AI-Generated Menu Photos Turn Off US Diners, Some Restaurants Face Backlash

Some US restaurants are using AI-generated menu photos, but many diners find them unappealing and potentially misleading. Jill Sennett, a nurse in Denver, shared an AI menu image from a Jamaican BBQ pop-up on X, where the meat looked like belts covered with beetles, sparking over 500 shares and disgusted reactions. Restaurants say AI helps cut costs as food and labor prices rise. A 2026 report by the National Restaurant Association shows 26% of operators use AI for marketing, inventory, and scheduling.

In San Francisco, Grind & Unwind cafe faced graffiti after using AI menu boards; owner Lindsay Lozano removed them and spent $700 repainting. Chugwater Soda Fountain in Wyoming went viral for vowing to never use AI, posting hand-drawn burger images on Instagram, earning over 200k likes. Oxford professor Charles Spence's 2024 study found diners prefer AI food images when unaware, but find them less appealing once told. AI also tends to add fatty elements, potentially influencing subconscious choices. DoorDash offers AI image tools but bans misleading photos and adds an "AI-enhanced" label.