BK president Tom Curtis says chain is testing Whopper Bites and protein bowls to prepare for GLP-1 impact, even as sales haven't yet been affected. Surveys show 11% of adults on the drugs.
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Burger King is testing smaller menu items and protein-heavy bowls to prepare for a future in which weight-loss drugs change how Americans eat, even as the chain says it has not yet seen an impact on its own sales.
Tom Curtis, president of Burger King U.S. and Canada, said the chain is trialing items like Whopper Bites and protein-forward bowls, partly to accommodate GLP-1 users who eat less but still want convenience and protein. “What’s important for us is that we have all of the variety and innovation available in a smaller package,” he said in an interview for NBC’s Business in America franchise.
Curtis called the GLP-1 movement “profound” for the industry. “We haven’t seen it yet, so I keep telling the team, ‘Hey, we need to be prepared for this,’” he said.
A July Gallup poll found that 11% of U.S. adults are now on a GLP-1 medication, nearly four times the share two years ago. In a separate survey by the National Restaurant Association, nearly half of GLP-1 users said they had cut back on dining out since starting the drugs.
An April survey of 300 GLP-1 users by the equity research firm William Blair found that 72% were specifically cutting back on hamburgers. JPMorgan estimated in February that the rise of GLP-1s could erase between $30 billion and $55 billion in annual revenue for the food and beverage industry by 2030.
Curtis emphasized that Burger King does not want to rush dozens of niche items onto the menu. “We need the demand there before we really complexify, if you will, the menu, because simplicity is king in the fast food business,” he said.
The chain’s preparation comes alongside a broader turnaround plan called “Reclaim the Flame.” Curtis said Burger King has spent more than $2 billion on branding, remodeling restaurants and upgrading menu offerings like the Whopper. In the first quarter, Burger King U.S. reported a 5.8% increase in comparable store sales, reversing a 1.1% drop a year earlier.
Despite the industry-wide concern about GLP-1s, Curtis rejected the idea that the drugs could kill fast food. “Absolutely not,” he said. “Fast food is about convenience. It’s about great flavor and great value. I still think you need that.”
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