At a Glance
- Olive Garden, Chipotle, Subway and Shake Shack now sell smaller, protein-heavy dishes
- 12% of Americans say they take a GLP-1 drug, up from 6% six months earlier
- Restaurants frame the moves as giving guests “more choices” and less food waste
- Why it matters: Diners-on weight-loss drugs or not-can now buy lighter, cheaper menu items
GLP-1 drugs have moved from diabetes care to mainstream weight loss, and national restaurant chains are quietly rewriting their menus to match the smaller appetites and higher-protein diets the medications encourage.
From Diabetes to Drive-Thru
The FDA’s approvals for weight-loss use over the past five years sent drugs such as Wegovy, Zepbound and Mounjaro into headlines and medicine cabinets. A November Kaiser Family Foundation poll found 12% of U.S. adults now take a GLP-1 medicine, double the share recorded the previous May.
Smoothie King spotted the shift early, launching a GLP-1 Support Menu in 2024. Every smoothie boasts high protein and fiber with zero grams of added sugar. The company said the line was “created with a registered dietitian” for guests managing appetite changes.
Olive Garden Shrinks the Plate
Olive Garden added a “lighter portion” section in December, pricing seven classic dishes in smaller servings. A standard chicken parmigiana carries 1,020 calories and 64 g of protein; the lighter version delivers 630 calories and 36 g of protein.
Ricardo Cardenas, CEO of parent company Darden Restaurants, told investors the option “is designed to give guests more choices” and “just so happens to benefit the consumers that might want smaller portions that are on GLP-1 medications.”
Chipotle Sells Protein by the Cup
Chipotle’s answer is the High Protein Menu. A $3.95 cup of cubed chicken supplies 32 g of protein-roughly the price of a latte. President and chief brand officer Chris Brandt said the item formalized a social-media “hack” in which customers ordered a side of protein as a snack.
Brandt noted “a clear shift toward diets rich in protein and fiber, and for some guests, smaller portions throughout the day.”
Subway Packs Wraps
Subway’s Protein Pockets rolled out this month and are now in 96% of U.S. stores. Each snack-size wrap contains more than 20 g of protein.
North America president Damien Harmon told News Of Los Angeles the launch was driven by demand for higher protein and fewer calories, adding that rising GLP-1 use “absolutely” influenced the decision.
Shake Shack Lightens Up
Shake Shack’s Good Fit Menu lists lettuce-wrapped versions of its signature burgers. Chief communications officer Luke DeRouen said guests “are increasingly looking for more flexibility in how they enjoy their favorite restaurants.”
Why Protein, Why Now
Registered dietitian Jenna Werner explained that GLP-1 users need protein to preserve muscle mass because the drugs blunt hunger. Restaurants, she said, are “utilizing this weight-loss cultural movement to hop on that train.”
The trend dovetails with new federal advice. Last week the Trump administration raised daily protein targets to 1.2-1.6 g per kilogram of body weight, up from 0.8 g.
Not Everyone Cheers
Werner cautioned that more protein is not automatically healthier. She noted that a 20-ounce Gladiator GLP-1 Vanilla smoothie from Smoothie King contains more calories, sodium and cholesterol than a Krispy Kreme glazed donut.
“Not everybody needs 50 grams of protein in one sitting,” she said. “If we’re only eating protein, where are our carbohydrates? Where are our fats?”
Drugmakers Respond
Novo Nordisk, maker of Wegovy and Ozempic, declined to comment. A spokesperson for Eli Lilly, producer of Mounjaro and Zepbound, said the company values “efforts to make healthy living easier for everyone,” adding that flexible portions help diners manage obesity and diabetes while cutting food waste.
Key Takeaways
- GLP-1 adoption is prompting chains to rethink portion size and protein content
- Lighter dishes cost less, aligning with both health goals and tighter budgets
- Nutritionists warn balance still matters; protein alone is not a magic bullet
