Just Eat's AI apocalypse raises a glaring question
Copy link Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Lots of gastronomy businesses have gone all in on unappetising AI food imagery, but surely even the most enthusiastic slop purveyor would baulk at the…
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Copy link Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Lots of gastronomy businesses have gone all in on unappetising AI food imagery, but surely even the most enthusiastic slop purveyor would baulk at the Just Eat AI fail. The food delivery app's implementation of very literal text-to-image generation saw restaurants' menus filled with grotesque fantasy creations.Just Eat has apologised and said it was removing the images. But what was it thinking?As reported by the BBC, images spotted on the Just Eat app in the UK include a bacon and egg soda bread cocktail at a Northern Ireland cafe and a 'jacket potato' represented by an actual jacket with pictures of baked potatoes on it.Latest Videos FromCreative BloqWatch full video here: Other gems included a plain garlic bread shaped like a plane because of a typo, a bowl of tiger cubs (tiger prawns, apparently), a literal toad in the hole and a 'lighter' breakfast depicted as a cigarette lighter.A lighter breakfast from r/JustEatUKAI Vs reality from r/JustEatUKjusteatuk from r/JustEatUK/comments/1x8mxyr/jumping_on_the_ai_image_bandwagon_lol"Popcorn" chicken from r/JustEatUKPlate of allergens from r/JustEatUKTriple egg score? from r/JustEatUKTinned tomatoes in soft roll ≠ cheese and tomato baguette, refund refused from r/JustEatUKCost of living and that… from r/JustEatUKChopsticks anyone? from r/JustEatUKA post shared by Gina Weaver (@ginaweaver_)A post shared by Simon Harris (@simonharris_mbd)https://t.co/fs8ENxgihbOctober 23, 2026https://t.co/B0SiRJ7RzzOctober 23, 2026If I found out a particular restaurant was using AI to create images for its food, I just wouldn't eat there. Actually, even the fact @JustEatUK are trialling this out is already making me think of avoiding the app from now on. #JustEat #AI #food https://t.co/5OV94zwUzKOctober 21, 2026Just Eat is really late to this party. Its rival Uber Eats went through this embarrassment almost three years ago. The technology has advanced massively since then, but somehow Just Eat managed to roll out an even worse implementation. On social media, people have been asking how a $4bn company managed to mess up so badly and how it could roll out such a risky feature without properly testing it.But there's also an even more obvious question: why? Even if the AI 'worked' as intended and generated an image of the perfect Platonic ideal of each dish, using fake product photography for food seems like a guaranteed way to cause disappointment and complaints from customers.Users have already been sharing screenshots on social media, showing 'AI vs reality' comparisons, with some complaining that Just Eat has refused to issue refunds despite the actual product ordered not even remotely resembling the AI hallucination.Get the Creative Bloq NewsletterSign up to Creative Bloq's daily newsletter, which brings you the latest news and inspiration from the worlds of art, design and technology.That's not the fault of the business making the food when the false impression was created by an AI image foisted on it by the app. They join the growing list of businesses suffering because of automatic AI-generated images pushed on their products on platforms as varied as Amazon and Reddit. TOPICS Joe Foley Freelance journalist and editor Joe is a regular freelance journalist and editor at Creative Bloq. He writes news, features and buying guides and keeps track of the best equipment and software for creatives, from video editing programs to monitors and accessories. A veteran news writer and photographer, he now works as a project manager at the London and Buenos Aires-based design, production and branding agency Hermana Creatives. There he manages a team of designers, photographers and video editors who specialise in producing visual content and design assets for the hospitality sector. He also dances Argentine tango. View More You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. Logout LATEST ARTICLES 1 Why do AI platforms want humans to design their branding? 2 These premium earbuds have a game-changing feature that Apple AirPods will never get 3 How Ben & Jerry's became a beacon of brand bravery 4 The Atlanta Falcons 'Nazi' logo controversy strikes again 5 6 niche horror posters that are sharper than the originals
