural issues.

Joanna Fantozzi has been a moderator and event facilitator at both Informa’s MUFSO and Restaurants Rise industry events. 

Joanna Fantozzi’s experience:

Senior Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (August 2021-present)

Associate Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (July 2019-August 2021)

Assistant Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (Oct. 2018-July 2019)

Freelance Food & Lifestyle Reporter (Feb. 2018-Oct. 2018)

Food & Lifestyle Reporter, Insider (June 2017-Feb. 2018)

News Editor, The Daily Meal (Jan. 2014- June 2017)

Staff Reporter, Straus News (Jan. 2013-Dec. 2013)

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