As restaurants grapple with how diners are responding to economic uncertainty, they may also have to contend with consumer pullbacks as a result of the rise of drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy.
GLP-1 users are significantly cutting back on dining in and ordering takeout, according to a report published this week by Bloomberg Intelligence. A survey of 1,000 GLP-1 users in the U.S. found 54% of respondents said they dined out “significantly less” or “less” frequently since starting the medication. Nearly the same percentage reported ordering less takeout.
Respondents instead are choosing to eat at home, with 70% reporting they’re cooking at home “significantly more” or “more” frequently since taking GLP-1 drugs; about half reported purchasing more groceries.
The Bloomberg Intelligence report notes that the dining-out slowdown among GLP-1 users could be exacerbated by other economic pressures. The decrease in away-from-home dining was reported significantly across incomes, from those earning less than $50,000 to those with $150,000-or-greater annual salaries, indicating a broader shift in dining trends. The report also posited that restaurants serving fewer healthy options, like fast-food establishments, could be impacted most by changing eating habits.
“We started to see consumer sentiment softening in January,” he said. “This continued throughout [the quarter] with consumers making more deliberate choices with their spending on food. A key outcome is a growing preference for home-cooked meals, leading to the highest levels of meals prepared at home since early 2020.”
“It’s totally overblown,” Osanloo said. “I think it’s a fun narrative to propose, but I don’t see any impact on our business.”
