Back in July, I shared that I\u2019ve been on a weight loss journey and taking Zepbound, a GLP-1 drug, under the supervision of my physician. Noting changes in my own eating habits, I asked you, the readers, to share your own weight loss stories. I also planned to survey the restaurant industry to find out if they had perceived any changes in customer behavior.<\/p>\n
Several weeks later, I have some interesting findings.<\/p>\n
How diners are faring<\/p>\n
Dozens of readers responded with their experiences. There were some overarching trends among the reports.<\/p>\n
Of course, the primary result is a reduction in appetite; this is, after all, the intended effect of drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound. How readers changed their dining behavior as a result of that varied somewhat.<\/p>\n
Pretty much everyone who responded reported that they are, or in some cases used to be, dining enthusiasts. A few reported dining out less frequently, although the majority still said they enjoy the act of eating out. It\u2019s how they dine that shifts.<\/p>\n
Many people continue to order as they always have, and either take home leftovers or simply not finish their meal. Yet about as many also expressed a desire for smaller portions, even seeking out restaurants that had a broader variety of small plates. Splitting dishes was also a common option.<\/p>\n
A few readers remarked they continue to frequent restaurants even with a reduced appetite because they enjoy the social aspect of dining out.<\/p>\n
Amanda Morrow of East Sacramento began taking Zepbound about a year and a half ago.<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/SAC_74517_ZJZ_20260727_SeanGLP1.JPG\" "\\"SAC_74517_ZJZ_20260727_SeanGLP1.JPG\\"")
A Zepbound Kwikpen tirzepatide injection device in Sacramento on July 27. ZIYU JULIAN ZHU Sacramento Bee file <\/p>\n
\u201cInitially food and alcohol weren\u2019t attractive to me anymore. My husband and I would go out with friends and I would feel like I had to order something, so I typically stuck to appetizers or small or half-sized house salads. I really figured out which restaurants served the best appetizers. Our favorites became the \u2018heavy\u2019 appetizer restaurants \u2013 multiple protein street tacos, fancy sliders, etc. Most restaurants still serve too much food, so if we go out I\u2019ll either share something with my husband, or if not I\u2019ll usually eat a side salad and then the protein first from my main dish and have no problem leaving the starch on the plate,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
What diners order has also changed. A few readers reported that being on a weight loss drug compels them to make healthier choices when dining, focusing on fiber and protein, and only having carbs if they\u2019re still hungry.<\/p>\n
A few also reported shifts in their tastes, including less interest in certain types of foods. Some even reported markedly less interest in food altogether.<\/p>\n
Carmichael-based Deborah Ballanti has been on Zepbound for four and a half years.<\/p>\n
\u201cGLP-1s have definitely impacted my dining experience. I find much less pleasure in food and am less inclined to eat out. My tastes have changed dramatically as well. I no longer enjoy rich or spicy foods or alcohol. My sense of smell seems much more acute. I do still eat out as a social experience, and that is still pleasurable,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Another common response, readers wrote, is that the drugs have reduced their desire for alcohol as well as their appetite. This is borne out in studies, such as the one report by the National Institutes of Health<\/a>.<\/p>\n Many people also reported the quieting of \u201cfood noise,\u201d reducing their desire to snack or eat mindlessly.<\/p>\n Notably, while readers shared their experiences, few were willing to be quoted on record, suggesting a stigma surrounding the use of these drugs despite their popularity.<\/p>\n How GLP-1 users are affecting restaurants<\/p>\n One thing is clear: On the macro level, the food industry at large is reacting to the prevalence of weight loss drugs.<\/p>\n Both McDonalds and Burger King report that while they have not yet seen material changes in consumer behavior, they are watching the trend closely and testing new menu items with GLP-1 users in mind. For example, Burger King is testing Whopper bites<\/a>, accommodating the desire for smaller portions, and protein-forward bowls. McDonalds is also experimenting with portion-controlled dishes<\/a>.<\/p>\n Two major chains have already adapted their menus. In 2024, Smoothie King launched an entire GLP-1 Support Menu<\/a>, with smoothies that contain at least 20 mg of protein and no added sugar. Shake Shack similarly launched its Good Fit Menu<\/a>, offering several of its classic sandwiches in lettuce wraps instead of on buns to keep protein levels high and carbs low.<\/p>\n Local chain Jimboy\u2019s Tacos<\/a> ran a limited-time offer earlier this year with their Snackuritos, snack-sized burritos priced at $4.95 each. According to director of marketing Dina Guillen, they were one of the most successful promotions yet.<\/p>\n \u201cThe promotion drove increases in sales, traffic and frequency, and in April alone, we saw nearly double-digit year-over-year increases in both revenue and traffic. Based on the response, we\u2019re likely to bring Snackuritos back next year\u2026We\u2019re seeing enough interest in this type of offering that, on October 1, we\u2019ll be rolling out another (promotion) designed with customers\u2019 interest in smaller portions and accessible price points in mind,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Guillen acknowledges that part of the promotion\u2019s success could be driven by value as well as portioning.<\/p>\n For independent restaurateurs, it can be hard to tell if changes in consumer behavior are attributable to the rising GLP-1 use or other economic pressures.<\/p>\n \u201cI have noticed people ordering and spending less and coming in less, but I didn\u2019t think about GLP-1 drugs. I just assumed it was the economy and inflation. Regulars are still coming, but I\u2019ve noticed check averages down a little,\u201d said Billy Ngo of Kru Contemporary Japanese Cuisine<\/a>.<\/p>\n Brad Cecchi of Canon<\/a> has seen some shifts, but finds it hard to tease out the true cause.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a shared plate kind of experience, and so it\u2019s hard in our concept to see it, because you might have one of four people or one of 10 people on a GLP-1, and so they\u2019re eating less of that shared experience,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Cecchi did note one significant change: Alcohol consumption.<\/p>\n \u201cYou might have somebody that orders a cocktail, but they\u2019re not getting a bottle of wine. Our by the glass wine sales have stayed stagnant. We\u2019ve also seen a huge uptick in non-alcoholic beverage sales in that same period of time. We are seeing a little bit of an increase in our cover counts, but a little bit of decrease in per person spend,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Patricio Wise of Nixtaco in Roseville and Folsom<\/a> has noted a similar trend.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have seen a decrease in alcohol consumption overall, and then again I don\u2019t know if that\u2019s just like new generations not drinking, or the existing generations drinking less because of GLP-1s, but we have seen a trend in a reduction of alcohol consumption overall,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n While Nixtaco\u2019s menu is less about the shared plate experience, it\u2019s equally hard to determine whether his diners are eating less due to GLP-1 drugs, as people can order as many or as few tacos as they want. However, he has heard it anecdotally.<\/p>\n \u201cThe conversations that we hear from customers at the bar and at the table, we do hear that, like, oh no, I can\u2019t eat that much anymore, and I\u2019m not drinking that much either. We do hear it in the dining room,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Devin Dedier, director of food and beverage at Dedier Family Restaurants, which includes the nine brunch-forward Mimosa House locations<\/a>, sees a clearer pattern. He notes that on the surface the restaurants appear as busy as ever. People still wait in line, and tables still fill up. What\u2019s changed is what happens after everybody sits down.<\/p>\n According to Dedier, restaurants don\u2019t make money on the main dishes, but on the extras: appetizers, drinks and desserts. He says the impulse to say, \u201cwhy not?\u201d has quieted over the last year or two.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are seeing tables of four order two entrees and four forks. We are seeing pancakes and French toast slide while steak and eggs, the omelettes, the smoked salmon plate, anything protein forward, climbs. To-go box usage is up in a way that has nothing to do with saving it for later; it is people getting four bites in and being genuinely, cheerfully done,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n A decline in bar sales has been particularly noticeable.<\/p>\n \u201cWe named the company after a mimosa. The second round used to be automatic. Now it is a coffee, tap water with lemon, and if we are lucky, one glass instead of the carafe,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd look, none of that is bad for the guest! Truly. People feel good, they are eating with intention, and I am not about to stand here as a chef and tell somebody they are doing life wrong for not finishing their hash browns.\u201d<\/p>\n Dedier isn\u2019t blaming the consumer. He\u2019s adapting to meet the new normal.<\/p>\n \u201cPortion is a design decision now, not a generosity contest. If somebody only has room for three bites, those three bites better be worth the drive. The old flex was how much came out on the plate. The new one is how much of it you are still thinking about an hour later. I would rather be judged on that anyway,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Related Stories from Sacramento Bee<\/p>\n![\"Chef](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/img-24-04-03-18A86.jpg\" "\\"img-24-04-03-18A86.jpg\\"")
Chef Billy Ngo, cofounder, chef and partner of Kru Contemporary Japanese Cuisine poses for a portrait inside the restaurant in March 2024. PAUL KITAGAKI JR. Sacramento Bee file <\/p>\n![\"Restaurateurs](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/SAC_8751_HA_240716_Pedregal.JPG\" "\\"SAC_8751_HA_240716_Pedregal.JPG\\"")
Restaurateurs Brad Cecchi and Patricio Wise pose for a portrait in Folsom in 2024. HECTOR AMEZCUA Sacramento Bee file <\/p>\n![\"Devin](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/SAC_7050_DevinDedier_HA_260915.JPG\" "\\"SAC_7050_DevinDedier_HA_260915.JPG\\"")
Devin Dedier, director of food and beverage at Dedier Family Restaurants, which includes nine Mimosa House locations, on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026. Dedier says he has seen an increase in takeout and that people are ordering fewer appetizers and alcoholic drinks since GLP-1 medications became popular. HECTOR AMEZCUA hamezcua@sacbee.com <\/p>\n
![\"Profile](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/img-25-11-14-4EC66.jpg\")