Restaurants across the U.S. are rethinking portion sizes and menus as the popularity of GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy leads diners to eat and drink less.Operators such as Clinton Hall and Berg Hospitality Group are introducing smaller dishes or reworking menu staples to emphasize protein and reduce waste.As appetite-suppressing drugs reshape dining habits, many restaurateurs are focusing on hospitality, ambiance, and experience to keep guests engaged beyond what\u2019s on the plate.<\/p>\n
Walk into any of the four Clinton Hall locations around New York City, and you\u2019ll find a typical beer hall scene. Mozzarella sticks, heaps of nachos, and other bar snacks sit on nearly every table as patrons clink frosty pint glasses. Some may be testing the limits of their stomachs with the CH Challenge, a food feat that requires eating a 20-ounce burger topped with bacon, chicken tenders, and onion rings in less than 25 minutes to get the gargantuan meal for free.\n<\/p>\n
But in striking contrast, one surprising dish may also grace the table: The Teeny-Weeny Mini Meal, which consists of a burger smaller than the size of your fist and five to seven french fries sticking out of a shot glass. The bite-sized dish was added to the menu in response to the rise of GLP-1 medications, a class of drugs that promote weight loss and are typically used to treat diabetes and obesity, but have seen a stunning rise as a weight loss drug.\n<\/p>\n
\u201cI started seeing people taking one or two bites and being done,\u201d says Aristotle Hatzigeorgiou, the owner of Clinton Hall. \u201cIt was terrible. Number one, for the waste of food, but also because these restaurants did not have the ability to give that individual something that made more sense. This was our playful alternative to solve that.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
While Clinton Hall\u2019s dedicated menu item addresses some of the challenges restaurateurs face with the rise of GLP-1 medications, widespread usage impacts every aspect of restaurant operations, from the flow of dinner service to financial sustainability, as customers consume and spend less. As appetite-suppressing medications skyrocket in popularity, restaurant operators nationwide are grappling with how to adapt to the changing way people eat, making creative pivots that downsize portions, adjust menu items, and rethink the overall restaurant experience.\n<\/p>\n
Ten to 12% of Americans report using GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy, with an additional 14% interested in giving them a try, according to a study<\/a> released in August by the nonprofit organization RAND. That number is even more prominent among specific demographics, as one in five women ages 50 to 64 say they have taken one of the drugs.\n<\/p>\n The share of Americans taking GLP-1 medications has risen nearly 600% since 2019, according to a report<\/a> from nonprofit organization FAIR Health released in May. These numbers are only growing, and various reports<\/a> expect the industry to clear a valuation of $150 billion by 2023 \u2014 easily making it one of the highest-grossing medication categories across the industry.\n<\/p>\n Since GLP-1 medications work to treat diseases like diabetes and obesity by suppressing a user\u2019s appetite, restaurant professionals report seeing fewer plates covering each table, a decrease in alcohol consumption, and other changes that squeeze this challenging industry even tighter.\n<\/p>\n Benjamin Berg, the founder and CEO of Berg Hospitality Group<\/a>, crunched the numbers to back up the changes he has seen at his 14 restaurants across Texas. He estimates that side dish orders are down about 30% and large groups are also scaling back the number of appetizers they order for the table.\n<\/p>\n Berg\u2019s portfolio of restaurants includes a few high-end steakhouses like Turner\u2019s<\/a> and Prime 131<\/a> in Houston. These restaurants rely on guests ordering appetizers like beef tartare and raw bar towers to boost check averages and maintain profitability. But Berg says ordering a few dishes to share at the table is \u201cdown dramatically.\u201d\n<\/p>\n He also notes that hearty side dishes you\u2019d expect to find at a steakhouse, like creamed spinach and decadent mac and cheese, aren\u2019t as popular as they once were. Rather than developing brand-new, medication-specific menu items to address the changing way diners are eating, Berg says his team is rethinking menu staples. For example, lobster mac and cheese has been replaced with protein-forward side dishes like lobster basted in white wine and butter.\n<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re in the business of taking you away from your life for a couple of hours. We want to create a great experience,\u201d Berg says. \u201cWe still want you to have that decadent experience. But we’re also listening to the guests and watching how the guests are ordering.\u201d\n<\/p>\n Medical professionals advise GLP-1 users to increase their intake of protein and fiber to make every bite count, as they eat less overall, which is what prompted Berg to make that particular change. He says he has noticed more people swapping carbs for protein even if they\u2019re not taking a weight-loss drug.\n<\/p>\n These changes are also showing up on grocery store shelves<\/a>. Congara Brands, the company behind Healthy Choice frozen meals, added labels to select items that are high in protein, low-calorie, and a good source of fiber to denote that they are \u201cGLP-1 friendly.\u201d Daily Harvest rolled out a special GLP-1 Support package of smoothies and other freezer meals, while Nestle launched an entirely new brand called Vital Pursuit, catering to GLP-1 users.\n<\/p>\n The 411 on GLP-1<\/p>\n What are GLP-1 medications? GLP-1, which stands for glucagon-like peptide 1, is a naturally occurring hormone in your body that regulates blood sugar, controls appetite, slows digestion, and signals to the brain that you feel full. These medications are colloquially called GLP-1 medications because they contain drugs like semaglutide, tirzepatide, and liraglutide, which mimic the GLP-1 hormone in your body.<\/p>\n How do they work? GLP-1 medications promote weight loss, so they are often used to treat conditions like diabetes, obesity, and more. Many users describe feeling \u201cquieted food noise\u201d or eliminated cravings, so people who use the medications consume less and therefore lose weight. Most GLP-1 medications are taken as a weekly injectable, but some brands offer daily pill forms as well.<\/p>\n Neal Bodenheimer, a partner at New Orleans cocktail bars like Cure<\/a> and Cane & Table<\/a> and Dauphine\u2019s<\/a> restaurant in Washington, D.C., says that while his venues haven\u2019t made any changes with medications like Wegovy and Munjaro in mind, he\u2019s thinking more about hospitality than ever before.\n<\/p>\n \u201cIt used to be that our secret weapon was hospitality, but people came for the food and drink,\u201d says Bodenheimer. Now the emphasis has shifted from what\u2019s on your plate and in your glass to the overall experience, he says.\n<\/p>\n Bodenheimer notes that, whether it\u2019s due to the rise of GLP-1 medications or other factors, guests in recent years have paid more attention to the design of a space and their overall experience. That means he expects music, interior design, and other elements that make up a restaurant\u2019s ambience to become more critical in the coming years.\n<\/p>\n