A restaurant chain is accepting the sell-out 'Prime' energy drink instead of CASH - after the craze for the hit drink saw it vanish off shelves. The George Pub and Grill restaurants are all accepting unopened bottles of the much sought-after beverage in exchange for food and drink.
The group is valuing each bottle of the drink, fronted by Youtube stars KSI and Logan Paul, at £6 each, meaning customers could pay for a Wagyu Cheeseburger with 95p and two bottles of the drink. Demand for the product, which is sold exclusively by ASDA, the Prime online store and Emirates Stadium, has seen school bans after black market trading, teens making a mad dash at store opening times, and bottles selling on eBay for £25 each.
Owner and 'Dad Loves Food' blogger Craig Harker said that while he's getting his hands on a now-rare product, he plans to do competition giveaways and thinks kids should be treating their parents to a meal in return for the effort spent sourcing the product.
The George Pub and Grill owner Craig Harker, 35, with his card machine at the ready for customers to exchange food and drink for a bottle of the sought-after Prime energy drink, which he's valued at £6 each (Kennedy News and Media)
Craig, 35, said: "It's easier to get your hands on gold and diamonds than Prime at the minute.
"For me, when people go online and put money on crypto and stocks and shares that's something you can't feel. I'm getting my hands on something that's there, and has a price tag on it.
"Straight away it's got value, and right now that value is more than the recommended retail price, which is £2.
"If these parents have rushed out to buy a load of Prime, then I think the kids can now turn around and treat the parents to a meal and pay in Prime bottles, which is massively cost effective for them."
The food blogger said that the craze is equivalent to the release of the Playstation back in 1994, and joked that his stock will be kept in a 'secret location' and moved around by armoured van.
Dad-of-three Craig said: "It's absolutely nuts. I haven't seen a craze like this probably since the PlayStation came out.
"I think kids do naturally like energy drinks but it's also two of the biggest YouTubers in the world doing it - like Logan Paul jumping out of an aeroplane drinking a bottle.
The George Pub and Grill owner Craig Harker exchanging a drink for one of the sought-after Prime energy drinks, which he's valued at £6 each (Kennedy News and Media)
"I can understand why ASDA put the three bottles maximum on it because kids are going crazy for it - it's obviously hit home with them because they're rushing to the aisles like Usain Bolt and clearing them in no time.
"Fair play to them for getting up early morning to get something they want that's very rare at the minute.
"I think I'll keep the stock in a vault in some secret location, and move it around in an armoured van.
"I wonder how much security costs, and whether I can pay them in Prime?"
