{"id":931437,"date":"2026-10-17T12:16:15","date_gmt":"2026-10-17T12:16:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/931437\/"},"modified":"2026-10-17T12:16:15","modified_gmt":"2026-10-17T12:16:15","slug":"common-sight-outside-takeaway-shops-leaves-aussies-feeling-ripped-off","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/931437\/","title":{"rendered":"Common sight outside takeaway shops leaves Aussies feeling ‘ripped off’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Australians<\/a> have been warned that using AI-generated images<\/a> to sell food could backfire, with a marketing expert cautioning small businesses<\/a> that the short-term strategy could leave customers feeling ripped off.<\/p>\n

As AI continues to transform how Aussies work and live<\/a>, businesses are finding new ways to save time and money with tools at their fingertips.<\/p>\n

Australian National University marketing expert Dr Andrew Hughes has warned<\/a> that doing so could damage a business’s reputation<\/a> if the food customers receive fails to match what is shown on shopfront posters.<\/p>\n

“If they’re lying about the quality of the image of their food, what else are they lying about?” Hughes told Yahoo News Australia.<\/p>\n

\"\"The risk of leaving customers feeling ripped off<\/p>\n

Hughes explained that using AI-generated images in food advertising could create unrealistic visuals that don’t reflect what a business sells on the plate.<\/p>\n

He said appearance, colours, size or portions of a dish can exaggerate the product.<\/p>\n

“The gap between what you expect and what you get is going to be quite large and very negative. You’re going to feel ripped off, basically,” he said.<\/p>\n

“My advice is just make it authentic. \u2029<\/p>\n

RELATED<\/p>\n

“I understand the need of people to do it, and it’s been done for a long time; you look at how fast food hamburgers are advertised compared to what the reality is. It’s always different, right? \u2029<\/p>\n

“AI is a little different, I think you have to be really careful with how you use it as it gives a false impression.”<\/p>\n

\"AI-generated<\/p>\n

An AI-generated promotional poster in Melbourne showcases food, raising questions about how accurately businesses represent their products. Source: Yahoo News Australia\/Reddit-GrenouilleDesBois<\/p>\n

Hughes said that the images could make a business appear “lazy, unprofessional” and raise doubts about the experience customers could expect.<\/p>\n

The AI shortcut that could cost businesses customers<\/p>\n

The marketing lecturer warned that businesses chasing short-term gains through AI-generated images risk losing customers in the long run if they damage trust, with disappointed diners potentially spreading negative word of mouth.<\/p>\n

Do you have a story? Contact newsroomau@yahoonews.com<\/a><\/p>\n

He said businesses needed to be particularly careful when using images to convince new customers to visit, because those pictures helped shape expectations before they walked through the door.<\/p>\n

“The important point is to tell people you’re using it in the first place,” Hughes said.<\/p>\n

“If you’re using AI to promote your brand more externally, to entice them to come in through the front doors, that is where you need to be very careful.<\/p>\n

“Because people will base their expectations on why they’re coming in the first place on what they’ve seen.”<\/p>\n

Yahoo News has reached out to several venues about their use of AI.<\/p>\n

Why small businesses are turning to AI<\/p>\n

Despite the risks, Hughes said he understood the appeal of AI, particularly for small businesses looking to cut costs amid ongoing cost-of-living pressures.<\/p>\n

“I can understand why people do it,” he said.<\/p>\n

“AI has really brought down the cost of marketing and advertising substantially.<\/p>\n

“You don’t have to pay for a professional photographer\u2026 you’ve got your own advertising marketing team through AI, which is substantially less cost.”<\/p>\n

\"AI-generated<\/p>\n

AI-generated food imagery offers businesses a cheap way to attract customers, but experts warn it could backfire if expectations aren’t met. Source: Supplied\/Reddit-wgerie<\/p>\n

Hughes noted an important difference between using AI to improve genuine images and generating food images from scratch.<\/p>\n

“If you have your own content and you ask AI to clean that up, that’s different compared to asking AI to generate an image for you,” he added.<\/p>\n

The cost-saving appeal of AI food images<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, National President of Restaurant & Catering Australia, John Hart, said rising costs had made AI an understandable option for Australian businesses to tap into.<\/p>\n

“Small hospitality operators are under enormous cost pressure, and professional photography and marketing support is a cost many simply can’t justify,” he told Yahoo News Australia.<\/p>\n

“AI tools are cheap, fast and accessible, so it’s understandable that operators look to them as a way to keep their marketing fresh without adding to overheads.<\/p>\n

“Customers are buying an experience, and showing real people in the real venue builds trust and appeal in a way that a perfect plate of food, AI-generated or otherwise, rarely does.”<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

AI tools can offer hospitality businesses a cheaper way to create promotional material amid rising operating costs. Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n

(Asanka Ratnayake via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Hart added that the key consideration was whether promotional images accurately represented what customers would receive.<\/p>\n

“The test is whether the image fairly represents what the customer will receive,” he said.<\/p>\n

He urged businesses to ensure their promotional images matched the food they served.<\/p>\n

“Make sure any image fairly reflects the dish you actually serve \u2013 portion, presentation and ingredients.<\/p>\n

“If in doubt, ask: would a customer feel misled if they compared the image with what arrives at the table?”<\/p>\n

You can also follow us on Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, TikTok<\/a>, X<\/a> and YouTube<\/a>.<\/p>\n