Restaurants Trigger Backlash Over AI Menu Images as 26% of Operators Adopt the Technology
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Sep 6
Restaurants Trigger Backlash Over AI Menu Images as 26% of Operators Adopt the Technology
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Sep 6
Summary
500-plus reshares amplified one Denver nurse’s post mocking AI-generated barbecue menu images, highlighting a growing diner backlash against pictures many call unappetizing, uncanny and misleading.
26% of restaurant operators now use AI for tasks including marketing, according to the National Restaurant Association, as eateries turn to cheaper tools instead of paying designers while food and labor costs stay high.
$700 was spent by San Francisco cafe Grind & Unwind to paint over graffiti after temporary AI signage drew ridicule online and on Reddit, showing how quickly the reaction can spill offline.
200,000 likes went to a Wyoming restaurant’s pledge never to use AI images, while Food & Wine’s editor said automation may help behind the scenes but visible AI food art is a "real turnoff" for diners.
A 2024 Oxford study found people liked AI food images less once told they were machine-made, underscoring concerns that disclosure, trust and even portion cues could shape how diners judge menus.