Just Eat faced online criticism after its artificial intelligence system generated nonsensical images for restaurant menu items on its food delivery platform. The company had been testing AI technology to create pictures for dishes that lacked existing photography. The results frequently misinterpreted text descriptions, producing surreal and inaccurate representations of food offerings.
Among the problematic images were a bacon and egg soda bread dish depicted as a carbonated beverage with floating egg and bacon, and chips appearing to emerge from muffins. Additional confusion arose from spelling errors on menu listings, such as garlic bread rendered as an airplane shape. A cheese roll item was transformed into slabs of cheese arranged sushi-style. A Just Eat representative confirmed the platform was actively removing these faulty images and halting further AI generation pending technological improvements.
The company stated it works with thousands of small restaurants on food imagery, including funding professional photographers. A spokesperson acknowledged that AI-enhanced images were being trialed and noted that new technologies often require refinement before delivering optimal results. The incident underscores challenges companies encounter when deploying AI systems to interpret context-dependent language and visual concepts.
Users on social media platforms, including Just Eat’s UK subreddit, shared the unintentionally amusing results. While some found the erroneous images entertaining, others expressed concerns about the practical implications. Critics questioned whether customers would prefer AI-generated representations even if accurate, noting that seeing authentic food images helps inform ordering decisions. One commenter suggested that unrealistic AI depictions could lead to customer disappointment when comparing expectations to actual meals received.
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