What Are Edible NFTs And Can You Actually Eat Them?
There's no doubt that NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, have held everyone's attention. But it seems some forms of NFTs might be easier to grasp than others — such as edible NFTs. Taking a step back, NFTs are unique objects that are generally held in a digital format and bought and sold through blockchain, according to The Verge. This allows the buyer to own something that is truly one-of-a-kind that no one else can have. Edible NFTs, however, are challenging the limitations of the digital concept.
Garrido's Bistro claims to have minted the very first edible NFT on March 21, 2021. Frank's RedHot also launched their own edible NFT in January as a joke (via The Takeout). Naturally, the two paths to achieving edible NFTs, or eNFTs, were quite different and resulted in their own conclusions. Frank's RedHot, backed by Eli Manning, asked fans to earn "Bonecoin" by snapping photos of their leftover chicken wing bones and submitting them through Bonecoin.com to earn the cryptocurrency and gain chances to win free food.
Whoever won the free wings Manning was giving out in New York did ultimately get to eat their eNFT.
Most edible NFTs are actually edible
The original eNFT by Garrido's Bistro was more flexible than Frank's RedHot. Their eNFT was of a Strawberry Supreme milkshake that the bistro made and took nearly 300 hi-res photos of before it melted away. After turning the photos into an NFT, the buyer could then choose to keep it as an NFT or redeem it for the real milkshake at the bistro as an eNFT. After sharing additional eNFTs on Rarible, the bistro announced that funds would help the restaurant stay open. The team even added that they considered opening a "Garrido's Crypto Bistro."
Other brands, such as Coca-Cola and Taco Bell, that have experimented with the digital space have created more traditional NFTs such as digital art rather than anything that could ultimately be consumed. So, if you see your favorite restaurant is offering an "edible NFT," chances are you will be able to consume the food at some point. Read the fine print, however, to clarify if food and beverage brands are simply joining the trend by offering NFTs or if their eNFT is something you can trade in for the real thing.