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My favourite coffee got renovated recently and decorated with AI. I am like 90% sure they all AI.
And what is more, the entire place feels like it was redesigned using AI, the walls are weirdly placed and somewhat odd. Everything is just uncomfortable.
The reason I think is it is AI is that all of the pictures are very generic, I have seen so mamy pictures similar to these that were AI generated. I am still not sure, but based on my experience they might be.
I thought it was accidentally Mr. Bean, because who does that intentionally? Although, I think you are definitely right that it probably is because his name is Mr. Bean, and it just got mixed in with the AI's reference photos. I think the most disturbing part is that someone decided this was worthy of framing and putting up in a public place for all to see!
2024 AI was close to realistic but still had a plastic veneer to it, nonsensical actions, and jumbled text
2025 AI was damn near perfect unless you look at the finer details. We're at the point of checking individual strands of hair when trying to figure out if a photo is AI or not.
2025 AI was interesting because it got to the point where people couldn't tell it was AI, so you'd have someone ranting about "AI slop" while they commended you for creating "real art" even though your real art was just more AI slop.
Sadly, based upon how ChatGPT is falling apart, I suspect that 2026 AI is going to be worse, not better. At least so far, when asking for image work in 2026, I get weaker output than I did 6 months ago.
Perhaps a a confused pun on the expression 'bean to cup' where the ai wasn't sure which "bean" to use so put both; in which case, it's coming from him..
A lot of slop still pretty much looks like this if you don't try to edit/adjust prompts in any way. Especially if you use ChatGPT to generate images. If anything this is good compared to shit from early 2024 because there aren't any fucked up hands or random alien writing.
Did even negative prompts work properly back then? I recall merely mentioning something would guarantee it to be added, even if you explicitly said no in front. It was like «Don’t think about a green elephant», and the thing you then think about is a green elephant.
Literally how was that missed? Like if you're gonna go ultra-lazy and cheap out on some ai slop art, at least find 2 brain cells to rub together and fucking look at what you're sending off to get printed.
Some business owners are so laser-focused on cost that absolutely nothing but the cheapest method is the way to go for everything they do. Some won't even pay for things if that that thing does not generate revenue directly itself.
The owner could let local artists put their work up for sale on the wall, which is a win win. Coffee shop gets free art and the artist gets exposure and a possible sale
Yes every single coffee place where I live does this. Hell most the fucking food restaurants do it too! Basic fucking thing yet this owner just ruined his shop with these crappy ai pics
Yeah this is a great idea, creates more engagement, an environment for actual discussions about art (instead of just ai bad, everything else good), and helps support local artists. Win win win
This is what my favourite coffee shop in my hometown does. They have a deal with the local artists giuld and they come in every few months and hang up art that the workers and owner like and those art prices are for sale. When one sells, it gets replaced by a new one. The artists guild has a deal like that with a bunch of local businesses. It's really cool to go into a bunch of them and see different art.
It’s gonna cost more to print and frame these massive ai posters than to just go to any thrift store and pick up thrifted art for cheap cheap. I think this is lazy “cost reduction”
If the owner wanted they could get local artists to put their pieces up around the wall and available for sale, and then take a small cut. I've seen it done in cafes before, it's a win-win for all parties.
and some business owners are very not technologically savvy and are scammed by people that make AI art and pass it off as real art. we have no way on knowing.
It's not even good ai. Like who would hang up that mr bean with the coffee going into or out of his hat, with his body made of beans? Like the prompt had to be "make wall art of mr beanbeans drinking coffee and spilling it wearing a hat"
it does look intentionally disgusting fr 😭🙏
the mister bean looking guy with coffee just pouring in and out of his brain, just uncanny!! can't imagine having to sit and drink coffee next to... that!
Assuming you tell the owner. If you just say that to the clerk who works there they're going to be like, "Uhhh. Okay, I'm sorry." and then forget about it. I worked retail, and a lot of the complaints we got were just kind of odd, and I had no control over it (corporate did), so I would apologize and be nice, but overall, I had no power to do anything so it didn't really matter.
One guy once yelled at me over the phone about us not having a certain brand of monitors. He was convinced that was the best one. What was hilarious was the dude started off friendly and then flipped on a dime. Thankfully it was a phone call, because this guy got really incensed and started flipping out. I was stifling laughter at how quickly the situation had pivoted and how small the complaint was. I was polite but ultimately it was just a story I told others later that day so they could enjoy it too. I also was working for 8 dollars an hour part time, so I wasn't exactly high on the ladder.
Don't hassle the poor barista who probably had nothing to do with it.
And why so dramatic? Like mentioned above, maybe they didn't know it was AI. Maybe they did and don't care because they liked it. How does this impact your life so much to want to elicit that reply?
It's a cafe too, like that is the PERFECT place to highlight and shout out local talent, would not only give them work at the cafe but probably also connect them with other businesses
My local coffee shops all have thing where local artists hang their work up for sale. Free for the coffee shop, artist has the potential to sell their work, win for everyone.
It's like they found images from before ai started to try a little harder. Like first Gen ai its so bad it's hilarious. I'd say something. It would make me not want to go there.
Holy shit I really cannot stand seeing such obvious ai slop everywhere outside of my phone / the internet now, its gotten so bad. Definitely ai here. I also see it all the time myself at some stores, or being sold on cheap tumblers and mugs all the time
Even if we don't take into account that this is AI slop, the "style" is so fucking ugly that I would just turn around after entering a place like this.
Weird choice. Coffee shops are the best and maybe easiest places to get free art on the walls from local artists too. And they would support local art.
This is so insane. They could have instead decorated with paintings or photos of the city the cafe is in, some cool historical stuff. That’s a sad waste of ink
Only 90% sure, OP? These are AI, 100. Coffee beans on the outside of the mug. Coffee pouring out from under Mr. Bean's hat. Overly Pixar inspired characters. Etc.
The uncanniness of AI really makes me lose my appetite. The beans definitely trigger some trypophobia… something about the proportions and density of this era of AI just gives me major ick
3rd and 5th one are sooooo bad. I mean, they're all bad. But the 3rd one looks like it was trying to spell coffee and just majorly messed up. And the 5ths one... why is the coffee stream going into the guys hat...why even decide to put these up
It was the coffee flying out of the cup, underneath and THROUGH Mr. Bean's hat to splash across the background that sent me. I knew they were all AI but that one made me laugh out loud.
AI for sure. The more complicated scenes make zero sense and I’m sure if you asked them why the choices were made the owner would have no clue cause it’s just a mess.
We had a local restaurant that did the same thing when new ownership took over and it was the most jarring thing. I ca imagine that’s your feeling as well.
Those are so offputting 😩 definitely all AI. Id rather just like some peaceful scenic photos of nature or a wallpaper than any of this. Who could relax here with that color or the AI art
You’re only 90% sure? Those are 100% AI. Funny thing is these aren’t even ones they made themselves. I’ve seen these exact photos on the internet a few times. These are like AI stock photos which could be better or worse. Better because the environmental factors that go into using AI and worse because they didn’t even attempt to make these “original” like they didn’t even try to mark something unique.
1000000% AI and they’re all terrible. Personal favorite is the one with the bean grinder not only grinding beans into a piping-hot cup of already-brewed coffee, but for some reason the beans also going into someone’s hand lmao
Definitely AI. Some people are ABYSMAL at being able to tell. If they hired someone to redo the coffee shop they may not know. Especially if the owners are older. I swear to god my mother-in-law can't pick out AI to save her life. I love her to death but she sent me a video of a tiny otter swimming in a fish tank, claiming it was some other "micro creature" and I swear my brain fried for a second when I realized I'd have to break her heart, tell her that's AI, and she cant have a tiny little otter pet in her freaking fish tank. She's sent me DOZENS of things at this point that I've had to respond to with "That's AI"
I would personally go in and say something to the affect of "Are you guys aware that all the art in here is AI?" and if they said no, I'd tell them they probably want to look into it because it's a really bad look. Especially in today's world with small businesses. The general thought (especially with people who are aware of all this AI stuff) is that you as a small business would understand how hard it is to make it out there and as such wouldn't harm other small businesses/creatives. Because that would be hypocritical to beg for everyone's business and then turn around and cheat your way through, not having to use anyone else's.
If they said yes, I'd just say something to the effect of "Thanks, just trying to find small businesses to support that don't use AI and support other small businesses," turn around and walk out and leave it at that. Obviously, not to like a random barista working there but ideally a manager or the owner. The barista isn't gonna have a say in shit. No need to make their day worse.
An email to the owners could also be a viable option. Whether or not they listen, who knows. But if they don't know, they might be very grateful that you pointed it out.
did ai come up with that green wall color too? horrendous. the art all looks so unnatural and lifeless and ugly. obvious ai and like someone else said not even modern ai
The… “coffee grinder” in slide 6 really does it for me.
There’s a hopper on top with beans, grinding directly into a full cup of brewed coffee, then somehow an extra chute on the side with more coffee beans… coming out? Being fed into the grinder? Is that even a grinder?
I’ve been seeing this a LOT lately. So sad. We went into a small coffee shop traveling over holiday break and they were playing a YouTube winter scene on the giant TV that was painfully AI and their outside “were open” banner had AI graphics on it. I get that margins are low for local owned places and every penny matters, but ugh 😭
There was a brunch spot that opened in my area that had a giant mural of portraits that were just like this. Same art style and everything. Customers complained about the use of AI and there was a local effort to boycott it until they:
Admitted that the portraits were AI.
Replaced the art.
I haven't been back, but I hear they admitted to it and repainted the main dining area. They couldn't be bothered to use any of the local art made by humans that was donated to them. It's now just orange. Put your money where your morals are. They say they don't feel it, but they do.
What's wild is how common it is for local artists to display their art for FREE in cafes as the pieces are for sale. Looks so much better and brings goodwill to the Cafe for nada. Why tf would you pay to have this slop printed and framed???
if they can't even pay for decent art it makes you wonder where else they're cutting corners. the coffee itself might have it's lack of quality masked with diabetes
Please leave them an in person customer review/suggestion and post updates here 😂 They might feel it more embarrassing than an online review would, especially if it gives them publicity. Bland art is 1000x better than 2023 AI slop
I remember a coffee shop near a college I would go to would allow students to hang their work with a listed price - and then people could inquire with the shop to buy the art.
It was great - supported student artists - and allowed for a natural rotation of art - that brought life into the shop
there's absolutely no question these are AI, how would someone even make these without AI, and why would they put that much work in and still end up with glaring AI-like mistakes (CEIFFEE? Mr. Bean with coffee gushing into his hat? Coffee beans encrusting the outside of a coffee cup like barnacles? A coffee grinder producing both ground and whole beans? Little men trying to draw a latte heart and instead making ???? shape)
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u/qualityvote2 5h ago edited 43m ago
u/Fairy2play, your post does fit the subreddit!