Restaurants Use AI Food Pics, Spark Online Backlash
AI-generated food images are causing controversy as restaurants face criticism for their unsettling visuals.
2 min read
Restaurants across the U.S. are increasingly using AI-generated food photos to promote their dishes, sparking online backlash over their unsettling and grotesque appearance. While AI tools help small businesses save time and money, the resulting images have drawn sharp criticism from customers and food critics alike.
AI Enhances, But Not Always Perfectly
Daisy’s Diner and Bar in Brooklyn uses AI to enhance real food photos, according to owner Jordan Beau. “All of our food is shot live by real people and we’re using AI to enhance it,” Beau said in a Wall Street Journal video. “That’s it.” The AI process has cut the time needed for image enhancement from hours to minutes, allowing the design team to focus on other tasks.
Despite the efficiency, some restaurants have faced criticism for their AI-enhanced visuals. San Francisco’s Grind & Unwind was mocked online after using AI-generated images on a temporary menu board. A Reddit user wrote, “Yum, slop,” while another criticized the coleslaw and bread as looking like reptile skin.
The backlash was so strong that the store was vandalized, with “seriously” spray-painted in red on the awning. Similarly, Chi-Town Deli in Chicago faced online ridicule for its AI-generated sandwich menu, with one writer for The Onion calling the Reuben “like vomit.”
Online Reactions Highlight Concerns
AI has tragically struck my local deli. Reuben in particular looks like vomit pic.twitter.com/oITqDoqlmG
This is the one that’s been giving me “the mega horrors” pic.twitter.com/zO9STy6Hvb
has anyone told restauranteurs that they don’t need to use the “crawling with maggots” setting when they ai generate their food images? https://t.co/9VTBaMoLYQ
Users have posted examples of AI-generated food images, with one describing the results as “Lovecraftian food horrors” referencing the horror author H.P. Lovecraft. Another user shared a photo of an AI-generated breakfast burrito, saying it had given them “the mega horrors.”
Some restaurants are resisting the trend, with Chugwater Soda Fountain in Wyoming refusing to use AI flyers or photos, stating, “We will not be using AI flyers or photos to promote ourselves.” The post received over 240,000 likes on Instagram.
Meanwhile, delivery platforms like DoorDash and Uber Eats have introduced AI tools to help restaurants enhance their menu photos. However, some users have pointed out that the AI-generated images can be too similar, with one Popmenu CEO noting that five different pizza places were using the same AI image.
Source: Daily Caller
