For Jack in the Box Inc., the warm smell of marijuana is rising in the air.
As California prepares for legal recreational pot on Jan. 1, the fast-food chain is partnering with a digital media company backed by rapper Snoop Dogg on a new “munchie” meal aimed at cannabis enthusiasts. While marijuana’s connection to fast food is well-established, Jack in the Box will become the first national chain to explicitly embrace the drug.
The “Merry Munchie Meal,” which will be available at three California locations for a week in January for $4.20, features two tacos, french fries, onion rings, five mini churros, three chicken strips and a small drink. The price isn’t random: The number 420 is used as a code by potheads.
Jack in the Box, with more than 2,200 restaurants, has struggled amid intense competition from a resurgent McDonald’s and its chief burger rivals, Burger King and Wendy’s. Earlier this month, the San Diego-based company agreed to sell its Qdoba chain to the private equity firm Apollo Global Management LLC.
Legal weed may be just the thing to help regain some buzz.
“We are about welcoming all of our guests, no matter what they’re craving or why they’re craving it,” said Iwona Alter, the chain’s chief marketing officer.
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