Consumers are increasingly encountering AI-generated images on restaurant menus, and many are finding the pictures off-putting. Social media users have highlighted examples in which meats appeared leathery or crawling with insects, and bread items took on a reptilian texture rather than the warm, appetizing look diners expect.
A recent post by Jill Sennett, a 37-year-old nurse from Denver with about 26,000 followers on X, illustrated the backlash. During a lunch break she shared images said to have been produced by artificial intelligence for a Jamaican barbecue pop-up, writing that the meat looked like 'leather belts crawling with tiny beetles.' The post was reshared more than 500 times and drew similar expressions of disgust.
Social media reaction has underscored a broader unease about how AI tools are being used to represent food. Eating is widely regarded as a sensory, communal activity, Sennett told her followers, and many commenters echoed her view that menu photography that appears 'horrific' or 'uncanny' undermines that essential experience.
The controversy raises questions for restaurateurs and food marketers about when and how to use AI-generated imagery. While some establishments may see AI as a quick or inexpensive route to produce visuals, customers' responses suggest a potential trade-off between convenience and the ability of images to stimulate appetite and convey authenticity.
As the use of AI in visual content production grows, the incident highlights how quickly generated imagery can be amplified online and how public taste — particularly around food, which relies heavily on texture and color cues — may react against synthetic aesthetics. Restaurateurs and designers will likely face increasing scrutiny over the look of menu items as these technologies become more common.