A shoot can easily run
$500+
for a small menu shoot (varies by market and scope)
Plans start at
$5/mo
20 credits / month • Top-up anytime
Estimate your savings
See what photoshoots add up to for your menu
Feature Comparison
Side-by-side breakdown
See exactly how AI food photography compares to hiring a traditional photographer
Feature
Traditional
FoodPhoto.ai
Cost per photo
$50-200
$0.13–$0.25
Turnaround time
1-3 weeks
30 seconds
Minimum order
$500-2000
$5/month (20 credits)
Revisions included
1-2 rounds
Regenerate with credits
Scheduling required
Yes, weeks in advance
No, instant access
Equipment needed
Professional setup
Just your phone
Consistent styling
Varies by photographer
Brand Packs ensure consistency
Platform-optimized crops
Extra charge
Included (DoorDash, Uber Eats, etc.)
$5
Starter plan / month
< 1 min
Typical processing
4K
Upscaling available
Crops
Delivery + social exports
Honest Comparison
When does traditional photography still make sense?
We believe in transparency. Here's when you might still want a professional photographer:
High-end editorial shoots
For magazine covers, cookbooks, or advertising campaigns requiring unique artistic direction and on-set stylists.
Restaurant interior/ambiance
Capturing your dining room atmosphere, staff, and customer experience still requires an on-location photographer.
For most restaurant needs — menu photos, delivery app listings, and social posts — AI photography is a fast, cost-effective alternative to scheduling shoots.
Common Use Cases
Where AI beats scheduling a shoot
If you need menu photos that are clear, consistent, and crop-safe for delivery apps, an AI workflow is usually the faster path.
Menu updates
New items, seasonal specials, LTOs—ship photos the same day without booking and coordinating.
Delivery thumbnails
Clean backgrounds, accurate color, and platform exports so photos read well as small thumbnails.
Brand consistency
Keep a single look across your menu (and across locations) with Brand Packs.
Simple Process
From phone photo to menu-ready in 3 steps
Upload your photo
Snap a photo of your dish with any smartphone. No special equipment needed.
AI enhances it
Our AI relights, cleans up backgrounds, removes distractions, and color-grades automatically.
Download & use
Get optimized exports for DoorDash, Uber Eats, Instagram, your website, and more.
Ready to skip the photoshoot?
Turn phone photos into menu-ready exports in under a minute. Start at $5/month or top-up anytime.
No free trials • Credits roll over • 30-day money-back guarantee
Frequently Asked Questions
Is AI food photography really as good as professional photos?
For menu photos and delivery app listings, it can be a great alternative. It’s optimized for relighting, cleanup, and platform-ready exports. For high-end editorial shoots or large-format print campaigns, a photographer may still be the better fit. See real examples in our showcase.
What if I'm not happy with the results?
You can regenerate variations to dial in the look (each generation uses credits). If it’s not a fit, we offer a 30-day money-back guarantee on your first purchase.
Do I need a fancy camera or equipment?
No! Any modern smartphone camera works great. Our AI is designed to enhance photos taken in real restaurant conditions — not studio setups.
How does this compare to stock food photos?
Unlike stock photos, our AI creates images of your actual dishes. This authenticity increases customer trust and reduces "expectation vs. reality" complaints.