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What you see is not always what you get. Especially when it comes to the culinary world. From packaging to cookbooks and even restaurant menus, the portrayal of food often sets high expectations that reality struggles to meet.
So we at Bored Panda put together a list of pictures people shared after they realized the gap between what they wanted and what they got. Looks like there was plenty of room for dessert!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Ah Come On
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#2
Trying Food Hacks
Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My! 8 months ago
The second one is the Scream guy. Monsters need sleep, too.
It's not just some obscure brands who are receiving criticism over deceptive advertising. At the end of 2023, consumers sued Starbucks because, in their opinion, Mango Dragonfruit Starbucks Refreshers are missing mango, Strawberry Açaí Starbucks Refreshers lack açaí and Pineapple Passionfruit Starbucks Refreshers have no passion fruit.
In such cases, plaintiffs typically argue that companies are going beyond simple marketing hyperbole and misrepresenting their food and drinks — whether it's promising ingredients that aren't there or displaying promotion images that don't match the real-life items.
#3
Guess The Meatballs Just All Wanted A Window Seat
#4
This "Avocado" Oil
ninjaTrashPandaBoom 8 months ago
I bet this was pretty cheap though (it's labelled "Spanish blend" at the bottom of the top label), 100% avocado oil is fairly expensive.
#5
It's Blueberry Ice Cream. If You Are Allergic To Blueberries, You Can Eat It Without Worrying
There has been a wide range of accusations in recent years: Barilla pasta isn't made in Italy, Burger King's Whoppers are smaller than they appear, and the "boneless wings" served at Buffalo Wild Wings aren't actually chicken wings.
Subway's "100% tuna" sandwiches either partially or completely lack tuna, Taco Bell skimps on the fillings in its Mexican Pizza, Crunchwrap Supreme, and the list goes on.
#6
Recently Got My Wisdom Teeth Out And Wanted To Eat More Solid Food. Got This Today From Ubereats
#7
Happy Heart Shaped Krispy Kreme
#8
I Feel Like Majority Of The Applebee’s Menu Is Expectationvsreality
#9
When They Said "Chocolate Chip Muffin", I Didn't Take Them Literally... But Should Have
"In general, companies can say great things about their product and make any kind of opinion claims they want to make about it. They can even say it's the best in the world," Louis Tompros, an intellectual property attorney at the law firm WilmerHale in Boston, told NPR.
#10
It Looks Sickly 😭
#11
Thanks For All Of The Stems, Lowes Foods!
#12
Where’s The Rice?
#13
My Boyfriend Made These Cookies From R/Foodporn. He Gave Me Grief For "Not Being Able To Bake" (Which Isn't True) So I Let Him Do All The Work. This Is What I Found This Morning
"Opinion claims about a product are called puffery, and they're perfectly fine under false advertising law. What false advertising law does not allow is a false factual claim," Tompros explained.
#14
Chinese Takeaway Scam - Beyond Ridiculous
#15
Tesco UK.... Shameful
#16
Bacon Mac And Cheese
She who must not be named 8 months ago
That bacon looks like it would 'oink' if you poked it 🤢😩
#17
The Ultimate Betrayal
Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My! 8 months ago
Hand stretched. The hand stretched just far enough to put the toppings in the window section.
While some companies have succeeded in getting cases against them tossed out of court, other legal food fights have pushed businesses to spend a lot of cash on settlements.
Last year, A&W Concentrate Co. agreed to pay up to $15 million to settle claims that its root beer and cream soda weren't "made with aged vanilla," as the labels suggested.
And back in 2014, Red Bull announced it would pay more than $13 million to settle a lawsuit brought by buyers who said the energy drink didn't — as the marketing materials promised — "give you wings."
#18
Air Sandwich
#19
Some "Tacos" My Coworker Bought
#20
Never Have I Been More Disappointed
#21
Umm
Tompros, who is also a lecturer at Harvard Law School, said some law firms specialize in food and beverage false advertising cases and even recruit plaintiffs to be part of a possible class action.
When companies settle cases, payouts to an individual consumer may be relatiively small, but attorneys' fees can be substantial.
#22
This Is Why You Check Your Food Before You Leave The Restaurant
#23
No Cookies
#24
Airplane Food > Airport Food
Brian Droste 8 months ago
$58 fotr that. You got to be kidding me. Even if you got what it looks like on the package, that is outrageous.
#25
My Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Contained No Peanut Butter
"There's a great incentive for law firms to try to identify even small-value misstatements in advertising and then bring a class-action suit, because the attorneys' fees from that suit can make it worthwhile for the firms," Tompros added.
Though not every case may result in a monetary settlement, experts say the uptick in deceptive marketing cases may cause companies to be more cautious in their ads in the future. So it can very well mean that in the long run, the difference between what we expect from food products and what we actually receive will shrink!
#26
Grilled Salmon At The Mall Food Court
#27
Went On A Gas Station Food Run And Came Back With These Bad Boys. Not Less Than 10 Minutes Later And I’m Hit With A Wall Of Disappointment
#28
Arby's Food Stylist Knows Every Damn Trick In The Book
#29
I Was Told My 2020reo Ice Cream Belonged Here
Mara Was… A Surgeon 8 months ago
Normally Breyer's Oreo ice cream is my favorite and has a ton of cookie in there, must be a manufacturing issue
#30
Less Than Jumbo Shrimp
#31
Arby's
#32
Ordered Steak Tacos From This Smokehouse Joint And The Second Pic Is What I Received
#33
My First Food Delivery Order In Hamburg…
#34
Oldie But Goodie. The Bear That Hangs Around All Day Smoking Weed, Who Eats All Your Food, And Pays No Rent
#35
Panera French Onion Soup
ninjaTrashPandaBoom 8 months ago
It looks like a bowel movement after a long fun night and many many poor choices.
#36
Paleta Postizo
#37
Very Dry And Sad Croissant 😞
#38
Meal Kit For 2 Adults
#39
Cincinnati's Famous Chili Spaghetti (X-Post R/Shittyfoodporn)
#40
What We Ordered vs. What We Received
#41
Didn't Realize We Bought A Bunch Of Plastic With Traces Of Food On It
#42
I Get That Fast Food Never Really Looks Like The Picture On The Menu, But This Is Insane. Ordered From Australian Vegan Fast Food Restaurant, Lord Of The Fries
ninjaTrashPandaBoom 8 months ago
Real hot dog on the left...some "hot dog-ish" monstrosity on the right.
#43
I Guess I’m Happy They Don’t Use Artificial Food Coloring?
ninjaTrashPandaBoom 8 months ago
Did they forget the strawberries? That looks like a medicinal paste.
#44
Patty Melts Of Chivuo’s In Barcelona
#45
Dear God, What Was I Thinking
A Wild Bean (they/them/any) 8 months ago
Probably the second-worst canned food idea I've ever seen (the worst was a canned cheeseburger)
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Crystal Kelley 8 months ago
Me too. Cook them in the oven in a little chili with shredded cheese on top. Amazing! Also good all by themselves
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Mike Loux 8 months ago
I mean...you really can't call any food that is typically not eaten out of a can a food fail when you buy it in a can. "What was I thinking" is right. But at least it wasn't a canned whole chicken.
Natasha Arruda 8 months ago (edited)
SortedFoods (on YouTube) has a little series of making use and taste testing canned foods. Ebbers, a chef, has actually taken canned duck and I believe canned chicken and used it to make a meal and the taste testers absolutely couldn't figure out what was canned, so it's really how you make use of things, even if they look nasty AF if you just take them outta the can.
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Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My! 8 months ago
There was no way that could have come out well.
Rachel Pelz 8 months ago
Well, cut so you see the filling versus "whole thing" where you don't see the filling. Plus probably unheated.
Leah Wilson-Walls 4 months ago
Theyre def not comparable to actual tamales, but add a can of chili and some hot sauce and jalapenos and these aren't a bad meal
Laura Williams 7 months ago
I use to eat those as a kid. That is exactly what they look like. By the way the wrapping is paper.
Michael None 8 months ago
I've eaten these they taste worse than they look but in all fairness there's a sauce in the can that seems to be missing here.
Sunny Johnson 8 months ago
In high school, a friend and I ate canned tamales all the time. Love them. Not pretty, but tasted really good.
shankShaw deReemer 8 months ago
I saw hamburger meat in a can. First time I've ever seen it, and I'm pretty sure it's a nope for me, for sure.
Bisha Moten 8 months ago
These are actually surprisingly decent. They look wonky sure, but they're still tasty.
𝐆𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐦-𝐏𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚 8 months ago
Anything that isn't a vegetable or a fish never looks good coming out of a can.
#46
Scam Level 10
#47
Camping Food Reality 💩
#48
Was Told This Is More Suited For Here
#49
I Was Looking Forward To Having These The Whole Day…
![[oc] Definitely Looks Like Cat Food. Couldn't Eat More Than 1 Crackers Worth](https://www.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/6615048e7d0a9_oTnxEH3__700.jpg "[oc] Definitely Looks Like Cat Food. Couldn't Eat More Than 1 Crackers Worth")
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What do you think ?
Ken Beattie 8 months ago
Usually. Some brands at least try to get it close. My biggest gripe is the false advertising/scam packaging ones. Putting just enough topping on a sandwich so you can see it at the edge for example. Or three slices of pepperoni visible through the transparent part of the packaging but none on the rest of the pizza.
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ninjaTrashPandaBoom 8 months ago
This is just examples of the worst, but yeah it was pretty bad.
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ninjaTrashPandaBoom 8 months ago
Just depends on what you are accustomed to...everybody eats some strange foods.
Load More Replies... Ken Beattie 8 months ago
Usually. Some brands at least try to get it close. My biggest gripe is the false advertising/scam packaging ones. Putting just enough topping on a sandwich so you can see it at the edge for example. Or three slices of pepperoni visible through the transparent part of the packaging but none on the rest of the pizza.
Load More Replies... ninjaTrashPandaBoom 8 months ago
This is just examples of the worst, but yeah it was pretty bad.
Load More Replies... ninjaTrashPandaBoom 8 months ago
Just depends on what you are accustomed to...everybody eats some strange foods.
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