McDonald's Is Loading Up on Protein as 11% of U.S. Adults Take GLP-1 Drugs
McDonald's is rebuilding its menu for the GLP-1 era
McDonald's is adding more protein to its menu as GLP-1 weight loss drugs change how Americans eat, according to comments from company executives at its September investor day and in recent interviews.
About 11% of U.S. adults now take a GLP-1 drug for weight loss, per Gallup, roughly 28 million people. That share was 8% in 2025 and just 3% in 2024, so usage has nearly quadrupled in two years.
McDonald's says 84% of households with a GLP-1 user still visit the chain. The company is not trying to win a new customer. It is trying to keep the customers it already has as their orders shift toward smaller portions and more protein.
An $8.5 billion menu overhaul
The shift sits inside a planned $8.5 billion, decade long overhaul of the business. In April, McDonald's added protein callouts in its app and restaurant kiosks for 17 menu items, and it says more than 30 items now contain at least 15 grams of protein.
Items under consideration include grilled chicken sandwiches and wraps, crispy chicken and burger bowls, and egg bites. McDonald's USA president Skye Anderson said roughly 60 million more Americans are actively looking for more protein in their diets, beyond the GLP-1 users themselves.
"We're going to evolve our menu to make sure it reflects where we think that consumer is going to be looking for in the future," CEO Chris Kempczinski said in a CNBC interview.
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How this could hit the options market
The GLP-1 trade cuts both ways for restaurant and food names. Sustained growth in MCD same store sales from protein focused items could support call buying into earnings, while any sign that GLP-1 users are cutting visits would pressure the whole quick service group.
Drug makers remain the direct expression of the trend. Rising adoption supports the bull case for LLY and NVO, while packaged food and beverage names like PEP and protein focused chains like CMG face shifting demand that options traders can play through earnings season positioning.
Watch implied volatility around McDonald's next earnings print. Menu driven traffic commentary has moved the stock before, and flow in weekly calls will show whether traders believe the protein pivot can offset GLP-1 headwinds.
Traders tracking this shift in real time can Sign up for Unusual Whales to follow the flow as it develops.