Fast food never looks better than in the adverts. But what happens when the reality is way less appetising than the glossy, styled-up ad promises? From less than generously filled sandwiches to floppy bacon and meals that just look a little more beige than expected, we’ve rounded up the most extreme – and hilarious – examples of fast food reality not living up to the alluring image in the advert.

Just look at those juicy meatballs drenched in marinara sauce, sprinkled with Parmesan and piled into a lightly toasted sub – surely, lunch doesn’t get much better. But when you really think about it, has anyone ever had a Subway that looks as picture-perfect as this particular photo?

Ah ha, this version looks far more familiar! When the subs are actually made in-store and wrapped up, the reality often falls flat. This image of a messily cut roll with filling spilling out will be all too familiar to Subway fans. We can't seem to see quite so much Parmesan on this one either…

Imagine driving along the highway and seeing this image of a Wendy’s Baconator with its two quarter-pound, signature square beef patties, slices of melted American cheese, six strips of seriously crisp bacon, mayonnaise and ketchup all layered up in a golden bun. You've got to do as the billboard says and stop and smell the bacon, right?

This person that took this photo did stop for a Baconator, but it doesn’t look like it lived up to the hype (or its name, really). The flawlessly assembled layer of bacon and cheese between the two patties, as shown in the advert, appears to be missing, and that burger bun looks rather squashed, too.  

This $5 chicken and biscuit meal was available at Southern-style fast food chain Popeyes for a limited time only, and certainly seemed like a good deal. After all, the boxes on display in the advert were filled to bursting with crispy, crunchy golden chicken, two sides (such as Cajun rice and mashed potatoes), plus a lightly bronzed buttermilk biscuit.

In reality, though, the box many people received looked rather more like the image here – less full and lacking a certain something in the execution. While there’s plenty of batter present (one thing that does match the advert), the chicken tenders are paler than promised and the coating doesn’t look particularly crunchy, either.

For 2019’s Gemini season (the days between 21 May and 21 June), Jack in the Box urged its customers to pick up two breakfast croissants for $4 and give one to their ‘celestial soul twin’. The Supreme Croissant (on the left) was stuffed with crispy grilled bacon, ham, a freshly cooked egg and American cheese. The Sausage Croissant (on the right), meanwhile, sees the bacon replaced with a juicy sausage patty. 

In a classic case of reality not living up to expectation, these croissants look like they could sever a celestial connection, rather than help build one. The baked pastries appear soft and claggy rather than delightfully crisp and flaky, while the patty in the Sausage Croissant seems paler and greasier than promised.

A cheese-lover's dream, Taco Bell's Triple Melt Burrito features a tempting three cheese blend (Cheddar, pepper jack and mozzarella), plus nacho cheese, seasoned beef and rice, all wrapped up in a flour tortilla. Just look how that bargain wrap (a regular on the Cravings Value Menu) is packed so full, the ingredients are practically bursting out…

In actuality, the Triple Melt seems to be rather bereft of that promised three cheese whammy. In fact, we’d go as far to say that this wrap is almost all rice and no meat and cheese – where’s the promised beef mince layer, for example?

In 2017, Jack in the Box introduced the French Toast Plate to its brunch menu. With its piles of golden French toast, gleaming with syrup and served with slices of crispy bacon, the advertisement set expectations high – this looked like a dish from a classic diner, rather than a fast food chain offering priced at less than $5.

While there’s a certain understanding that a takeout item is never going to be presented exactly like the ad, this example takes things to the extreme. The French toast looks devoid of that promised crispy exterior, and the syrup seems like a no-show, too. As for the bacon? Maybe it’s hiding under the toast…

This deep-fried chicken dish is a Panda Express menu favourite. And why wouldn’t it be? Just look at those crunchy, golden, batter-covered pieces of chicken gleaming with sweet-tangy sauce and accompanied by vibrantly coloured, crisp and fresh green beans, peppers and onions. Delicious.

Delivering a dose of reality, this takeout version of that famed chicken is a far cry from the artful advert. There’s a distinct lack of vegetables and the chicken appears soggier than the ad suggested.

At quick-service sandwich chain Arby’s, the Classic Beef ‘n’ Cheddar is one of the most popular options. Here the advert depicts molten cheese dripping over layer upon layer of sliced roast beef, sitting pretty inside a toasted onion roll. 

In this real life image, things are a little different. The sandwich stack isn't as tall, the deflated bun looks both flat and greasy and where have those layers of roast beef and melted cheese gone? Best to just close your eyes, think of the ad, and tuck in.

Floridian fast food chain Pollo Tropical’s small but mighty Pollo Bite Sliders look nothing short of incredible in this promo shot. The sliders come as a trio, with each one filled to bursting with crispy fried chicken and topped with either chipotle, Buffalo or coriander-garlic sauce. The thick-cut fries and drink served alongside make this a proper meal deal. 

Disappointed customers of the Caribbean-influenced chain complained in their droves about the diminutive nature of the chicken pieces in the Pollo Bite Sliders (many likened the size to that of a chicken nugget – see the key in the photo for reference). While sliders are of course mini by nature, surely this takes things a little too literally.  

The ubiquitous convenience store known for its Slurpees and long opening hours also serves a sandwich by the name of the Chicken Bacon Ranch Melt. The sammie consists of sliced chicken breast, smoked bacon, Cheddar cheese and ranch sauce in an Italian bun, which is toasted on the spot. In this ad it looks super-fresh, with generous layers of meat, cheese and sauce – just the thing for a midnight snack.

According to one disgruntled customer, this somewhat sorry sight is what the Chicken Bacon Ranch Melt looks like in real life. Where do we start? The bread appears pale, dry and unevenly sliced, and while we can spot a few slices of turkey and a bacon rasher poking out the end, this is a far cry from the generously filled, freshly toasted sandwich in the ad.

What can we say: the McDonald’s marketing team know their stuff. This debut image of the Steakhouse Sirloin Third Pound Burger delivered a lesson in clever food styling and enticing presentation. The image of a juicy, thick-cut patty topped with lightly charred onions, mushrooms, peppercorn sauce and melted cheese was enough to send customers hurrying to their nearest McDonald's, mouths already watering.

Unfortunately, that Pavlovian response may have been short lived. In reality, the Steakhouse Sirloin Third Pound Burger seems to be light on a few things; not only does the patty look thinner than the ad, there’s a lack of mushrooms, onions, cheese and peppercorn sauce, too. At least the bun looks good...

This photo of Chipotle’s Beef Burrito makes some big promises; just look at that combination of juicy beef, diced vegetables, rice, beans and sauce. The flour tortilla is filled to plump perfection, while the tortilla chips served on the side seem like the ideal accompaniment.

It appears that promise isn’t always delivered on, though. In this real-life shot, the perfectly cylindrical burrito has been replaced with a poorly wrapped, slightly squashed one. And while no one could say it isn’t generously filled, there’s a lack of variety in both colour and texture. The hunt is also still on for those tortilla chips, too.

Taco Bell's Crunchy Taco is one of the chain's most well-known and best-loved items – and for good reason (or so the advert suggests). In this promotional shot, a crisp tortilla shell is filled with seasoned minced beef, piles of shredded lettuce and carefully arranged tendrils of cheese. 

Not only has this Crunchy Taco seemingly lost its shape, it appears to have misplaced its namesake crunch, too. From this snap we can only deduce that the shell was so soggy it fell apart. To add insult to injury, the minced beef, lettuce and scant scattering of cheese aren’t exactly looking their best either.

Let’s take a moment to appreciate this carefully crafted burger. In the poster, Carl's Jr. Western Bacon Cheeseburger seems to have it all (and more): a succulent grilled patty topped with a blanket of melted American cheese, crispy bacon strips, golden onion rings and a generous drizzle of barbecue sauce.

Talk about not living up to the hype. Even the limp bacon in this reality shot looks disappointed with itself. The burger lacks the height and delicate layering of the advert original, and the barbecue sauce also seems to be in short supply.

Burger King have launched a few different variations on loaded fries over the years, with toppings including smoky chimichurri, bacon and cheese and a spicy chilli and cheese number (pictured, right). According to the advert, this meant piles of moreish, golden fries dotted with gleaming, gooey cheese sauce and jalapeño slices.

There’s such a difference between this real life image and the promised advert, you have to laugh (unless you’re the poor customer that placed the order, of course). The fries are so pale, they’re crying out for a few more minutes in the fryer, the cheese sauce is unevenly distributed, and the mound of jalapeños piled on top would be enough to set mouths on fire.

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