The First Inklings Of What GLP-1 Drugs Mean To Restaurants
You're starting to see some shifts in approach
This is Mother’s Day in the U.S., and I wish a happy celebration to anyone who still has their mother. Many of us do not, including me. As you know from reading CulinaryWoman, my mother died in 2015 at age 102. But I think about her all the time, and my home includes many things that I inherited from her.
One of them is this statue, which she named Yoshi. In Japanese, one interpretation is “adopted son.” It doesn’t have to be a legally adopted son, but someone your family embraces. Yoshi is also the name of my favorite member of the Los Angeles Dodgers, the pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
My mother was a big baseball fan who never missed a Detroit Tigers broadcast, even when they were on road trips, and she would call me whenever there was a standout play. She admired other players, too, and I think she would have enjoyed seeing my Yoshi on the mound.
He has a reputation within baseball for innovative ways of training, which seem more Pilates and core based than the power throwing that’s prevalent within the industry. Another type of innovation is having an affect on the restaurant world.
The Impact On Dining Of GLP-1 Drugs
For years, GLP-1 drugs have been prescribed for people with diabetes. The initials stand for glucagon-like peptide-1., in case you’ve ever wondered.
In their basic form, according to RX History, they stimulate the pancreas to produce more insulin after meals.
The drugs slow the movement of food through the small intestine, which allows people to feel full on less food. A side effect is that they cause diabetics to lose weight.
In 2014, the FDA approved a drug called Saxenda for weight management. In 2021, it said Wegovy could be used for that purpose via injection, and in 2023, it approved Zepbound for the same purpose. A pill form of Wegovy was approved last year.
Interestingly, Ozempic, the most famous of these drugs, thanks to its aggressive marketing campaign, has never been formally approved by the FDA for weight loss. Insurers including Medicare would not approve it for coverage without a diabetes diagnosis, meaning people often had to pay for it out of pocket. A month’s supply could cost $1,200.
But with so many drugs now available, costs have dropped, and more people are using them. An estimated one in eight million Americans, or more than 15 million people, have tried them or are on them, according to KFF Health. Their use is highest among Americans age 50-64, and women are more likely to take them than men.
The data begins arriving
Until now, the impact of GLP-1s on the food world was rumored, but hard to quantify. However, the first studies on their impact are coming in.
Placer.ai, the firm that tracks retail trends, calls this “the rise of the health conscious shopper.” In a new report, Placer.ai cites analysis from Cornell University that shows patients reduce their grocery spending within six months of using a GLP-1 type drug.
The categories that lose their business include calorie dense and sugar-laden items, such as snack foods and desserts. At the same time, things like yogurt, fresh fruit, and meat, which have less impact on blood sugar, are rising in popularity.
Grocery store chains that emphasize cleaner, healthier foods are gaining business. Placer.ai said these stores, which it calls fresh format, include Sprouts and Trader Joe (I’d also include Fresh Thyme in the mix).
While the rise in foot traffic at these stores began in 2022 after the pandemic subsided, the real increase began in 2024 and has accelerated. These are relatively high income consumers, too. In the first quarter of 2026, their median household income was around $114,500 (the U.S. national average was $88,730 in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau).
Consumers are shifting their spending, too. Frozen yogurt chains, smoothie outlets and juice chains are all picking up business versus traditional fast food outlets, Placer.ai said.
Placer.ai says this is “a behavioral shift worth watching.” Concludes its report: “The data points to a consumer who is eating differently, moving more, and spending in ways that reflect a new set of priorities, further amplifying the focus on health and wellness that has emerged over the past several years.”
Serving smaller plates
Because I get news releases from all kinds of restaurants and food chains, I’ve been keeping tabs on dining developments, too.
One thing I’ve spotted is more emphasis on smaller portions. When I lived in Phoenix, there was a Del Taco on the way home. They have a wide variety of choices including seafood, as well as chicken and veggie, and seem a notch above other chains, health wise.
Last month, Del Taco sent me an email touting a limited time offer: snack tacos, for 59 cents each. Of course, they could be aimed at people whose budgets are tight, especially in the face of soaring gas prices.
Del Taco has offered snack tacos multiple times over the past few years, and they most recently were on the menu for $1.29. They have seasoned beef, shredded lettuce, grated cheddar cheese in a corn shell.
But the snack tacos allow Del Taco to stay on peoples’ radar when they are consuming less. Olive Garden, P.F. Chang’s and The Cheesecake Factory, are offering smaller portions, and Cuba Libre, a restaurant and bar in Philadelphia, is even touting a GLP-Wonderful menu with items at 400 calories or less.
The GLP-1 market is expected to reach $150 billion in sales by 2030, when it is estimated that 30 million people will be on them, double the number now. By then, the real impact on diners and restaurants should have emerged.
Food Prices In Britain Are Skyrocketing
American consumers have had plenty to complain about this decade when it comes to food prices. But you can’t blame the British if they say, “Hold my pint.”
By fall, overall food prices in Britain are expected to have risen 50% over four years time, according to research reported by The Guardian.
Items including pasta, frozen vegetables, chocolate and eggs are all at least 50% more expensive, while the price of beef is up 64% and olive oil has more than doubled. More increases are expected through 2027 due to tariff wars, and the attacks on Iran.
By comparison, food overall in the U.S. is up about 20% in that time, although different categories of food have experienced different rates of increases and declines. This USDA memo on food prices makes for interesting reading.
If you will be traveling to the U.K. this year, it may be smart to adjust your dining budget upward.
Ted Turner’s Restaurant Chain Keeps Rolling
Last week, the news and entertainment world said goodbye to Ted Turner. The flamboyant billionaire lived a big life, launching news outlets including CNN, CNN International and Headline News, and cable channels including TNT, TCM and the Cartoon Network.
Turner also owned approximately 2 million acres of land in the U.S. that was earmarked for conservation, and for raising bison. His enthusiasm for bison prompted him to launch Ted’s Montana Grill, a restaurant chain where bison was the centerpiece of the menu.
Founded in 2002 by Turner and friend George McKerrow, the idea was to promote sustainability in American dining. “Bison is the new health food,” the chain declares on its website. “As demand continues to grow, so has the awareness that bison is better for you than other proteins.”
There are 30 Ted’s Montana Grill restaurants around the U.S. I’ve eaten at one of them in Columbus, Ohio, and I liked the choices as well as the taste of my bison burger.
Ted’s is a little on the pricey side: the Bison burgers start at $19 and Bison steaks range from $39 to $48. But Turner definitely raised diners’ awareness of bison, and you see it on many more menus than you once did.
The Dining Places Featured In The Devil Wears Prada 2
I was delighted last month when I got a PR package from SmartWater tied to The Devil Wears Prada 2. I was anticipating getting a bottle of water, which is a promotion they are running in conjunction with the movie.
Instead, I opened a box to find the water, a copy of Runway magazine, and the cerulean blue cotton sweater made famous by the movie.
Along with SmartWater, a series of New York City restaurants are getting a boost from the movie. Eater New York tracked all the places where scenes take place.
Among them:
Peacock Alley, the iconic bar and restaurant in the fabulously renovated Waldorf-Astoria Hotel on Park Avenue.
Bubby’s in Tribeca, where Andy’s former boyfriend worked in the original movie, and apparently remains her hangout 20 years on.
Marlow East, on the Upper East Side, where Andy meets Emily at the end of the movie. I was trying to figure out the location of this scene and guessed someplace a few blocks north.
Through last week, TDWP2 had earned $250 million worldwide, and there is starting to be talk of a sequel. I’m kind of curious how a glossy fashion magazine could go forward, but why not, if the stars are willing to give it another go.
The Bear Is Launching Its Final Season
The Bear has swooped up awards, captivated fans and essentially made everyone aware of how much yelling goes on in its kitchen. Now, the FX show is about to launch its final season.
All eight episodes will drop on June 25, according to People Magazine.
However, a special flashback episode called Gary, as in Indiana, dropped last week. It was co-written by and stars Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Jon Bernthal as their characters Richie and Mikey. It is a prequel to Season 1.
Moving forward, in the final episode of season 4 (SPOILER), Carmy, played by Jeremy Allen White, said he would leave the restaurant once its business stabilizes or it is awarded a Michelin star. In fact, he secretly had already decided to depart, leaving the fate of the restaurant uncertain.
The fifth season focuses on the outcome for the restaurant and how it affects his family members as well as co-star Ayo Edebiri, who plays chef Sydney.
Meanwhile, you can take a tour of Bear-connected locations in Chicago from Chicago Food & City Tours. Tickets start at $139, and the guides promise the equivalent of a full meal.
Keeping Up With CulinaryWoman
I hope you got to watch or hear my latest Substack Live with Liz Williams in which we talked about the shape of the restaurant world.
We’ll be back later this month with our next session, in which we’ll tell the story of our lives through eating. Make sure you are subscribed to both of our newsletters in order to get the latest on what’s happening.
I’d be delighted if you would follow me and support CulinaryWoman. Here are some places to find me:
Email: culinarywoman (@) gmail dot com
Threads and Instagram: (@) michelinemaynard
Bluesky: mickimaynard.bsky.social
TikTok and Lemon8: CulinaryWoman
Buy Me A Coffee in any amount
Visit my ShopMy page
My Bookshop.org page
Tomorrow, I will be back for paid subscribers with a podcast episode of Red Beans & Advice. It’s asparagus season here in Michigan and I’ll share some tips on enjoying and storing it.
See you next week.