Jack In The Box Hopes You’ll Get High And Eat Their Food

California legalization is hitting all sectors of the retail market, as fast food company Jack in the Box partners up with cannabis media company MERRY JANE to introduce the limited-edition MERRY Munchie Meal. Playing off the tired trope of the “late-night stoner cravings,” itself popularized by Jack in the Box’s late-night menu, the two companies hope to cash in on a market that experts predict could reap almost $18 billion by 2021. On sale for a short amount of time only, the meal will be available at three of the chain restaurant locations in California.

Packed with quite possibly the greasiest foods known to man, the meal will include an incomprehensible combination of fast food staples. According to a statement put out by MERRY JANE, the new late night snack will consist of “halfsies” which consists of half french fries and half onion rings, two tacos, five mini churros, three crispy chicken strips, and a drink. It will retail for an amazingly low (and completely unironic) $4.20.

“Jack’s Munchie Meals have been successful for us because of the authenticity of how we speak to our customers,” commented Jack in the Box’s Chief Marketing Officer Iwona Alter. “This partnership is one more way for us to connect with them — whether you’re at a concert, up late playing video games, or pulling an all-nighter. We are about welcoming all of our guests, no matter what they’re craving or why they’re craving it.”

Jack in the Box is just one example of how cannabis legalization may create a boost for the broader economy. A report in The Boston Globe last year quoted a 2016 study from the Marijuana Policy Group on the effect of legalization on Colorado. The study concluded that $2.40 in economic activity resulted from every dollar spent on recreational and medical marijuana.

“In Colorado, we found security services got a good bump,” said Adam Orens, co-author of the study in an interview with The Boston Globe.

He continued to list the industries that benefited from the repeal of prohibition.  “There is a whole class of specialized lawyers, and consultants — like me — that have done well. There’s real estate. We saw the cannabis industry rent a lot of B- and C-class retail space, and also transform a lot of industrial space,” he said, adding that packaging companies also saw more business,” he continued.

As The Boston Globe reported, the possibilities for ancillary businesses are endless when it comes to legalized cannabis. There is everything from scientist to research the drug to security guards for protection, to a new class of lobbyists to descend on Washington. Even local Chefs may want to know the latest marijuana recipes.

As for Jack in the Box, despite the contents of the package, the company is well-suited to engage the new marijuana economy. The images may be cliché, but they do bring in revenues. As noted in their statement, Jack in the Box has a history of engaging with cannabis culture that includes their Two Tacos for 99 cents commercial and their Munchie Meal product line.

“Launching the MERRY Munchie Meal is the perfect way for both companies to celebrate legalization in our shared home state of California,” remarked Chief Operations Officer of MERRY JANE Scott Chung. “MERRY JANE is the industry leader bridging mainstream brands and legal cannabis culture. Leveraging our Emmy-nominated content production, MERRY JANE has created a campaign with Jack in the Box that marries our brands’ voices.”