Restaurants embrace handmade details amid AI image backlash
8 reported
A growing number of restaurants are choosing handcrafted and analog promotional materials over AI-generated imagery, according to a report from Eater. The trend, described as "frictionmaxxing," involves rejecting technologies of convenience in favor of slower, more personal processes. Examples include Somssi in Manhattan, which uses custom lace and hand-stitched logos, and Superiority Burger in lower Manhattan, which announces specials via hand-scrawled notes on paper. Other restaurants, such as Dean's in New York City and Mosquito Supper Club in New Orleans, have adopted handwritten menus. The report notes that this shift is partly a response to a perceived glut of AI-generated content on social media, which some find unappealing or cynical.
What’s reported
Somssi, a new Manhattan restaurant, uses a custom lace announcement and hand-stitched logo to evoke craftsmanship.
The term "frictionmaxxing," coined by writer Kathryn Jezer-Morton, refers to choosing slower, analog processes over convenient technologies.
Fearless Coffee in Johnson City, Tennessee, commissioned a photographer for a photoshoot to stand out from AI-generated promos.
Shinji, a new Japanese restaurant in Toronto, hired a calligrapher to hand-engrave its logo onto wine glasses.
Superiority Burger posts hand-scrawled notes on paper to announce specials on Instagram.
Dean's in New York City has a handwritten menu that is photocopied weekly.
Mosquito Supper Club owner Melissa Martin posts photos of handwritten paper menus on social media.
The report states that many people would rather see a "badly taken, lo-fi photo than an engineered AI image."
Key figures
Ahris Kim, managing partner of Somssi
Margaret Muza, interior designer for Somssi
Kathryn Jezer-Morton, writer who coined "frictionmaxxing"
Szilveszter Makó, photographer
Katie Christensen, artist for Market Basket circular
Jamey Booher, photographer for Fearless Coffee
Sylvia Wong, calligrapher for Shinji
Melissa Martin, owner of Mosquito Supper Club
Brooks Headley, chef and owner of Superiority Burger
Tommy Hunt, interim director of operations at Dean's
Annie Shi, co-owner of Dean's and King
RF. Alvarez, illustrator for King
Sources: eater.com
