50 Unbelievable Food Scams That Will Shock You

Elsa’s Mistake

We all enjoy having cake, especially at birthdays, since it brings joy. However, if the theme of the cake hasn’t been well-researched, it can spoil a party and upset a child. This Frozen-themed cake serves as a prime example of deceit by a cake provider.

Had the baker researched Elsa, they might have done a better job at the drawing. Another theory is that the baker did conduct research but simply lacked the artistic ability to create an attractive cake.

In any case, it certainly wouldn’t hurt to conduct thorough research before hiring someone.

Misleading Sandwich

When we purchase a sandwich, we usually expect it to be filled, as that’s the way it should be. This is why we were completely astonished when we saw this empty meal. The advertiser certainly knew how to deceive someone. From the shelf, you would anticipate the sandwich to be stuffed with ham and cheese.

Regrettably, this was not the situation when the package was opened. This approach certainly benefited the brand, but it’s likely harmed their overall reputation. After all, would you buy from a company that sells bread under the pretense of a ham and cheese sandwich?

The Deception of Packaging

Who doesn’t enjoy a box of chocolates brimming with delightful treats? Apparently, everyone except for the individual who purchased this product. We all would have anticipated entire rows of chocolate. However, the packaging was intentionally designed to deceive the customer.

What was visible through the transparent section was all that this person received. An overpriced box of chocolates that wasn’t worth the cost can be both disappointing and frustrating. Just imagine if you had bought this item and given it as a gift to someone.

The packaging strategy was indeed clever, but companies should certainly consider hiring better marketing consultants.

A Remarkable Marketing Strategy

It’s well-known that we are eager to buy a tin of Oreos due to its elegant appearance and larger quantity. However, this tin was simply a smart marketing gimmick to encourage people to purchase a pack of six Oreos. If we had to speculate, we would say that this tin cost more than the regular biscuit package.

We empathize with the person who believed they were getting a container filled with Oreos. It was surprising that a well-known brand would carry out such a deceptive act. This serves as a reminder to always be cautious when purchasing fancy treats.

A Bottle Half-Full

Optimists often encourage people to see the glass as half-full instead of half-empty. This advice might well be given to those who purchased this half-filled spice container. The person in charge of packaging was clever, as the label conveniently concealed the fact that the spice quantity was less than advertised.

Fortunately, it seems this person discovered it early on, as the photo was taken in the supermarket. They’ve probably encountered many food scams, otherwise who would have thought to check the spice quantity by spinning the bottle?

A Snack That Shouldn’t Be Judged by Its Appearance

We often buy products based on their packaging. However, you should definitely avoid buying this poppy seed brioche because it has minimal filling. According to the consumer, the snack only had some filling in the center. Incidents like this make us cautious of all brands.

Moreover, marketing experts shouldn’t overhype the description. The snack may have been purchased by many, but the brand’s reputation has been damaged overall. That’s why if you see this brioche on the market shelves, make sure to avoid buying it.

The Jerky Box That Went Missing

Beef jerky is a product that many of us purchase from grocery stores because it’s easily accessible. However, you should steer clear of this specific brand unless you’re only looking for eight small pieces of beef jerky. The top sticker was intentionally placed to conceal the emptiness in the center of the box.

The person who shared this photo was quite unhappy about the situation. But if you examine closely, the brand wasn’t as deceptive. Anyone who had checked the weight of the container would have understood that there wasn’t much inside. This person just found out the hard way.

The Candy Meant to Be Frightening

Paleta Payaso is a well-loved snack for both children and some adults. The treat inside the package is usually designed to look like a clown and is often unusual. At times, it can appear frightening, which is why discovering such a humorous treat in the package can be surprising.

While it may not seem like a standard food scam, it hinges on your expectations. If you’ve tried the candy before, you’d likely find it amusing and understand the person’s disappointment. However, even if you haven’t, you probably anticipated seeing a clown. Sorry to let you down.

The Cone Without Ice Cream

Have you ever had packaged ice cream cones in your life? If yes, then you probably know that this picture has less ice cream than expected. The chocolate ice cream should reach the top of the cone.

The picture clearly shows that the treat has been unwrapped recently, but the ice cream is shorter than the usual height.

In today’s world, it’s hard to find a brand you can trust because of such food and other kinds of scams. We’re just relieved we weren’t the ones experiencing this.

Smaller Lindt

Lindt is a well-known, high-end brand of chocolates, so we didn’t anticipate this food scam from them. Previously, the box shown in this image contained five pieces of chocolates. However, Lindt suddenly began selling this product with only four chocolates. Additionally, the brand lengthened the box, giving the impression that the quantity had increased. This is why the person in the picture purchased this package. However, upon reaching home, they were disappointed to discover that Lindt had reduced the contents without any notice.

A Tomato the Size of a Burger

Most items on this list are food mistakes resulting from missing ingredients or other items. However, this situation is the opposite and involves a tomato the size of a burger. The person had actually asked the server for extra tomatoes in the fast-food meal.

However, the restaurant opted to be generous by using a large tomato instead of several small ones. As you can see, it is the same size as the burger and occupies more space than the patty.

Therefore, the maker decided to deceive people by making the burger look bigger. It worked for many people but also disappointed many, as the taste was altered.

The Donut With Two Sprinkles

There are several theories we’ve developed about this unusual donut with two sprinkles. The first theory suggests that this pastry wasn’t intended to have any sprinkles at all. Instead, someone might have accidentally dropped the two sprinkles while applying the frosting. Additionally, some suggest that the donut was originally meant to be a strawberry sprinkle donut. However, the chef chose not to add sprinkles at the last minute, which is how just the two ended up on it. It should be noted that these are all just speculations. Regardless of what might have happened with the donut, we hope the recipient was pleased with it.

The Packet Containing Just a Single Broccoli

This food scam is one of the reasons we advise people to purchase vegetables with clear packaging or from a trusted market. The individual in this picture was taken aback when they bought a packet of broccoli roses for their meal.

Unexpectedly, the product contained only one large piece of vegetable, which was insufficient and overpriced. The consumer was greatly surprised, prompting them to share the photograph online as a warning to others. So if you ever want broccoli roses, make sure not to buy from this brand, or you’ll have to make another trip to the store.

What would you like as the side dish?

Nowadays, restaurants seem to follow instructions very literally. In the picture, the couple ordered sour cream on the side with their tacos. By looking at the photo, you can try to figure out where the restaurant made a mistake. Yes, you guessed it correctly. Instead of providing the dip separately, a worker applied it to the outer edges of the tacos. The couple found humor in this mistake and didn’t scold the restaurant. However, this doesn’t mean that food establishments shouldn’t be attentive to instructions. After all, the next customer might not be as forgiving.

Fewer Chips, More Air

It’s well-known that chip manufacturers often fill half the bags with air to make them appear fuller. However, Doritos went a step further by launching a new packaging that seemed to be more filled. But upon closer inspection, you’d notice that the weight of both the smaller and larger packs is the same.

This marketing tactic dissatisfied many consumers who checked the weight information. Naturally, when this image circulated online, even more people became aware of it. This highlights why brands need to be cautious when attempting to deceive customers. People tend to notice the small details.

The Bagel Lacking Vegetables

We’re still trying to understand this food mishap. At first glance, everything might look fine, but when you examine the photos closely, you’ll see that one side is missing vegetables. This could have been an honest error by the seller, or it could be an attempt to trick the customer.

Either way, the person who received this bagel was undoubtedly disappointed. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have posted the picture to highlight the error. We hope this never happens to you or us, as we would definitely be unhappy about the missing veggies.

Ice Cream Flavored Like Oreo Without Oreos

Anyone craving Oreo ice cream on this day had their plans spoiled. This was because the tub contained only plain vanilla ice cream. According to the consumer, there wasn’t a single piece of Oreo in the dessert. The cookie brand certainly has a history of deceiving people.

Previously, we highlighted the Oreo tin scam, and now there’s this ice cream blunder. Our advice is to purchase from this brand at your own risk. If it happened to us, we would be upset for missing out on our favorite flavor.

Ineffective Marketing

Do you believe this is a food scam by a popcorn brand? If you do, you’re not the only one. We had the same thought until we looked into it further. This product isn’t about selling popcorn but rather the cardboard container.

What they’re actually selling is the popcorn box, and the packet inside is just a bonus. The idea is to provide you with a container that you can fill up as much as you like.

It’s clear that the marketing team didn’t do a good job, as many people purchased the box thinking a large packet of popcorn was being offered.

Bacon for $6

Many people often order an extra side at restaurants. The person in this picture ordered bacon for $6, so they expected there to be more pieces of it. Unfortunately, they were only served this small piece of bacon, which greatly disappointed them.

You might think the bacon doesn’t look small in the picture, but you’d be wrong. The camera was held close to the dish, making it appear larger than its actual size. This is one reason why sides should be ordered carefully at restaurants. A high price doesn’t always mean a generous portion.

Cinnamon Bagel Made With The Incorrect Ingredient

Cinnamon bagels are traditionally plain and do not contain extra ingredients. However, this particular product strayed from the standard recipe and included two raisins. The person who opened the bagel was surprised and briefly thought they had purchased a raisin bagel. Normally, this isn’t a big deal because the raisins can be removed.

However, if someone with an allergy to the ingredient ate the bagel without checking, it could lead to issues. Since brands don’t always take such precautions, we suggest you do so. Therefore, always inspect bagels before eating to avoid unexpected surprises.

A Burrito Without a Center

When the individual purchased this burrito, they initially believed it would satisfy their hunger because of its length. However, upon opening the package, they discovered that the burrito was not intact. It had been sliced into two pieces placed at opposite ends, with the middle section that would have made it long missing.

This food deception disappointed the consumer and left them regretting their choice. We can only hope that this situation does not occur to anyone else because the burrito does not appear sufficient to satisfy an adult’s hunger.

What You Desire Versus What You Receive

On social media, there are numerous memes about the difference between food expectations and reality. Many eateries tend to exaggerate in their advertisements for new dishes or deals. This image perfectly illustrates how restaurants can be disappointing. The individual ordered a nacho platter, expecting it to look like the promotional picture.

They didn’t realize that the establishment would skimp on the sauce and meat toppings. We could suggest finding a positive side in the fact that the customer received more nachos than anticipated. However, the lack of sauce negates any such benefit.

A wrap with very little filling

Many people enjoy buying wraps for breakfast or lunch because they are quick to eat and satisfying. However, one individual had a bad experience when they discovered their wrap was not even a quarter filled. They had requested for the wrap to be made without the egg.

Unfortunately, the restaurant did not inform them that the egg was a major component of the wrap. Because of this, the wrap seemed incomplete. Only two pieces of bacon were placed in the middle, and there was less than half a slice of cheese to make up for the missing egg.

The Misleading Chocolate Chip Muffin

When you order a chocolate muffin, you might expect it to be made with a batter of melted chocolate chips or to have chocolate toppings inside or outside. Unfortunately, in this case, the sweet treat had none, which is disappointing for many reasons. No one wants to buy a chocolate chip muffin that is basically just a vanilla one.

What’s even more insulting and disappointing is that the manufacturers added only a single chocolate chip inside. It would have been better if they had added none at all. This shows they don’t care about satisfying customers and couldn’t be bothered to make an effort.

A Cannoli in Need

Cannoli is a delightful Italian dessert featuring a fried pastry shell filled with various ingredients. The item in this image is a subpar imitation of a cannoli that fails to honor the authentic dish. The filling in this pastry doesn’t appear to cover it fully.

This is disheartening, especially given the usual cost of the dish. We express our condolences to the person who ordered it. If they’ve tasted real cannoli before, they likely would have felt let down. However, if it was their first time, they might have been somewhat impressed.

The Betrayal on Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is a significant occasion for many couples around the world, which is why it needs to be perfect. Unfortunately, when this guy’s girlfriend was thinking of a good gift, she decided to buy conversation hearts, which did not turn out to be as delightful as she had imagined.

These conversation hearts were supposed to have romantic messages on them, but as you can see, they have no writing. Moreover, some of the hearts are poorly shaped. This is why you shouldn’t buy something you haven’t seen as a gift. At least the guy had a good laugh about it when he shared this photo.

Incorrect Sushi

Sushi (nigiri) is a popular Japanese dish in the US, making sushi restaurants quite common across the country. When this person ordered avocado nigiri, they expected to receive sushi topped or filled with avocado sauce.

However, they were taken aback when the restaurant served avocados lined up on a leaf instead of sushi. This is one of the most disappointing experiences imaginable. We can imagine the customer wasn’t pleased when they were served just avocados instead of a complete meal. We too wouldn’t have been satisfied if we were in that situation.

Attractive Packaging, Poor Content

We all enjoy garlic bread as an accompaniment to pasta, pizza, and a variety of other meals, which is why snacks inspired by it are also very popular. However, this bag of garlic bread chips does not live up to its packaging. You might have expected the snack to resemble the actual dish.

Technically, it does have the shape of garlic bread. Nonetheless, the chips’ color and taste do not align at all. This snack could barely be referred to as garlic bread. This image is an ideal example of how effective packaging can facilitate the sale of an inferior product.

A Cookie Package Featuring An Incorrect Image

We all understand that the images on a snack packet usually differ slightly from the actual product. However, in this instance, the cookie inside the package is completely different from the printed image. The main difference is that the one inside is a chocolate biscuit with just two chocolate chips.

Meanwhile, the image on the packaging shows a vanilla cookie with plenty of chocolate chips. It’s also quite difficult to determine where the error lies. Did the packaging company make a mistake during printing? Or were the cookies sealed incorrectly by the manufacturers? In any case, it wasn’t a good day for the person who purchased this snack.

A salad priced at $5

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be expensive, as salads often have a high price tag. It’s also frustrating to order one only to receive just tomatoes with a few onions. A person ordered a tomato salad, which cost them $5. Clearly, the restaurant didn’t consider this when adding the dish to the menu.

This salad essentially exploits customers who choose to eat healthy foods instead of fast food. After all, you could slice tomatoes at home and eat them for free. However, at least the restaurant thoughtfully used two different types of tomatoes.

Increased Ice, Reduced Beverage

This beverage trick is something all fast-food restaurants have been practicing forever. They fill the cup with less than half of the drink and fill up the remaining space with a lot of ice. Fortunately, we have a tip to help you avoid this trick.

When ordering for takeout or delivery, specify in the instructions not to include ice or to provide it separately. This is because, at home, you likely have ice in your freezer. Additionally, drinks are usually already somewhat cold.

The Unsatisfactory Sweet

Blueberry muffins are tasty and can easily boost your mood on a bad day. We believed this until we came across a picture of a blueberry muffin that was mostly plain. It had some frosting on top, along with some fruit, which made it look appealing.

However, when the person cut the muffin in half, they discovered there were no blueberries inside. The treat also lacked cream, which disappointed the consumer. This is why you should never buy something just because it looks good.

Appearances can be quite deceiving, and this is precisely what this blueberry muffin teaches us.

False Advertising

Seafood enthusiasts were likely eager to buy this jumbo shrimp tray. However, the brand was misleading in its advertising and did not deliver on its promise of providing jumbo shrimp. They used the packaging strip to trick people into purchasing the product. The shrimp were separated in the middle, with the pieces placed at the two far ends.

This allowed the seller to conceal the empty part of the tray with the name strip. As a result, customers believed they were getting a fair deal on jumbo shrimp, but in reality, they paid more than what they received. It’s disappointing, and we sympathize with the buyers.

Unfinished Tart Sticks

Children and young adults really enjoy sour sticks, which is why they are easily found on the market. Unfortunately, this popular snack isn’t immune to deceptive practices by some brands. This image perfectly illustrates what we’re discussing. The sticks in this tray were meant to be as long as the entire box. However, as you can see, they were cut short and only filled about three-fourths of the package. This is disappointing because people often crave more sour sticks. Additionally, the child who received this was likely very disappointed.

The Broccoli Package Without Broccoli

We certainly empathize with the individual who attempted to prepare their dinner or lunch with this broccoli packet. This is because it was missing the essential ingredient it was meant to provide. The manufacturers packed it with broccoli stems instead of the florets.

Although the stems have some nutritional value, they aren’t suitable for use in dishes due to their texture. Consequently, the brand’s deceptive tactic spoiled someone’s meal plans. This situation further highlights why purchasing frozen vegetable packets should be avoided. They are not only costly but also pose significant risks. On the other hand, fresh produce available in the market is a more reliable choice.

A Single Blueberry in Exchange for an Entire Packet of Blueberry Granola

It appears that people often engage in scams when it comes to blueberry products, as this is the third example in this list. When purchasing this blueberry granola, one would anticipate finding both components in fairly equal amounts. However, it seems the manufacturer didn’t understand this expectation, resulting in a flawed snack.

There’s no question that the packet is filled with granola. However, when it comes to blueberries, there’s only a single small piece visible in the photo. According to the person, the packet contained granola and some flavoring that mimicked the taste of blueberries.

The Can With An Opening

This unexpected problem with the food surprised us and truly shocked us. Usually, a can of tomato paste is filled all the way to the top. However, this can exceeded all expectations by having a large hole in the center that goes down to the bottom of the tin.

If the tomato paste had been filled from the middle, the consumer could have used it for a longer time. Unfortunately, they ended up with a piece of tin. The only question left is how the hole occurred. If the company did this intentionally, we hope they face legal action.

With additional sauce

Burgers taste quite good when loaded with our preferred sauces. In this image, the burger is missing BBQ sauce. What’s intriguing is that the customer specifically asked for extra sauce.

This means either the staff didn’t pay proper attention when taking the order, or the kitchen made a mistake. Regardless, someone’s favorite dish ended up spoiled.

The burger appears dry and small too. The onion rings also seem smaller than normal. We can only wish you luck in avoiding such disappointments.

The Chocolate Mix-up

Are you questioning what’s off about this image? The issue is that the packaging and the actual filling differ significantly. When you see the packet, you’re likely drawn to purchase this product due to the extra chocolate. However, this is misleading. The image reveals that the actual cookie has almost no filling.

There’s just a thin strip of chocolate cream, which isn’t even melted. This is ironic since the cookie isn’t meant to be like this. For example, it’s named Milano Melt, which suggests the chocolate should be melted.

The Polystyrene Technique

A mug filled with candy seems appealing until you discover that the candy was never actually in the mug. It was placed on top of styrofoam inside the cup to make it look full and appealing. If we were the marketers, we would have put all the candy inside the cup to satisfy customers and encourage them to return for more.

However, after reading this article, we suspect you might not want to purchase one of these products. There is a bright side, though. At least the buyer got to enjoy some jolly ranchers rather than none.

The Chocolate Wafer Roll Without Chocolate

This is another example of excessive packaging that has misled many people over the years. The wafer roll on the package appears to be filled with melted chocolate. However, in reality, it is dry and doesn’t contain the same amount. In fact, the actual wafer rolls have a hollow space in the middle.

That’s why relying on a photo is never a good idea when it comes to buying products. They are only used for advertising and do not represent the quality or quantity of the item. We truly hope that this kind of misleading practice stops in the future.

The Most Terrible Birthday Ever

Birthdays are meant to be joyous occasions filled with laughter and celebration. However, the child at this party was unhappy because he received a styrofoam cake. It may take you a moment to notice, but the empty white base in the picture was intended to be a cake, not just a base.

When the cake arrived, the family was initially pleased with its size and decoration. It appeared appealing from the outside, tricking everyone. That’s why we always recommend ordering from trustworthy and genuine sources by reading reviews and obtaining referrals.

The Production Error

Candy is fantastic when it’s in perfect condition. However, everything is off with the one shown in this picture. The product hasn’t been properly manufactured, and it shows. The two strips are meant to be joined so that both colors are enjoyed simultaneously.

But there’s been an error in production, leaving the strips separate. It’s surprising, as this snack brand is quite popular, making it hard to believe they would make such a basic mistake. We also question if the candy really is a foot long as stated on the packaging.

The Expensive Piece of Cake

Cheesecakes are tasty and generally cost more than the usual kind. However, this slice takes food scams to another level. It costs $10, which is quite pricey for a single piece of cake. Additionally, the size of this slice is rather small.

Normally, cake slices are large triangles that almost fill the plastic container they come in. The person who purchased this dessert was either deceived or had a strong craving for it.

Otherwise, nobody would spend $10 on such a slender slice of cheesecake. Let’s hope the flavor was outstanding to justify the steep price.

Onions Disguised as Fish

If you glance at the picture, it appears flawless and you might argue that it isn’t a food scam. But you’d be mistaken because this package, which is supposed to contain fish, is mostly filled with onions. It’s a packet of frozen fish available at several grocery stores.

The buyer believed they were purchasing a significant amount of fish because the box looked full. However, upon unpacking, they discovered that the majority of the filling was onions rather than fish. Only the thin outer layers surrounding the vegetables were the seafood.

Plain Pancakes With an Incorrect Title

Pancakes come in different flavors that greatly enhance the dessert. However, these cookies and cream pancakes are unlike any you’ve encountered before. The customer paid an additional $2 to upgrade to the premium flavor but felt insulted by the restaurant.

The establishment merely placed an Oreo cookie on top of the pancake and considered it done. This act should lead to the restaurant being banned for misleading customers because this presentation is not how cookies and cream pancakes should be. Additionally, the container is too small for the dish and needs improvement as well.

The Unfresh Meal

Schools have an obligation to be accountable and considerate towards their students. This is why we were appalled to notice a student receiving a lunch that was nearly inedible and unsuitable for eating. To add insult to injury, the child was charged $3.25 for this pizza.

We sincerely hope that the student did not eat the pizza slice. Firstly, it appears too outdated to be fresh, posing a health risk to the students. Anyone who consumed this pizza likely had to visit the hospital later due to food poisoning. Let’s hope that the school’s administration starts paying more attention to their cafeteria.

The Inexpensive Way to Make Chicken Strips

Chicken strips are crispy fried chicken pieces that are commonly available at many restaurants and fast-food chains as a side option. However, this particular place has a different method of preparing the dish. They essentially fry a regular smooth chicken patty and then cut it into four strips.

After cutting the patty, the restaurant calls it chicken strips. We believe serving this dish to customers is unfair. This is because a patty cannot compare to traditional crispy fried chicken strips. What’s even more problematic is that it costs more than typical patty dishes. As a result, this deception surely disappointed the customer.

Fries Without the Essential Cheese

We thought fries were a dish that couldn’t be messed up. But this restaurant showed us otherwise by serving the worst cheese fries we’ve ever encountered. It looks like they just placed a slice of cheese over the fries and microwaved it to melt it.

Naturally, the cheese didn’t melt well in the microwave. Instead, it shrank and hardened somewhat by the time the meal arrived. The person who ordered this likely regretted it greatly when they got their order. If it were us, we probably would have refused to accept and pay for this substandard meal.

Stadium Food Swindle

Stadiums prohibit bringing in outside food to increase their sales of overpriced meals. Anyone who has attended an event there knows that stadium food is notoriously overpriced. This burger is a prime example of that.

It cost $10 and lacked any sauce. There was just one slice of tomato, and the patty was too small to cover the bun completely. Overall, this burger is neither appetizing nor satisfying, which is disappointing given its $10 price tag. This is why you should never expect stadiums to offer anything worthwhile.