Google wants users to pin their photos of food on Google Maps

Earlier this year, there were reports that Google was working on a new service known as Tablescape that revolved around food, mostly user-uploaded photos of it. While that service was killed off before it even launched, Google made it clear to the people who beta tested Tablescape that some of the features would likely be making their way into existing Google services. It looks like Google Maps will be the first such service to receive some of Tablescape’s features, as the company is now pinning user-uploaded photos of food to restaurants on Google Maps. 

It seems like Google wants to know what you had for dinner. According to Android Police, the company is testing a new feature in its Maps app that will detect when photos are taken at restaurants and other places that serve food, and offer to attach them to the establishment’s location. For now, the feature is reportedly only available to Local Guides at “level three and above” — meaning people who’ve contributed more than 50 reviews as part of Google’s Local Guides program. The company trialed a food photography service called Tablescape earlier this year, but closed the app down in June, saying it would invest resources into other projects. In its last mail to Tablescape users, Google said the app’s closure didn’t mean the company was “giving up on food photography,” and noted that “you may see the influence of Tablescape in future apps.” While this new Maps option isn’t a full-fledged app, Google’s email to qualifying Local Guides calls for users to post photos of their “epic meals,” suggesting that it will be a new home for pictures of your plate. We live in a world where no one can eat food at a restaurant without first taking photos of it — it’s about time someone found a use for them.