Congratulations! You now have a food trend reporter who can tell you first-hand how GLP-1s affect diet.
One of the several medical specialists who I’ve accumulated over the course of a life well-lived handed me a sample of Ozempic during my most recent visit, and I took my second dose this morning.
I started reporting on the drugs, intended for weight loss among other things, last year. What I found most interesting about them in my research is that, unlike pretty much every other weight-loss scheme, they actually work. They slow down the rate at which food moves from the stomach to the intestine, making users feel full sooner, while simultaneously boosting signals in their brain that tell them when they’re full.
Smoothie King was the first chain to introduce items specifically intended for GLP-1 users, in October of 2024, and it took about a year for other chains to respond. An example of what they came up with was Shake Shack’s Good Fit Menu, which basically offered burgers and chicken sandwiches wrapped in lettuce — something you might recall from the most recent low-carb craze. They weren’t new, per se, as lettuce wraps had long been an option there, but the target audience explicitly included GLP-1 users.
I have several friends who are already using the drugs, which is to be expected since a recent survey by KFF (formerly the Kaiser Family Foundation) found that around 12% of adults are currently using them — 22% of them members of my age group.
One of my friends lost a ton of weight and looks sensational, another has lost a bit of weight and enjoys discussing his nausea more than I’d like.
The effects of these drugs aren’t supposed to be immediate, but I’ve started to feel something, even though I’ve just started using them.
At a preview last week of Shaver Hall, a food hall that Dallas-based FB Society just opened in New York City, I had to call it quits after sampling some cheese at Pick & Cheese — a very cool concept featuring cheese plates paired with unusual complements such as lemon curd and kimchi, all delivered via conveyor belt, kaiten sushi-style — a couple of pieces of sushi at Norihana, and a few bites of Korean fried chicken over mac & cheese at Chick Chick. I tried to down a large bottle of water and my digestive system slammed on the brakes. I felt gross.
The Adjaruli khachapuri at Rtveli restaurant in Brooklyn, N.Y. | Photo by Bret Thorn
But a couple of days before I had little trouble consuming an entire khachapuri — the rich, cheesy bread boats from the former Soviet republic of Georgia — at a new restaurant called Rtveli in my Brooklyn, N.Y., neighborhood of Sheepshead Bay. I felt full, sure, but khachapuri would do that to anyone. I had also just taken my first injection that morning, so maybe it hadn’t kicked in yet.
And then this weekend I found myself craving salads. I’d reported on this: GLP-1 users often crave lighter foods that are also hydrating. The salad I had was at Bonnie’s Grill in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Park Slope, and it was made with mesclun, red peppers, olives, almonds, and goat cheese in balsamic vinaigrette.
It hit the spot, and also fit the frequent recommendation that GLP-1 users make sure they get enough protein as the rapid weight loss that often comes with their use can reduce muscle mass otherwise.
I’ll take this moment to restate my insistence, based on reports from many public health organizations, that most Americans get more protein than they need. GLP-1 users might be an exception, however.
I’m pretty sure I haven’t lost any weight yet, and to be honest, I wonder if I will. I rarely eat out of hunger; I eat for fun, and sometimes I overeat out of a sense of obligation — if chefs are feeding me, I don’t want to hurt their feelings by declining or just picking at my food.
Maybe the hard stop that GLP-1s put on my eating will be a factor, or maybe I’ll just find ways to work around it — from what I can tell, the drugs work best if combined with intentional changes in diet and exercise.
But I can tell you that the effects are real. The drug hasn’t diminished my joy of eating, but it has told me when I should rein it in. That’s good for me, and probably good for the growing number of your customers who are using the drugs.
And you can accommodate them by offering small portions and foods made with fruits and vegetables, which I guess I crave now, maybe with a bit of lean protein — I’m told that fatty foods can be nauseating to GLP-1 users, although I haven’t experienced that yet.
I don’t think you need to go crazy in your offerings. Something like Shake Shack’s move seems on-track — a light lift with a simple marketing adjustment. As long as you make sure something obvious is available, such as the Protein Cup that Chipotle introduced late last year — simply four ounces of cubed Adobo Chicken — you should be fine. A much smaller chain, Bubbakoo’s Burritos, just followed suit with its new Protein Cup that’s simply chopped grilled chicken.
Given the rise in people like me who are using these drugs, it certainly makes sense to keep track of how they eat. And I’ll certainly let you know how they’re working for me.