For once we are truly shocked that no one thought of this sooner.

The brand new Manhattan Latin-American restaurant Comodo found a way to turn the world’s favorite hobby—playing with food—into a slick promotional tool. We know that everyone loves to take Instagram pics of their organic meatloaf and artisanal watermelon agave mojitos, so why shouldn’t restaurants use those photos to hype their products? It’s free PR, which just happens to be everyone’s favorite kind!

The plan is simple: Comodo put the #ComodoMenu hashtag on the bottom of its standard print menus, encouraging diners to take their own photos and, by using the hashtag, add them to a growing “virtual menu” made up of customers’ own pics. We’re generally as cynical as the next blog, but this is a pretty cool idea. And yes, there’s a video:

The “Instagram Menu” manages to combine direct marketing with social media and narcissism! It’s a winning combination!