A recent visit to a Filipino/Hawaiian restaurant revealed a disappointing AI-generated menu redesign. The author, a Filipino-American, expressed dismay at the "uncanny" and "ugly" AI-generated images of the dishes. This trend is concerning as the author frequently works with small businesses and observes a lack of ownership when adopting AI-generated art and design without understanding its impact.

Despite the visually unappealing menu, the food itself, like the $10 spamsilog plate, tasted like home-cooked comfort food. However, the author prefers traditional, even poorly designed, menus over the "garbage" AI creations. This experience highlights a growing concern about the proliferation of AI in small business aesthetics, even while acknowledging the financial pressures businesses face. The author would rather see menus in fonts like Comic Sans than these disturbing AI visuals.

The restaurant's AI menu, despite its flaws, is part of a larger trend of small businesses adopting generative AI for their branding and presentation, often without a clear understanding of the artistic and aesthetic implications. This is a growing point of contention for consumers who value authentic design and local craftsmanship, even in the face of economic challenges for small businesses.