1 hour ago - Business

McDonald's is exploring ways to attract GLP-1 users

Nathan Bomey

Bright yellow McDonald's arches rise behind white slats and plywood fencing at a construction site; in the foreground a person with a drink and a person wearing sunglasses walk by. — Customers carry beverages outside of a McDonald's in Santa Monica, California, on July 28. Photo: Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty Images

McDonald's is considering new protein-based products to win over GLP-1 drug users and says that many of its current items are already proving attractive to them.

Why it matters: The food industry is scrambling to adjust to a market in which about 1 in 8 American adults are taking the medication to treat obesity or diabetes, changing their eating habits.

Driving the news: McDonald's USA president Skye Anderson on Wednesday outlined the chain's plan to shore up its business among GLP-1 users.

Those customers "want more protein, greater portion flexibility and food that leaves them feeling satisfied without feeling like too much," Anderson said at the company's investor day.
"We're exploring bowls, grilled chicken and egg bites to expand protein-forward options across breakfast, lunch and dinner," she added.

The intrigue: Anderson said GLP-1 customers are already finding McDonald's items that fit within their diet.

"Our menu already gives customers built-in choice," she said, specifying that GLP-1 customers are gravitating toward items "that combine protein and portion flexibility," such as Chicken McNuggets, Filet-O-Fish and Happy Meals.

The bottom line: McDonald's needs to make sure it doesn't get left behind as America's waistline shrinks.

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McDonald's is exploring ways to attract GLP-1 users

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