As weight loss drugs reshape how Americans eat, Burger King is gearing up for a future where customers still want fast food \u2014 just less of it.<\/p>\n
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\u201cMy impulse has always been that this GLP-1 movement is going to have a profound impact on the industry,\u201d said Burger King\u2019s president of U.S. and Canada, Tom Curtis, in an interview in Miami for NBC\u2019s Business in America franchise.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe haven\u2019t seen it yet, so I keep telling the team, \u2018Hey, we need to be prepared for this,\u2019\u201d he said. At Burger King, the preparations have already begun.<\/p>\n
Curtis said the chain is testing menu items like Whopper Bites and protein-forward bowls, partly to accommodate the shifting tastes of GLP-1 users.<\/p>\n
The goal isn\u2019t to completely reinvent Burger King, but to make sure it stays relevant as Americans consume fewer calories and increasingly seek out protein-rich meals.<\/p>\n
The evolving strategy comes as fast-food chains brace for what could become one of the industry\u2019s biggest long-term challenges.<\/p>\n
GLP-1 medications are on the rise, raising questions about whether consumers will permanently scale back on burgers, fries and other staples that have fueled quick-serve restaurant sales for decades.<\/p>\n
A July Gallup poll<\/a> found that 11% of U.S. adults are currently on a GLP-1 medication, nearly four times the share just two years ago.<\/p>\n In a separate survey by the National Restaurant Association, nearly half<\/a> of GLP-1 users said they had cut back on dining out since they began taking the medications.<\/p>\n As the drugs become more affordable and accessible, the pace of change could accelerate.<\/p>\n The federal government is piloting a program<\/a> aimed at increasing access to GLP-1s for Medicare enrollees. Meanwhile, manufacturers are under pressure from all sides to slash the cost<\/a> of GLP-1 therapy.<\/p>\n Curtis said Burger King wants to be ready before Americans\u2019 changing eating habits show up in BK\u2019s sales – and he made clear they haven\u2019t yet, pointing to the strong Whopper sales.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s important for us is that we have all of the variety and innovation available in a smaller package,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Recent data suggests that Burger King and other fast food restaurants have good reason to adapt now, before it\u2019s too late.<\/p>\n An April survey of 300 GLP-1 users by the equity research firm William Blair found that 72% were specifically cutting back on hamburgers.<\/p>\n Wall Street also expects the ripple effects of GLP-1s to extend well beyond individual restaurants.<\/p>\n JPMorgan estimated in February<\/a> that the rise of GLP-1s could erase between $30 billion and $55 billion in annual revenue for the food and beverage industry by as early as 2030.<\/p>\n For Curtis, however, the answer is not to rush dozens of niche menu items into BK restaurants.<\/p>\n \u201cWe need the demand there before we really complexify, if you will, the menu, because simplicity is king in the fast food business,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The chain\u2019s measured approach to changing American palettes also comes amid a broader turnaround strategy, dubbed \u201cReclaim the Flame.\u201d<\/p>\n Curtis said Burger King has poured over $2 billion into branding, remodeling restaurants and upgrading menu offerings like its signature Whopper<\/a>.<\/p>\n Early indications suggest BK\u2019s customers are taking notice.<\/p>\n![\"Burger](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/260717-burger-king-ceo-ew-154p-be5687.jpg\")
Burger King President Tom Curtis.NBC News<\/p>\n