AI-Generated Menu Images Spread Beyond Apps to Physical Signage

The rise of AI menu imagery

Restaurants are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence to generate images for their menus, creating a wave of uncanny food photography that has become impossible to ignore. From taco trucks displaying alien-looking tacos to pizza shops using identical AI-generated images on delivery apps, the phenomenon has spread from digital platforms to physical storefronts.

According to reporting by WIRED, these AI-generated images often feature distinctively off-putting characteristics: random holes throughout dishes, otherworldly cuts of meat, or food that appears as if drawn by someone who has never actually eaten it. The trend represents an evolution of what some have called the "ChatGPT flyer pandemic," where businesses rushed to adopt AI tools without considering quality.

Brendan Sweeney, CEO of digital marketing software company Popmenu, observed five different pizza restaurants using the same AI-generated image on Uber Eats. He argues that restaurants using "completely inauthentic" and "obviously AI" images are making worse decisions than skipping photography entirely.

Why it matters

The proliferation of low-quality AI imagery signals a broader shift in how restaurants make decisions about their offerings. While ugly photos grab attention online, AI's influence on menus extends far beyond aesthetics—data platforms are now using AI to determine what foods restaurants should sell and how to market them, potentially homogenizing culinary offerings based on algorithmic predictions rather than chef creativity or local tastes.

AI decides what's on the menu

The impact of AI on restaurant menus extends well beyond image generation. Tastewise, a major food and beverage data insights company partnering with Nestlé, PepsiCo, and Kraft Heinz, offers "agentic" automations for the entire food creation process.

The company's TasteGPT tool uses billions of data points to help restaurants and food manufacturers decide what products to develop and sell. The platform identifies trending flavors—currently flagging dates as a "standout rising star" in plant-based snacks and tracking the trajectory of ingredients like ube, which may be "past its peak."

Michael Bortinger, Tastewise's director of marketing and partnerships, explained that the platform helps companies understand "what consumers are doing with food, what's actually happening on menus and in the retail landscape." The system can track competitors' protein-enhanced offerings or suggest new concepts based on market gaps.

The business pressure behind AI adoption

The shift toward AI-generated content stems from the digitization of restaurant operations. As more consumers order delivery through apps, restaurants face pressure to create visual content for online menus without paying for professional photography. Many appear to be using free or low-capability AI tools rather than more sophisticated models that can produce photorealistic images.

A recent poll from Toast found that approximately 85 percent of restaurateurs currently feel comfortable using AI tools and plan to expand their use. However, a backlash is emerging, with some popular local restaurants going viral for posting handwritten notes refusing to use AI-generated promotional materials.

Sweeney advocates for a middle path: using AI to enhance smartphone photos of actual food rather than generating entirely synthetic images. "AI can now very easily patch those up, plate them all the same, and make the lighting consistent," he said, suggesting this approach maintains authenticity while achieving professional presentation.

These details were first reported by Reece Rogers at WIRED.