Are you guilty of photographing your food to post on social media? You may not realize it, but those posts are helping out restaurants.
Voodoo Doughnut in Denver, Colorado is one shop that has received free advertisement, thanks to their ‘Instagramable’ doughnut creations.
Cat Daddy and Tres Shannon, the owners of the world-famous doughnut shop, say when they started, it was all about luring customers in with their eccentric aesthetic.
"Kind of like we've created this colorful, crazy psychedelic place that sort of lends its self to take pictures in front of,” says Shannon.
“Everyone is into the esthetic of their Instagram and how your pictures look together, so if the food matches your Instagram, that looks good," says one patron.
Having free advertisement on social media platforms helps business, and restaurants need all the help they can get. 60 percent of new restaurants don't make it past the first year, according to an Ohio State University study.
That's why other spots are cooking up their own unique creations.
Chomp Eatery and Juice Station in Santa Monica have the “Unicorn Melt,” a spin on the grilled cheese sandwich.
Black Tap in New York is popular for what it calls their “Crazy Shakes.” You can't help but take a pic of these eye-catching foods.
The owners of Voodoo Doughnut believe social media posts has helped their business reach a wider audience.
"It definitely helps business. You have so many people talking about the product or the space as you say inside or outside,” Shannon says.
But for a lot people, a great picture can't replace great food.