Great idea: Pizza delivery via pink balloon

While reading a great travel piece in the New York Times about enjoying Paris on a frugal budget, I happened across this paragraph:

By the water, there is a small pink dot of a helium balloon, bobbing in the intermittent breeze. The balloon is key. It was given to you by Pink Flamingo, a pizza parlor down the nearby Rue Bichat, whose bicycle deliveryman will use it as a beacon to locate you and present the five pies you’ve ordered (10.50 to 16 euros each). They’re not all for you, of course — you’ve got friends to help eat the pizza and drink the four bottles of red wine (40 euros) you picked up from Le Verre Volé, a wine bar across the canal.

Wait a minute — a pink balloon as a delivery marker? Genius! I checked the pizza restaurant’s website (French) for more details but it was a little sketchy. Still, under the “Pink-nik” section, they describe a delivery service that’s simple, practical and charming. I’ve (liberally) translated:

Relax! Let us deliver. Would you like to enjoy a delicious pizza picnic along the banks of Canal St-Martin? Order from Pink Flamingo! You’ll depart with a pink helium balloon, which will allow our deliveryperson to find you later. It’s our “pink-nik” service — like no other.

Seems like a fantastic idea for any restaurant that might be located adjacent to a park, or other gathering place. A helium balloon may not be the most environmentally-friendly item, mind you, but it’s probably better than driving a car.

(Photo from Meg Zimbeck’s photostream on Flickr. She also blogged about the Pink Flamingo here.)