Attract GLP-1 Users With High-protein Items and Smaller Portions
- Pizzerias and other restaurants are offering menu items to attract the 12% of Americans taking GLP-1 medications.
- GLP-1 users eat about half as much as they did before starting the drugs, so some restaurants are offering smaller portions and emphasizing options high in protein.
- Build-your-own pizzas allow customers to select high-protein toppings and low-carb crusts, when available.
With as many as 12% of Americans reporting use of GLP-1 drugs to lose weight or manage diabetes, pizzerias are likely to feel the impact of this population’s dietary changes. In response, some pizzerias are experimenting with protein-infused dough and rolling out limited-time offers high in protein to gauge interest in such offerings.
Pizza for GLP-1 Users?
At Atlanta-based Blaze Pizza, which boasts around 245 fast-casual storefronts that allow customers to build pizzas to order baked in three minutes, a limited-time offer launched in January aimed to show visitors they could build a low-carb, high-protein pizza with items already on the menu.
The base of the Protein-zza was a cauliflower crust topped with a double portion of grilled chicken, mozzarella, onions, mushrooms, basil and a drizzle of buffalo sauce. The 11-inch pizza is packed with 56 grams of protein.
“We needed to show that a lot of our signature pizzas are really a (high-protein) example, because we have the build-your-own, any ingredients, one-price, 180-seconds-to-fire-it model,” Casey Terrell, chief marketing officer for Blaze Pizza, tells Pizza Today. “If you have a different lifestyle, and you only want to do keto or you want to do veggie, that’s already there for you. So, it was more of a brand ‘aha!’ moment for us. You can do GLP-1 right now at Blaze, let’s just build one as an example, essentially.”
On its standard menu, Blaze’s Carnivore pizza is a red sauce pie topped with mozzarella, pepperoni, julienned ham and crumbled meatballs. The 11-inch pizza has 60 grams of protein, according to Blaze Pizza’s Nutrition Calculator.
Smaller Appetites, Different Cravings
Doctors say it is not unusual for patients on GLP-1 medications to consume about half the amount they did before starting the drugs, which include Wegovy and Zepbound for weight loss as well as Mounjaro, Ozempic and others to treat adult-onset diabetes.
Nutritionists caution GLP-1 users that eating less makes it even more important to monitor what you eat – especially protein, which helps users retain muscle mass during periods of weight loss.
Some GLP-1 users report they are less interested in high-fat and high-sugar foods after starting the medications, which can impact the brain’s receptors for dopamine – the chemical that signals pleasure and rewards. In place of sugary snacks, a share of users report increased cravings for high-nutrient foods such as fruits, meats and vegetables.
Chef-led Suggestions
UPDATED INFO.: Speaking about GLP-1s at the National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago in May, Rachel Royster, director of strategic planning at Connections, offered four suggestions:
- Lead With Nutrient Density: Maximize protein, calcium, fiber and micronutrients.
- Design for Smaller Appetites: Rethink sizes, shareable formats and tasting portions.
- Protect Craveability: Bold flavors and indulgent flavors deliver satisfaction in fewer bites.
- Build for the Long Game: This isn’t a fad; these are permanent behavior shifts.
Royster says up to 50% of GLP-1 users leave food behind at casual restaurants, compared to 33% of typical diners in this segment. The dining segment with least food left behind? Quick service restaurants – although GLP-1 users leave more food behind across every segment.
High-protein Recipes?
High-protein dough has long been prized by artisanal pizza makers for its elasticity, structure and rise. Now, mass-market pizza operators are experimenting with high-protein dough recipes as they look to attract new customers.
Earlier this year, Papa Johns announced a one-day-only release of “Protein Crust Pizza.” The crust alone had 23 grams protein, according to Mark Gabrovic, vice president of culinary at Papa Johns, which operates a test kitchen in Atlanta.
Two types of the eight-inch personal pizzas were offered:
- The Meats: a sausage and pepperoni pizza topped with a six-cheese blend to total 55 grams of protein.
- The Veggie: A six-cheese blend pizza topped with mushrooms, green peppers and onions for 49 grams of total protein.
Papa Johns Rewards members were given first crack at the high-protein pizzas through the operator’s app, but with GLP-1s showing no sign of slowing down, is it only a matter of time before these pizzas join the full-time menu?
“People are thinking differently about how their favorite foods fit into their wellness-driven lifestyles,” Shivram Vaideeswaran, SVP of brand marketing for Papa Johns, says in a press release announcing the Protein Crust Pizza. “The demand for meals that are satisfying and protein-packed has never been higher. This drop gives our most loyal fans a first taste of what we’ve been working on, and if they love it, they might see it on the menu soon.”
Even CPG giants such as Nestle are getting in on the protein craze, with Vital Pursuit producing frozen pizzas with 20-32 grams of protein each being sold at major retailers such as Kroger, Target and Wal-Mart.
According to a report released by Boston Consulting Group’s Center for Customer Insight, the restaurant category is expected to experience a 1.7% decline in 2026, fueled by active GLP-1 users and household spillover.
GLP-1 Expense and Spending
With 70% of U.S. adults categorized as overweight or obese, the market for GLP-1s is unlikely to slow down anytime soon. The one hurdle? The federal government has cracked down in the past year on off-label GLP-1 drugs, which are less expensive but do not have FDA approval – and, name-brand drug makers say, might not contain the same ingredients or have the same efficacy.
Due to the crackdown, more Americans must choose between shelling out hundreds or thousands of dollars per month for name-brand GLP-1s or stopping the medications altogether (studies show that quitting the drugs often results in significant regain).
Since some of the most popular name-brand GLP-1s won’t be available in generic format until 2032, consumers who do opt for name-brand versions might have less disposable income for expenses such as restaurant dining. Then again, a standard portion is likely to cover multiple meals for individuals on a GLP-1.
