Serving diners in the Ozempic era

An estimated 4.9 million people in the UK are taking - or considering taking – appetite-suppressant weight-loss drugs. How can restaurants best serve those who don’t want to eat much? 

For those who have struggled with their weight over the years, the recent discovery of GLP-1 fat-loss drugs has been miraculous.  Better known by their brand names, such as Ozempic, Mounjaro and Wegovy, GLP-1 agonists have offered users a fairly safe and quick way to shed the pounds.

GLP-1 agonists work by mimicking a hormone made by the small intestine, which triggers insulin release, blocks the amount of glucose entering the bloodstream, slows digestion and suppresses appetite. Users feel full after eating just a small amount of food.

While these drugs have been welcomed by many battling their weight, their growing use in the UK (an estimated 4.9 million people have used, or have expressed interest in taking them according to BMC Medicine) has concerned an already battered hospitality sector.

As if pressures from rising costs of labour, food and utilities, and cuts in consumer spending weren’t enough, now restaurants will have to welcome diners – if they decide to eat out at all – who don’t want to eat much.

Adapting to the Ozempic era

But wait. It’s not as catastrophic as it seems,  says Toby Nichol, chief executive of weight-management service, CheqUp. Restaurants aren’t about to lose a large chunk of custom.

“Many people on a medical weight-loss journey still love going out to eat; they just approach meals differently,” he says. “Restaurants can really support them by offering adaptable portion sizes, balanced dishes, and menus that don’t revolve around excess.”

Some restaurants have already adapted. Last September, Heston Blumenthal introduced The Mindful Experience menu at The Fat Duck, a scaled back version of the Journey menu, inspired by his own experience of taking Mounjaro.

At its launch, the chef said the drug had made him ‘more aware of taste and how hunger works’.

“Mindful eating can of course be applied to any experience - even an airline meal or a store-bought sandwich on your lunchbreak - but this new version of The Fat Duck menu is carefully tailored to a growing demand for a different restaurant experience,” he said.

 “People used to joke that the portions on a tasting menu were so small that you had to grab a burger on the way home. But now, as our needs and expectations and appetites change, maybe this carefully structured menu is the perfect answer to what many people are looking for.”

Heston’s right, says Toby, who believes a mindful, intentional approach is becoming ‘part of everyday life’ whether diners are taking weight-loss drugs or not. Restaurants should therefore start factoring in these customers’ requirements today if they want to broaden their reach.

“Millions of people are navigating changes to appetite and eating patterns, and those changes don’t stop when they walk into a restaurant. Hospitality businesses that start adapting now, through more inclusive menus, flexible portioning and thoughtful formats, won’t just be responding to one audience, they’ll be future proofing themselves for a wider cultural shift towards more mindful, intentional eating.”

Small swaps

The good news is, if you want to cater for diners on GLP-1 drugs, or who have embraced more ‘mindful’ eating, you don’t need to make drastic changes to your offering, says Jocelyn Doyle of the Sustainable Restaurant Association.

“Offering the same menu items in varying portion sizes – for example, small plate, main course and sharing – is a smart way to cater for a variety of appetites while maintaining profit margins and avoiding plate waste,” she says, suggesting that some restaurants could simply evolve children’s menus to appeal to smaller appetites.

Taking inspiration from small, snack-style cuisines like Spanish tapas, Italian cicchetti, Turkish mezze or Japanese izakaya and reinterpreting them with local ingredients, would also work with minimal effort.

Dietician and health writer Dr Sarah Schenker also advocates the use of flexible, portion sizes such as half plates, as well as the introduction of lighter dishes to allow diners to finish their meals.

 "As well as drastically reducing appetite, the fat jabs also slow digestion, which has the effect of restaurant diners feeling full very quickly and unable to finish their plate” she explains.

Indeed, GLP-1 diners will certainly be avoiding the traditional three-course menu, so restaurants must flip the switch on their usual approach, says Toby.

“Think modular rather than fixed,” he suggests. “Menus that allow guests to build their own experience; choosing one or two standout dishes rather than committing to everything, are incredibly empowering. Most importantly, make it feel intentional, not like an afterthought.”

Nutrient-dense dishes

For restaurants serious about serving diners with limited appetites, Dr Sarah suggests featuring ‘nutrient-dense’ ingredients, such as lean proteins, vegetables and whole grains and including fermented foods, like kimchi, sauerkraut, miso, kefir.

“Fermented foods provide live cultures, acidity and freshness, which can help make dishes feel lighter, boost palatability, and support overall gut comfort, this is particularly important for diners who may experience slower digestion,” she explains.

She also advocates ‘gentle cooking methods’ like steaming, grilling and poaching and avoiding overly rich or greasy sauces that could trigger nausea.

One chef who has already put this approach into practice is Jack Stein. Last Christmas, the chef director of Rick Stein Restaurants was challenged by CheqUp to create a menu for its festive pop-up restaurant Seasons Eatings.

Jack reimagined the traditional Christmas dinner, creating a calorie-controlled menu that included canape starter options of cured salmon, yuzu dressing and wasabi crumb, or beetroot, pickled shallot and sesame dust, and a main course of poached turkey breast with red cabbage purée, charred sprouts, lemon–sage crumb, roast potatoes, soy-mustard mushroom gravy & pomegranate, or a vegan option of miso-glazed roasted celeriac with glazed tempeh and red wine, cranberry & marmite.

Dessert was a dark chocolate mousse with burnt orange zest while the vegan option was dark chocolate clementine bites with pistachio and sea salt.

"The real challenge is making sure everyone feels part of the meal, whatever they eat,” he says.

"For me, that’s where the fun begins - finding ways to make dishes full of flavour, colour, and generosity for every plate. Using things like black vinegar, soy, miso, or citrus to add depth and balance without relying on butter or cream.

“We used ingredients like lean turkey, oily fish, cruciferous vegetables and citrus to help with satiety and digestion, while the smaller plates meant [diners] could enjoy every flavour without overdoing it.”

Inclusive dining

The key takeaway for any chef or restaurateur looking to attract diners taking GLP-1 medication is to make their approach as inclusive as possible. Diners on a weight-loss journey don’t want to stand out, or feel like a burden, says Toby, so make it easy for them to be included.

“A lot of it comes down to removing pressure,” he adds. “Our recent research around Christmas eating behaviour found that almost a quarter of people on a medical weight loss journey tell us they feel uneasy discussing their appetite at the table, so restaurants shouldn’t rely on guests having to explain themselves.”

Training front-of-house staff to discreetly offer small portions and offering doggie bags as standard to remove pressure to finish a meal could also help, suggests Dr Sarah.

But principally, a considered menu featuring appealing dishes for those with diminished appetites, whether they’re lighter starters that can double as mains, optional sides, or desserts designed to be shared, will stand any restaurant in good stead, says Toby.

“Not everyone wants or can manage a large three-course meal, so giving permission, through menu design, to eat less without it feeling awkward is important.”

Written by Emma Eversham