To celebrate Pride month, Just Eat has partnered with renowned drag queen Dr Cheddar Gorgeous to launch its VIQs (Very Important Queens) club, a new initiative aiming to fuel and support the nation’s drag performers during the busiest month in their calendars.
With the average drag performer set to perform over 350 shows across Pride month, Just Eat analysis has revealed the UK’s drag community are estimated to deliver 14.4 million lip syncs this June.
And with the average UK drag performer clocking up 20,000 steps a night across Pride month performances, in June they’ll be set to complete a total of 600,000 steps – the equivalent of walking from London to Edinburgh.
Further insight reveals the nation’s performers can burn a further 1,000 calories from marching in the highest of heels during a two mile pride parade – burning more calories than a 5k run. With all of this making for hungry work, the launch of VIQs will ensure the show does go on.
Helping to keep drag energy levels stacked higher than their hair this Pride, the exclusive club will see hundreds of Drag Queens and Kings kept fuelled and fabulous with free Just Eat to get them through the month.
Just Eat enlisted the help of Cheddar and LGBTQIA+ fitness expert Matt Boyles to develop the findings, which aim to shed light on the superhuman endeavours of the drag community during Pride month.
From slaying in heels for hours on end, to splits, jumps and sashaying away at the end of the night, the nation’s estimated population of 40,000 Drag Queens and Kings are some of the hardest working performers, averaging 2,500 calories burned per night during Pride – their entire daily allowance.
This is in part driven by the elaborate attire of the drag queen aesthetic as practises such as using foam hip pads, wearing multiple pairs of tights and perfecting the art of squeezing into a ridiculously tight corset, almost doubles the energy expenditure of a performance, leading to 550 calories (minimum) estimated to be burnt in just 25 minutes.
To qualify as a member of the exclusive VIQ club and enjoy the £15,000 worth of vouchers Just Eat are pledging, drag performers simply need to share their social handles by emailing JustEatVIQs@MischiefPR.com to showcase the werk they’re putting in this Pride. Email entries will be accepted until 23.59 on 25th June and eligible performers will be served on a first come basis.
Queens will be able to order whatever their heart desires – whether it’s hairspray or bobby pins to keep them tucked in, to an Italian extravaganza to carb-load ahead of an evening of performances. Berocca to help recover the morning after a big night, or an indulgent sweet treat to keep energy levels up throughout the day.
Drag Queen, Dr Cheddar Gorgeous says, “It’s time to recognise how much work goes into drag performing. It is the best job in the world, but that’s not to say that carrying your own weight in make-up around the country sometimes does make it feel like well… a drag! Whilst you see us serving all our energy on stage, off it, we need to ensure we recharge and are ready for the next gig.
“‘I’m beyond thrilled to partner with Just Eat to launch VIQs to help all of you, my gorgeous girls, stay fuelled this month of months! Whether it’s ordering a nutritious meal before a performance or soaking in a hot bath with some Epsom salts for post-show recovery, you gotta do it. But don’t commit the cardinal sin and forget to treat yourself to free Just Eat, my fellow queens”.
Victoria Gold, UK&I Marketing Director at Just Eat says, “This Pride campaign is all about demonstrating and celebrating our allyship with the LGBTQIA+ community. Just Eat strives to deliver joy with every dish and satisfy every food and grocery craving, so we couldn’t be more excited to be launching VIQs, offering drag performers the much needed joyful boost when they may be needing it the most. As sponsors of the London Pride parade on 29th June, as well as Pride Parades around the world, we want to work hard to help everyone – customers, colleagues, couriers and partners – to feel safe, valued and celebrated.”
Advice from LGBT+ fitness expert Matt Boyles on how Drag Kings and Queens can power through their performances includes:
- Morning Glory – Start the day with smashed avocado toast from Momos, with a poached egg (or two) on top. With fresh avocado giving the queens the healthy fats that one needs, and eggs providing a strength-building protein, it’s an ideal way to kick off the day.
- Grains for gains – Alternatively, some overnight oats packed with loads of nutrient-rich fruits delivered from Sainsbury’s, will certainly set them up for the day. Packed with blueberries and raspberries for the bursts of flavour and health, oats for those slow-release carbs and almond milk to soak it all through sprinkled with chia seeds for some protein and good fats.
- Yass please – For the lunchtime fuel, queens could indulge in a Poke Bowl from Honi Poke. Balancing all the nutrients a drag queen needs – a poke bowl is filled with protein for muscle repair, carbs for energy, fruit and vegetables for life-enhancing nutrients and flavour packed sauces to make it as delicious as possible.
- Slaying all day – For an afternoon pick me up, an energy boosting smoothie from Joe & The Juice, will come in right when it’s needed. In place of all those burnt calories, fill it with all the essential and tropical nutrients – pineapple, passionfruit, banana, flaxseeds and coconut milk.
- Snack on that – A day in the life of a drag queen is long and an evening snack between shows is essential to keep her fuelled and hydrated. Here’s when a bottle of Huel from Co-op will come in handy. A high in protein meal in a bottle that’s easy to digest and will allow for a steady stream of slow-release energy to power through the night.
Standing in allyship with the LGBTQ+ community, any unclaimed funds from the VIQ initiative will be going directly to The Pride in London Unity Fund. A non-for-profit organisation designed to strengthen the LGBT+ communities by providing support to grassroots organisations in London that work directly to improve the lives of LGBT+ people.
For pre-show meals, and everything else, order directly through the Just Eat app, or online. Download the app here.
