A recent visit to a Filipino-Hawaiian restaurant in Austin has sparked a conversation about the use of generative AI in small business branding. The diner, who shared their experience online, expressed deep disappointment after discovering the restaurant had replaced its original menu with AI-generated images.
The restaurant was recommended to the author a few months ago by someone they met at an AANHPI event. A friend who had eaten there multiple times previously enjoyed the menu. The group, which included artist friends fresh from a doodle date meetup, looked up the menu online before heading over.
As a Filipino-American, the author said they always feel curious about Filipino restaurants because many dishes are family-style comfort food. It is interesting to see what foods appear on the menu.
The disappointment was immediate. The restaurant had revamped its menu with AI, and the author described the result as "ill," "uncanny," and "UGH." The author noted that they frequently work with small businesses in Austin and believe this decision came from complete ignorance rather than a sense of ownership over art or design they did not create. People see a button and press it, they said.
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The AI-generated images of the plates were described as disturbing and uncanny. The author apologized to readers for subjecting them to such "slop."
Before arriving, the author considered ordering the adobo plate but pivoted to spamsilog instead, craving comfort food. The plate cost only $10. The author noted they could make it at home but often lack the patience to get the spam really crispy, and they also get too lazy to make sinangag (garlic rice). At home, they use low-sodium spam.
The author shared a comparison of the ugly AI picture of the plate versus the real plate. Despite the disturbing AI image, the actual food tasted just like waking up at home and having their mom cook spam for breakfast.
This experience created a conflict for the author. They love to support and shop at small, local businesses, but they have seen more and more of them using generative AI in their signage. While they understand many small businesses operate on slim margins, the author said they would rather read a whole menu in Comic Sans, Papyrus, or Curlz MT than this garbage.