This image has been circulating for a few days now on X, Facebook and… LinkedIn of all places.
The post usually comes from different sources wth the same copypasta write up:
McDonald’s Debuts First Ever Buffet in Branson, Missouri
Branson has become the test site for one of McDonald’s most unusual new experiments: an all-you-can-eat buffet.
For just $12.99, diners can now help themselves to unlimited Big Macs, Quarter Pounders, Chicken McNuggets, fries, and hot apple pies. Lines stretched out the door as customers piled plates high with fast-food classics, some balancing three or four red fry cartons at once.
The move has already stirred controversy. Supporters are calling it the “best deal in Branson,” while critics blasted it as “a health disaster waiting to happen.” One local parent told reporters, “I don’t want my kids thinking 50 nuggets in one sitting is normal.” Others defended the concept, pointing out that buffets are nothing new in Branson, and that McDonald’s is simply giving people what they want.
Corporate representatives declined to say if the buffet will expand nationwide, but Branson residents are already bragging that their city may have just changed the future of fast food.
The only problem is that this is a hoax. It came from Branson Area Breaking News, which describes itself on Facebook as “a world renowned satirical news organization & have received many awards for our breaking news stories!” It also adds this disclaimer for the dumb-dumbs in the room: ***All content on our page is original***
It amazes me that when taken out of context some commenters believe this is real. To be fair, the write up sounds plausible enough; McDonald’s had a short-lived buffet back in the 90’s.
But the image is so clearly AI-generated, it is a mystery why anyone would believe in its veracity. The McDonald’s font is wrong, the lighting is all over the place (bright on one side) and if you look really carefully you’ll see the family sitting in the back have melted faces.
Not sure what’s going on with the tongs, or his nose for that matter.
While this is an innocuous gag, it’s also worrisome at least when it comes to older generations. A 2025 iProov study surveyed people on deepfake detection and found that older generations (55+) are significantly less aware of deepfakes—30% of 55-64-year-olds and 39% of those 65+ had never heard of them—making them more susceptible to deception. Overall, people struggle with detection (only 0.1% accurately spot AI-generated content in blind tests), but this knowledge gap exacerbates the issue for seniors. Videos pose an even greater challenge than images, with participants 36% less accurate at identifying synthetic videos.
Similarly, an August 2023 AARP and NORC survey of U.S. adults aged 50+ showed only 17% were very familiar with AI, highlighting limited exposure as a key reason for susceptibility.
A 2024 KTH Royal Institute of Technology thesis on age disparities in AI imagery detection also noted that older adults (65+) showed higher false alarm rates (calling real images fake) but overall poorer accuracy in identifying AI content, possibly as a protective over-caution, though this still leaves them vulnerable to deception.
As AI technology advances, these hoaxes highlight the urgent need for digital literacy education, especially for older adults. Simple tools like reverse image searches or awareness of AI red flags (wrong font’s, moving moles, melting faces) could help curb misinformation. Until then, you should have a heapin’ helpin’ at the skepticism buffet because it still remains the best defense against the next viral fake, whether it’s a harmless parody or something more sinister.