Just Eat pauses AI menu image trial after bizarre food pictures spark social media backlash
Just Eat, the UK food delivery platform, has apologised and paused its trial of AI-generated menu images after the technology produced bizarre pictures that went viral on social media. The AI was meant to help smaller restaurants without professional photography budgets by automatically generating images from menu descriptions. However, the system misinterpreted listings in unusual ways — showing bacon and eggs floating in cola for a soda bread sandwich, sushi rolls filled with cheese for a cheese roll, and chips baked into muffins. While all AI images were labelled as such on the app, customers questioned why artificial pictures would be used at all instead of real food photos. Just Eat said it was removing the inaccurate images and would continue developing the technology before rolling it out further, emphasizing it wants restaurants to show photos that accurately reflect their dishes.
Key facts
- Just Eat paused its AI menu image trial on October 22, 2026, after bizarre images circulated on social media including Reddit and Instagram account uknewestfoods
- AI-generated images included bacon and eggs floating in cola for bacon and egg soda bread, a jacket covered in potato images for jacket potato, and sushi rolls with cheese for cheese roll
- The trial was designed to help smaller independent restaurants afford menu images without professional photography costs
- All AI-generated images were clearly labelled as such on the Just Eat app
- Just Eat confirmed it was removing inaccurate images and would not create new ones until the AI system was significantly improved
- The company noted it already funds professional photographers for thousands of small restaurant partners
Limits of this briefing
Limited diversity of political perspective found; this story was covered primarily as a technology and business issue rather than through distinct ideological lenses. Right-leaning outlets' coverage not substantially found in search results.
Sources
- BBC News: Just Eat apologises for AI food mistakes after social media ridicule Centre
- TechRadar: Just Eat's AI put bacon and eggs in a glass of cola — and it's exposed a much bigger problem with AI Centre
- Grocery Gazette: Just Eat halts AI food imagery trial after bizarre menu pictures spark backlash Centre
- Restaurant Online: Just Eat apologises for surreal AI generated food images Centre
- The Grocer: Just Eat pauses AI imagery trial in wake of 'rank' outputs Centre