Restaurants face backlash over odd looking AI-generated menu images

In short: More restaurants are using AI-made food images on menus and ads, and many people say the pictures look strangely fake and all start to look the same.

What's going on

Restaurants are turning to generative AI, which is software that can create new images from a written prompt (like asking a computer to “draw a burger menu”). The goal is often to make menus look more polished, without hiring a photographer or designer.

But customers are noticing a common look. Food appears perfectly symmetrical, overly smooth, and sometimes a little unsettling, even when it is not obviously fake. One expert quoted by TechCrunch compared it to “an alien trying to make a pizza” without understanding what makes a pizza look right.

TechCrunch reports this sameness can happen because these AI systems learn by studying huge collections of existing images. Then they copy the patterns that show up most often. If many training images look like familiar fast food menus, the AI tends to recreate that style, like a student who only studies one textbook.

The article also points to a problem that can get worse with repeated edits. If a restaurant keeps tweaking an AI-generated menu image, the food can become more rounded and less realistic over time.

What to watch

Researchers have found that “almost real” AI food pictures can trigger an uncanny valley effect, meaning something looks close to real but still feels off, and that can cause discomfort. If customers keep reacting negatively, restaurants may return to real photos or clearer illustrations. More businesses may also use tools that try to spot AI-made images, especially as people become less sure they can trust what they see online.

Source: TechCrunch AI