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Restaurant chain revives famous 'lost murals' through Snapchat AR

Campaign in place in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month

Stock image: giftpundits.com/Pexels

Well, this is just about the coolest use of Snapchat we’ve heard of yet.

For National Hispanic Heritage Month, which is underway now through mid-October, the chain restaurant El Pollo Loco -- which has locations in California, Nevada, Arizona, Texas, Utah and Louisiana -- is using augmented reality to bring back some of Los Angeles’ “lost murals,” as they’re called.

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The restaurant explained its plan, and the reasoning behind the undertaking, on its website.

“For generations, the vibrant murals of central and east Los Angeles have been an important, and culturally significant aspect of our city's Latino communities,” El Pollo Loco said. “Due to increasing gentrification and commercial development, many of these works of art have been whitewashed, painted over or lost to history. (We are) working with our communities to ensure the legacy of our city's great murals endures through digitally restoring lost murals and donating our storefronts as permanent canvases.”

So … what does that mean, exactly? Check it out.

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So essentially, you open the Snapchat app, tap to activate the World Lenses feature and point the phone at one of these walls, which is blank in real life. But on the screen, the old murals should appear.

The website provides a list of where exactly these murals are located in L.A.

So although this isn’t exactly local, maybe you have a friend in the area, or perhaps you’re planning a trip to the West Coast for the next few weeks.

The campaign is expected to last throughout Hispanic Heritage Month, which ends Oct. 15.

[READ NEXT: 5 Instant Pot dishes to make for Hispanic Heritage Month | 10 Spanish-speaking TV shows you should be streaming on NetflixHow did Hispanic Heritage Month come to be? ]