A new AI-powered website called LooksMapping is turning heads in the restaurant world by ranking eateries based on the attractiveness of their customers, not their cuisine. Targeting 9,800 restaurants in major cities like New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, the site rates diners on a scale of 1 to 10 using profile photos pulled from millions of Google reviews.
Created by 22-year-old San Francisco programmer Riley Walz, the site’s algorithm processed 2.8 million reviews and analyzed 587,000 profile images. The AI determined if a diner appeared young or old, male or female, and ranked them by perceived “hotness.” The concept, Walz claims, is a satirical reflection of societal vanity.
“The website just puts reductive numbers on the superficial calculations we make every day,” the homepage states.
Yet the site’s influence is growing—and stirring backlash. Some restaurants are finding themselves ranked not for their ambiance or food but for the looks of their clientele. In New York, Fanelli Cafe scored a 4.1 while Kiki’s in Chinatown hit an 8.2. Surprisingly, Chick-fil-A scored higher than trendy Gjelina in Los Angeles, sparking debate over the objectivity of such rankings.
Critics argue that the AI ratings reinforce biased standards of beauty and distract from a restaurant’s real value: food, service, and experience. Industry leaders warn that reducing hospitality venues to superficial image scores undermines the work of chefs and staff.
Restaurant owners are especially concerned about being judged on factors outside their control. Many are calling for the public to focus on quality dining rather than clickbait rankings powered by artificial intelligence.
Walz maintains the site is social commentary, not a serious guide. Still, LooksMapping reflects a growing cultural obsession with appearances and data-driven status—one now seeping into the way people choose where to eat.
