Nickelodeon and Paramount have launched a national promotion to celebrate the anniversary of one of its landmark cartoons: SpongeBob SquarePants — and nearly a dozen Dallas restaurants have been invited to participate.
Called the
Krabby Patty Kollab, it's a program involving more than 100 restaurants doing their own spinoffs of the iconic Krabby Patty, the cartoon's signature dish. According to a release, the promotion begins Tuesday, October 8, when select restaurants will offer a variety of interpretations, including dumplings, falafel, burgers, doughnuts, ice cream and more.
“SpongeBob SquarePants began his journey as a fry cook, flipping Krabby Patties in the pilot episode of the series 25 years ago, and the coveted patty has since remained an enduring fixture in Bikini Bottom,” said Sherry Liu, SVP Studio Franchise Strategy & Operations, Nickelodeon and Paramount. “Though its formula remains a secret, SpongeBob SquarePants fans will now be able to enjoy imaginative interpretations of the legendary Krabby Patty through this unique collaboration.”
The Krabby Patty Kollab program brings more than 100 renditions to life in over 250 local restaurants across New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta, San Francisco, Seattle, Miami, Las Vegas, Toronto, London, and Mexico City, and will be on menus through October 27.
The major player is Wendy's, the only fast-food chain involved, and they're doing a straightforward quarter pounder with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion, and secret sauce, plus a vanilla Frosty with a pineapple mango flavored puree swirl.
But the majority of restaurants participating are independent, with an emphasis on burger joints and bagel shops. Participating restaurants in Dallas include:
- Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer - New York-based burger & beer chain is doing a fried cheeseburger: a Prime burger with American cheese, special sauce, pickles, wrapped in housemade dough and fried, served on a stick; and 3-day potato salad, featuring potatoes, eggs, celery, onions, pickles, pickle juice, and mayo. Participating Black Tap restaurants include Dallas' Victory Park, New York, Miami, and Las Vegas at The Venetian.
- Brooklyn Dumpling Shop - New York-based dumpling chain
- Cris and John - Vietnamese street food shop in Richardson is doing an Asian inspired take with two Angus beef smash patties, American cheese, seaweed aioli, and pickled Asian cucumbers on a toasted sesame seed bun, served with fries drizzled with spicy mayo and seaweed flakes.
- Hat Creek Burgers - Austin-based burger chain
- Le Reve Gelato & Patisserie - North Dallas dessert shop is doing a cute version in which sweet ingredients are used to mock burger components: a vanilla sponge "Bun," a pineapple “Patty," crêpe “Lettuce," a strawberry mousse “Tomato," pastry cream “Cheese," ganache “Mayo,” puff pastry "Fries," and strawberry “Ketchup."
- Lubbies Bagels - East Dallas bagel shop is doing a juicy housemade seitan, with fresh veggie and select ferments, on a sesame kaiser roll with lettuce, tomato, onion, B&B pickles, slathered with a special miso mayo sauce, to be enjoyed with a side of twice-fried fingerlings and kim chi mayo
- Oomi Kitchen - Digital kitchen at 3510 Ross Ave. is doing a smashed beef patty, with cheddar cheese, grilled onions, tropical slaw, and pineapple aioli on a Hawaiian King Roll bun, served with crinkle-cut bacon cheese fries. (Oomi is doing a cool differentiator in that they are doing a full blown pop-up by decorating Oomi like The Krusty Krab.)
- Pacheco Taco N Burger - Burger pop-up inside Four Corners Brewery is doing a fairly classic burger — lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, cheese on a sesame seed bun — but with a secret sauce whose ingredients just may include horseradish and srirarcha for a little kick.
- Starship Bagel - Award-winning bagel shop with three locations in Dallas is doing a sesame bagel with an Impossible patty, lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickle, schmear, ketchup, hot sauce, sweet pickle relish, and vinegar. (This can be made 100 percent vegan just by removing the schmear.)
“The Krabby Patty Kollab” comes as Nickelodeon and Paramount continue to roll out a slate of 25th anniversary programs for SpongeBob SquarePants, including all-new original content across the Paramount ecosystem.
Since its launch July 17, 1999, SpongeBob SquarePants has generated a universe of beloved characters, pop culture catchphrases and memes, theatrical releases, consumer products, a Tony award-winning Broadway musical and a global fan base.