Skip to navigationSkip to main contentSkip to right columnADVERTISEMENTBen ColeyWed, July 15, 2026 at 9:08 PM GMT+2 7 min readThis story was originally published on FSR. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily FS Insider.Adding smaller portions is easy. Making them feel worth it is not.For decades, restaurants have been able to react to diet trends with visible signals and callouts. Menus at Applebee's carried Weight Watchers logos. Brands tied emotions to the calorie counts, such as Chili's Guitless Grill. "Under 500 calories" badges appeared next to entrées. These types of additions to menus were designed to make choices easy for customers watching their weight and allow them to still partake in the fun. The intent was helpful. The effect, however, was potentially polarizing, often making patrons feel their orders said something about them, labeling and often advertising a weight journey they weren't wanting to openly shout from the roof tops. Another weight trend is upon us with the spread of GLP-1 medications, and restaurants once again have a choice about how they approach diners. The nature of GLP-1, however, means that many of these users aren't tracking calories and are free from sticking to the offerings endorsed by a weight loss company. Instead, they are able to choose favorites, just in smaller portions, focusing more on protein and fiber. But like the previous weight loss trends, there's again a perceived stigma of "cheating" on their weight loss journey. So again, consumers want to covertly order foods that meet their needs, without announcing their weight loss journey to the world. This means that for restaurants, the opportunity is not to create a "GLP-1 menu." It is to redesign menu architecture so it works for a world of variable appetite. And while consumer data shows the demand is real, realizing that upside may be difficult. Curion Insights fielded a study with over 8,500 consumers and found that 58.5 percent of would be likely to order smaller, protein-forward versions of popular menu items if offered. At the same time, the resistance to being labeled is strong. Though such a large percentage is interested, 37.4 percent say they are not interested in a menu labeled as GLP-1-friendly. Again, consumers are signaling that they are interested in the offering but rejecting the identity. This creates a potential trap for operators. If you market the section as "GLP-1 friendly," you may repel the intended target market. What Curion did discover, in this day and age of customization, guests want flexibility. When asked what would make a restaurant feel more GLP-1 friendly, the top responses were flexible portion sizes (39.2 percent), protein-first framing (28.0 percent), and smaller indulgent options (23.5 percent). Only 9.1 percent prioritized clear cues or outright "GLP-1" labeling, and only 11.4 percent was interested in general wellness framing, such as "light" or "balanced" meals. Terms and Privacy PolicyEU DSA contactPrivacy & Cookie SettingsMore Info