McDonald’s testing revamped menu amid explosion of weight loss drugs – weeks after Diet Coke was brought back to Aussie stores
The world’s most recognisable fast-food chain is exploring adapting its menu to cater to the rise of GLP-1 users.
McDonald’s is considering new low-calorie and high-protein menu items to suit the changing priorities of its wide customer base.
These include a range of burger bowls instead of traditional burgers with buns, along with egg bites and a range of grilled chicken items.
Weight-loss drugs using Glucagon-like-peptide-1 (GLP-1) – including Ozempic, Mounjaro or Wegovy – have sharply risen in popularity in the last three years.
The drugs drastically reduce users’ appetite and coincide with a trend towards high-protein foods. Meaning, more people want to eat more protein for fewer calories.
McDonald’s US president Skye Anderson last month told investors the fast food giant is considering the introduction of the new menu items.
‘Eighty-four per cent of (American) households with GLP-1 users visit McDonald’s. This is an opportunity,’ Mr Anderson said.
GLP-1 medications have boomed in the United States with about one in ten people using a form of the weight-loss drug, and they are on the rise in Australia.
McDonald’s is considering the introduction of new GLP-1-friendly menu items
The company is considering introducing egg bites and burger bowls
Only 2 per cent of the Australian population uses GLP-1 medications, but the same dietary demands for high-protein and low-calorie foods has been seen.
McDonald’s has already begun highlighting the protein available in its meals with several items featuring a ‘grams of protein’ sticker on its menu.
The chain is also re-introducing some favourite low-calories options, including Diet Coke which was brought back to Australian stores earlier this month.
While full plans for a McDonald’s GLP-1 menu haven’t been fully revealed, it’s clear the company is considering how the drug will affect its popularity.
Mike Doustdar, president of Novo Nordisk which makes Ozempic, said the 13 million Australians who were overweight were putting extra strain on the health system.
Speaking at the National Press Club earlier this year, he said Australia was uniquely placed to tackle the issue but needed a society-wide response.
He called for drugs to be listed more quickly on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, which would allow Australians to access them at reduced cost.
He also suggested the government could do more to embed education about healthy eating into school curricula.
McDonald’s Australia has recently rolled out displaying protein tags (above) on its menu
Businesses should offer workplace health checks alongside healthy food and activity options for employees, he said, and food companies should make the health benefits of their products clear.
‘I have lived in countries where there is a lot of food nutrition things written on the package but frankly speaking, I need to get binoculars to be able to read it,’ he said.
Asked about a longstanding Australian Medical Association proposal to tax sugary drinks, Mr Doustdar said such a measure could be part of the solution but would not achieve much on its own.
He pointed to Denmark’s attempt to introduce a tax on saturated fat in 2011, which was repealed a year later.
‘I think it will help to some extent, but probably not on its own,’ he said.
The Daily Mail has contacted McDonald’s Australia for comment.
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