AI-generated food images spark backlash for unappetizing aesthetics on restaurant menus

Restaurant menus are increasingly populated with AI-generated food images that consumers describe as uncanny, unappetizing, and even disgusting, often labeled as 'AI slop' online.

The trend spans digital platforms like Uber Eats and DoorDash as well as physical menus in coffee shops and delis, where low-quality AI outputs stand out for their poor aesthetic quality.

Many restaurants are turning to free or default settings of basic chatbots to generate these images, prioritizing cost and speed over visual appeal, according to Brendan Sweeney, CEO and cofounder of Popmenu, a digital marketing software company for restaurants.

Sweeney warns that using obviously AI-generated images can harm a restaurant’s appeal more than foregoing photography entirely, as consumers associate such images with inauthenticity.

Beyond images, AI tools are influencing menu decisions by analyzing food industry data to suggest trending flavors, product concepts, and competitive strategies, as demonstrated by Tastewise’s 'agentic' automation tools.

Tastewise, which partners with companies like Nestlé, PepsiCo, and Kraft Heinz, offers a chatbot-style tool called TasteGPT that provides food-specific insights, such as identifying 'dates' and 'cake-flavored plant-based snacks' as trending items.

Despite the backlash, a recent poll from Toast found that around 85 percent of restaurateurs feel comfortable using AI tools and plan to expand their use, reflecting ongoing tension between automation and authenticity.

Some restaurants are pushing back against AI-generated menus by posting handwritten notes or emphasizing their refusal to use synthetic images, contributing to a cultural rejection of 'AI slop'.