Adjusting to the GLP-1 Menu Paradox

4 Min Read By MRM Staff

Restaurant operators are encountering a GLP-1 menu paradox: guests want smaller, protein-forward options, yet they reject menu items explicitly labeled “GLP-1-friendly.” This tension is reshaping menu design, according to research from Curion.

Among the highlights in the study of more than 8,500 U.S. consumers:

58.5 percent say they would choose a smaller, protein-forward version of a favorite dish if it were available 56.9 percent of people who say they will never take a GLP-1 medication want those same options  37.4 percent of consumers actively reject menus or items labeled “GLP-1-friendly,” but not the food itself Flexible portions (39.2 percent) and protein-first framing (28 percent) far outrank calorie counts and diet labels as what consumers actually want guiding their food choices 24 percent of current GLP-1 users say they regularly order from the kids’ menu as a portion workaroundPart of a Broader Lifestyle FocusRejection is most likely driven by social stigma and…