AI food images are spreading on restaurant menus

Some restaurants are using AI tools to create or enhance food images for menus, posters, and social media, according to a CBC report from Toronto. The trend has drawn criticism from diners who say some of the images look unrealistic or misleading. Restaurant owners and marketing professionals interviewed in the story say AI can help reduce costs and save time in a difficult business with thin margins. One franchise marketing manager said staff photograph real dishes and then use AI to improve texture and freshness before publishing the images. Experts quoted in the article say the main concern is not AI itself, but whether the finished image accurately reflects the product customers will receive. They note that food advertising has always involved staging and editing, though overly altered visuals could still hurt trust if they misrepresent the meal.