Back in 2023, restaurant chain executives started expressing concern about GLP-1 drugs.
Many in the industry pooh-poohed such fears. Health and weight-loss trends come and go in cycles, they said. Injectable drugs won’t be popular. And people still need to eat.
But if the latest earnings season is anything to go by, drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic have become a part of the conversation. GLP-1 drug references are increasingly being mentioned in the menu strategy of big and small restaurant chains.
McDonald’s in its fourth-quarter earnings said it is evaluating its menu in anticipation of an expected rise of GLP-1 users, for example—especially as the drugs become increasingly available in pill form, rather than by injection.
U.S. Foods said it is fielding more questions from restaurant clients about how their menus can adapt to the GLP trend. The distributor feels its portfolio is well-positioned to meet their needs, said CEO Dave Flitman, during that company’s earnings call this month.
Restaurant Brands International, parent to Burger King, Popeyes and Firehouse Subs, now lists the increased adoption of weight-loss medications like GLP inhibitors as risk factors that could damage the business in its 10K filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
GLP-1 drugs, or glucagon-like peptide-1, were initially developed to help people with diabetes manage blood-sugar levels, but now about 12% of adults in the U.S. say they are taking a GLP to lose weight or treat a chronic condition, according to a KFF Health tracking poll in November.
In December, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first GLP-1 pill to treat obesity, which was expected to launch early this year.
That has the potential to convert a lot of interested-but-not-yet-GLP-1 users, which represents about 22% of consumers, said Charlie McConnell, vice president of industry insights, education & research for IFMA, The Food Away from Home Association.
The biggest barrier now is not the drug’s delivery method, but the cost and whether it’s covered by insurance.
“If those costs come down meaningfully, that’s when this shifts from a trend worth watching to a force that could reshape dining behavior,” McConnell said.
Industry research firm Circana LLC, however, argues that the reshaping of consumer spending habits is already happening.
In a report in late 2025, Circana estimated about 24% of food-and-beverage purchases came from U.S. households that include a user of GLP drugs. By 2030, that is expected to grow to 35%.
GLP-1 drug users aren’t abandoning restaurants, but they are eating differently, according to Circana.
Those guests are ordering fewer items, focusing more on main dishes and less on sides, snacks and breads.
They’re also looking for smaller portions. In October, for example, Circana found that 35% of all restaurant consumers reported ordering smaller portion sizes for health reasons.
GLP-1 users also gravitate to more nutrient-dense dishes, Circana said, with 63% of diners actively seeking more vegetables and 55% looking for more fruit.
GLP-1 users also drink less alcohol. That could be an opportunity for restaurants to promote mocktails and other functional beverages, Circana said.
Restaurant operators, meanwhile, appear convinced that GLP-1 drug users want protein, and lots of it. And also fiber.
So far, 2026 has been the year of protein and fiber, with a steady drumbeat of protein menus and marketing promotions putting (mainly) meat and cheese front and center—along with the coveted “macros.”
Many are like El Pollo Loco, which isn’t changing its menu so much as marketing the protein that was already there.
El Pollo Loco's new Protein Packed Menu. | Photo courtesy of El Pollo Loco.
This week the quick-service chain joined the parade by announcing a Protein Packed Menu with more than 20 curated menu items ranging from 23 to 74 grams of protein, from the Original Pollo Bowl (41 grams) to a Double Chicken Bowl (74 grams).
Like Chipotle, which last year debuted a High Protein Cup that amounts to a simple cup of chicken, El Pollo Loco also now offers a side of chopped chicken breast (23 grams).
Shake Shack also recently introduced a Good Fit Menu, including high-protein serving sizes.
"We have always made these items," said Shake Shack CEO Rob Lynch in the earnings call this week. "We simply package them up and merchandise them as a timely, relevant additional sales layer for our business, a great example of our ability to drive sales growth without significant operational or supply chain disruption."
In its earnings call this month, Chris Kempczinski, CEO of McDonald’s, said the company is spending a lot of time on the rise of GLP-1 drugs and paying close attention.
So far, he said, there is no evidence that it’s having a material impact on the fast-food chain. But the pill form of the drug had only recently become available, and is already showing strong adoption, he said.
“Certainly, in our view, that adoption is going to continue to grow,” he said. “And, as adoption grows, we know that consumers’ behavior changes. We know that, in general, they eat fewer calories in the day, but also what they eat, the mix of that changes.
“Fortunately for us, protein is one of the areas that this consumer, the GLP-1 consumer, is still very much interested in, and we’ve got a great protein offering on our menu,” Kempczinski added. “So, I think that’s an area of strength for us.”
But the weight loss drugs also tend to reduce snacking, and those consumers will likely look for less-sugary drinks, he added. “And so all of those things are factoring into some of what we’re out there experimenting with and testing.”
Jill McDonald, the quick-service chain’s executive vice president, global chief restaurant experience officer, added that GLP-1 users are already enjoying McDonald’s protein-forward dishes, like Filet-O-Fish, chicken strips, the Snack Wrap and Sausage Biscuit, for example.
There are more protein items they can call out on the menu for those diners, she said. And more is coming, but not necessarily new items.
“We have a couple of ideas that we are already looking at for the longer term,” she said.
Increasing protein, however, can be costly. Sweetgreen, which increased protein portions last year, on Thursday said its restaurant-level margins took a 700-basis-point hit, in part because of higher protein costs.
Sweetgreen CEO Jonathan Neman said it's hard to say whether the protein menu attracted more GLP-1 users because they don't say they're on the drugs (though clearly, "many people are," he said).
Still, Neman said he was confident those users would choose Sweetgreen. "As GLP-1 adoption increases, we will be a beneficiary," he said.
Fundamentally, GLP-1 drugs suppress appetite. So smaller portions are the most natural response, argued McConnell of IFMA.
“I’d say the primary play for restaurants is right-sizing portions. Leaning into protein is a smart secondary move, but portion control is where the real opportunity sits,” he said. “There’s a real upside for operators there in the form of lowered food costs.”
The move toward smaller portions dovetails nicely with the far bigger issue: The ongoing consumer demand for value.
Chipotle’s cup of chicken, for example, was “inspired by hacks that our guests rely on to boost their intake and offers a solution to those looking for smaller portions, which is a fast-growing trend with the adoption of GLP-1s,” said CEO Scott Boatwright during the fast-casual chain’s fourth-quarter earnings call in early February.
The beauty of it, added Boatwright, is that it’s a value play without any discount.
The Protein Cup, for example, is about $3.80, which he said is an approachable price point that “really gives the consumer a meaningful way into the brand.”
Similarly, the privately held Panera Bread this week launched its first dedicated value menu offering Mix & Match half portions at $4.99 each. The menu includes 10 classic items, creating a meal starting at about $10, a significant savings, depending on the market.
It wasn’t so much about appealing to those seeking smaller portions, said Panera CEO Paul Carbone, in an interview with Restaurant Business.
It’s about value, he said, but also variety.
“On GLP-1, here’s the great thing about Panera that I’m really excited about. We already have a lot of protein-rich options, like the Bagel Stacks, for example, that we launched for $7.99 or north of 30 grams of protein,” said Carbone. “You can customize. You can add more protein. And from a size perspective, everything on our menu for soup, salads and sandwiches, you can buy in half portions.”
Cava CEO and co-founder Brett Schulman also noted this week that his chain’s menu is already well-positioned for the expected rise in GLP-1 users.
“We very much believe the world is coming in our direction, with more GLP-influenced eating behaviors,” he said. “People are looking for nutrient-dense, satisfying, flavorful food that is low in bad fats, low in sugars. That’s Mediterranean food, right? People are gravitating to protein-rich, fiber-rich.”
Meanwhile, the movement is also showing up in much smaller businesses. And some restaurateurs are experiencing the impact of the drugs first-hand.
T's Brunch Bar in Atlanta has adjusted its menu for GLP-1 users. | Photo courtesy of T's Brunch Bar.
Teneshia Murray-Butler, for example, who owns the four-unit soul-food concept T’s Brunch Bar in Atlanta, has used GLP medication herself, and it’s working. (She recently had a physical and doctors said her bloodwork looked great, she said.)
But, based on her own experiences, she realized guests need more options.
T’s still offers indulgent dishes like chicken and waffles, oxtail omelets and shrimp and grits. But her restaurants now highlight more GLP-friendly dishes, like Buffalo Shrimp, Honey-Glazed Salmon and lamb chops.
Murray-Butler said she has also brought portion sizes down a bit, added more salads and non-fried options.
Collard greens are cooked with turkey (rather than pork), the restaurant uses lighter coating on the fried green tomatoes, and a veggie plate lets the vegetables dominate (though one portion-controlled biscuit provides “nostalgia and comfort,” according to press materials.)
It’s not just about GLP users, she said, but also older guests and others who don’t want to end up leaving food on their plates.
“I think people are just more health-conscious,” said Murray-Butler. “When they see restaurants that have different options for them, it makes them want to come back.”
UPDATE: This article has been updated to clarify McDonald's menu plans.