Joanna Fantozzi

Grubhub announced on Thursday a partnership with First We Feast’s Hot Ones, the YouTube talk show where celebrities eat progressively spicier chicken wings. The popup delivery concept in partnership with virtual restaurant platform Mealco is only available for a limited time in the New York City market to celebrate the 300^th episode of Hot Ones. Select communities across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens will be able to order wings coated in the hot sauces seen on the current season of the show.

“First We Feast is excited to bring the ‘Hot Ones’ experience directly to our fans in NYC through our pop-up delivery with Grubhub to celebrate the 300th episode,” First We Feast general manager Chris Schonberger said in a statement. “For years, fans have asked to try the iconic ‘Hot Ones’ menu for themselves, and we can’t wait to bring the heat straight to their doors through our collaboration with Mealco’s virtual restaurant technology for this epic milestone.” 

Diners can choose from six or 12-piece wings for between $13-$24 and spicy crispy chicken or plant-based chicken sandwiches coated in sauces that include Los Calientes Rojo (tropical spicy flavor), The Classic Chilli Maple, and The Classic Garlic Fresno, alongside fries and drink options, and an apple fritter for dessert.

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“The opportunity to deliver the impressive cultural fandom of ‘Hot Ones’ directly to fans’ front doors through this collaboration is just another way Grubhub is committed to making moments more joyful with delivery,” Liz Bosone, Grubhub’s vice president of restaurant success said in a statement.

With the Grubhub/Mealco partnership, this type of technology could be used to deliver “as seen on TV” meals to fans so they can try what they’re seeing on screen. Although not quite in the same category, DoorDash announced a partnership with streaming service Roku in February where interactive shoppable ads were implemented on Roku’s interface so that restaurants can partner with DoorDash/Roku to target and measure TV streaming ads on Roku-enabled devices. The first brand to partner with DoorDash on this year-long experiment was Wendy’s, which offered Roku users who see the ad $5 off and purchase of $15 or more.

"Roku provides a platform to continue meeting consumers where they are – often times watching their favorite shows and movies,"  Rob Edell, general manager and head of consumer engagement at DoorDash," told Nation's Restaurant News. 

In the past, before being purchased by Uber Eats in 2020, Postmates was known for implementing delivery partnerships that coincided with pop cultural TV moments, like when the company offered themed lunches delivered from Jewish delis in honor of a season premiere of Amazon Prime’s "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" in 2019, and the year before, Postmates also offered delivery from “Los Pollos Hermanos,” the fictional chicken restaurant in "Better Call Saul" and "Breaking Bad."  

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More recently, in June, Netflix opened an in-person popup restaurant in Los Angeles this month called Netflix Bites, featuring meals from chefs that were on Netflix cooking shows like “Chef’s Table” and “Nailed It.”

These type of partnerships between restaurant delivery platforms and streaming services or TV shows bring us ever-closer to the possibility of tasting what you watch on TV. Imagine a cooking competition show offering fans the ability to order whatever the winning chef cooked on-screen or special menus that coincided for one-night-only with TV show finales. With the technology of ghost kitchens and the metaverse in play, this could make food delivery platforms even more relevant and appealing to the average diner choosing between going out or staying in for dinner.

Contact Joanna Fantozzi at [email protected]