Dubai customers back Taho Avenue after AI photo refund row

A montage of photos from the customer and Taho Avenue in Dubai. SUPPLIED

Customers have rallied behind Dubai-based Filipino food business Taho Avenue after it called out a customer who allegedly used an AI-generated image to support a complaint about a food delivery and get a refund.

The restaurant’s post had attracted more than 1,000 reactions as of Sunday (October 25), with customers sharing their own experiences and expressing support for the business.

In its post, Taho Avenue said the incident was disheartening for a small business already dealing with delivery platform commissions, operating costs and refund deductions.

“As business owners, this is disheartening. Delivery platforms already take 32 to 45 percent of our sales in commissions and charges. Refund deductions leave us with almost nothing, while salaries, rent, food costs, and other expenses customers don’t see still need to be paid,” the restaurant wrote. “We take genuine complaints seriously. All we ask is the same honesty in return. Please don’t use fabricated photos to claim a refund. A ‘free meal’ comes at a real cost to the people working hard to serve you.”

According to the restaurant’s account and photos of the incident, the customer ordered five classic boba taho drinks and a serving of palitaw, a traditional Filipino rice cake. Three drinks and the palitaw were classified as “spilled food” in the complaint, causing a cancellation of the entire order.

The bill shared by the restaurant showed a total order value of Dh102, but Taho Avenue said it received only Dh12 after the deductions.

The business also questioned the authenticity of the photograph submitted with the complaint, pointing to apparent differences between the image and its actual packaging. “He ordered boba, but it shows sago in the photo. The text and characters on the cup sleeves don’t match those on our actual sleeves. The cups and lids also appear to be AI-generated,” the restaurant said.

It added that its cups are secured with adhesive tape, questioning how the packaging shown in the image could have ended up in the condition depicted. “The poor rider also had to contribute toward the charges. This is truly unfair,” the restaurant added.

Expat Media editors who examined the image noted that the cups and lids appeared different from Taho Avenue’s actual packaging, while the words “Childhood memories in a cup”, which appear on the restaurant’s packaging, looked warped in the disputed photograph. The logo also appeared different from Taho Avenue’s logo.

When contacted by Expat Media, Taho Avenue declined to comment further about the incident, saying: “We feel our post has served its purpose to raise public awareness, protect businesses and discourage similar incidents… For now, we’d like to focus on resolving the matter and serving our customers.”

It was not clear whether the restaurant would pursue legal action.

Customers share their support

Customers responding to the post described their experiences with the restaurant and called for fair treatment of businesses handling online orders.

Edz Jumawan said: “I’ve been a loyal customer of Taho Avenue, and every order has always arrived safe, clean, sealed, and delicious! Rest assured, you’ll get the justice you deserve.”

Joy Christine also praised the restaurant’s customer service, recalling an earlier order in which a syrup was missing. “My experience with Taho Ave. before, when they forgot to put one syrup, was that they sent a new one with the syrup. Taho Ave.’s customer service is so amazing. That’s why I hope no one takes advantage of them. I don’t know if the person making that AI complaint is a fellow countryman, but it’s just really sad,” she said.

Taho Avenue operates two branches in Dubai and one in Sharjah. The restaurant specialises in taho, a popular Filipino comfort snack made with soft silken tofu, sweet brown sugar syrup known as arnibal, and chewy sago or tapioca pearls. Often served warm in a cup, it is a familiar treat for many Filipinos, making it a staple of Filipino food businesses serving the community in the UAE.

What does UAE law say about fake online complaints?

The dispute comes amid renewed warnings from Dubai Police about online content that is deliberately false or intended to damage a person’s or business’s reputation.

Earlier in October, Dubai Police said a group of people had been arrested over allegations that they coordinated false, negative reviews on a company’s Google listing to cause financial losses and harm its reputation. The case followed a complaint by the affected company, according to Major Yasser Juma Mohammed, head of the Social Media Crimes Section at Dubai Police.

The key distinction is between a genuine complaint about a poor experience and a knowingly false claim intended to cause harm. Customers can share honest feedback, but online activity may lead to legal consequences when it crosses into offences such as defamation, insult, fraud or other prohibited conduct.

Under the UAE’s Federal Decree Law on Countering Rumours and Cybercrimes, online insult or defamation can carry imprisonment and a fine of Dh250,000 to Dh500,000.

Dubai Police has also cautioned that using anonymous accounts does not necessarily prevent investigators from identifying those responsible for unlawful activity. Residents are encouraged to verify information before sharing it and to avoid using digital platforms to harm others. PIA/Expat Media

ALSO READ: How to spot AI-generated photos

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