How Burger King is preparing for the GLP-1 revolution

As weight loss drugs reshape how Americans eat, Burger King is gearing up for a future where customers still want fast food — just less of it.Subscribe to read this story ad-freeGet unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.“My impulse has always been that this GLP-1 movement is going to have a profound impact on the industry,” said Burger King’s president of U.S.and Canada, Tom Curtis, in an interview in Miami for NBC’s Business in America franchise.“We haven’t seen it yet, so I keep telling the team, ‘Hey, we need to be prepared for this,’” he said.

At Burger King, the preparations have already begun.Curtis said the chain is testing menu items like Whopper Bites and protein-forward bowls, partly to accommodate the shifting tastes of GLP-1 users.The goal isn’t to completely reinvent Burger King, but to make sure it stays relevant as Americans consume fewer calories and increasingly seek out protein-rich meals.The evolving strategy comes as fast-food chains brace for what could become one of the industry’s biggest long-term challenges.GLP-1 medications are on the rise, raising questions about whether consumers will permanently scale back on burgers, fries and other staples that have fueled quick-serve restaurant sales for decades.A July Gallup poll found that 11% of U.S.adults are currently on a GLP-1 medication, nearly four times the share just two years ago.Burger King President Tom Curtis.NBC NewsIn a separate survey by the National Restaurant Association, nearly half of GLP-1 users said they had cut back on dining out since they began taking the medications.As the drugs become more affordable and accessible, the pace of change could accelerate.The federal government is piloting a program aimed at increasing access to GLP-1s for Medicare enrollees.

Meanwhile, manufacturers are under pressure from all sides to slash the cost of GLP-1 therapy.Curtis said Burger King wants to be ready before Americans’ changing eating hab...