A coffee shop owner used AI to make a menu poster. Then came the angry DMs.
A coffee shop owner in Buffalo faced significant online backlash after using AI to generate a menu poster instead of hiring a human artist. The owner, who previously handled all design in-house, cited time constraints due to being a new mother as the reason for the decision.
Why it matters
This incident illustrates the growing social friction and public scrutiny surrounding the use of AI tools in small business marketing and creative labor.
Megi Endeladze, the owner of Penny's Coffee Shop in Buffalo, NY. Megi Endeladze Penny's Coffee Shop in Buffalo, NY had a ChatGPT-made seasonal menu poster. Instagram comments and angry DMs rolled in. The owner agreed to not use AI art but spoke out against the personal attacks. The owner, a new mom, tells us she usually made the posters in-house, and hadn't skimped out on hiring an artist. Megi Endeladze never expected to be at the center of an AI backlash. She and her husband opened Penny's Coffee Shop in downtown Buffalo, New York three years ago. Endeladze kept her 9-to-5 as a chiropractor while spending her free time helping out in the shop. One of the duties she relished was photographing the drinks and menu items, including a few signature items like a cheesy bread dish from their native country, Georgia, for their social media channels and website.
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