Marketing

GLP-1s and the new consumer reality: What the data really says

A new research report reveals GLP-1 adoption isn't static, men are an overlooked demographic and usage varies dramatically by restaurant — challenging chains to rethink what they think they know about the GLP-1 consumer.

Photo: Adobe Stock

August 26, 2026 by Valerie Gritton

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Lisa W. Miller has been studying consumer behavior and its relationship to business strategy and growth for years. Having previously served as head of innovation for Brinker International, where she focused on consumer insights and innovation, Miller learned to lean into data and what it can teach.

Her consumer research began in earnest during the early days of COVID-19. She was working with convenience stores, packaged goods companies and restaurant clients during that time, and began thinking about the things consumers had suddenly lost because of the pandemic — particularly the everyday experiences that brought them joy.

This included going to the movies, restaurants and spending time with friends and family.

In March 2020, Miller started surveying 1,000 consumers a week, tracking sentiment and behavior and looking for a point when consumers' desire for joy would begin to outweigh their fear and economic concerns. That research eventually became the basis for her book, "The Business of Joy," published in February 2023. Since then, she has continued conducting consumer research monthly.

Her focus shifted to GLP-1's in 2025 as the drugs started to gain mainstream momentum. In July of that year, she incorporated GLP-1 questions into her weekly surveys and by January 2026, Miller was tracking the category closely, especially as it tied into the restaurant consumer.

Miller is now releasing the report: "The Contrarian Blueprint for a GLP-1 Economy — Beyond the Media Hype: 3 Market Shifts Reshaping 2027." The report will be available Sept. 15 as two options — The Blueprint Comprehensive Report or the Restaurant Specific Deep Dive — and is based on 7,500 consumer surveys focused on GLP-1 use and consumer behavior.

Her approach is intentionally longitudinal. Rather than conducting a single survey on GLP-1 use among consumers, and treating the results as a permanent snapshot of consumer behavior, she tracks how attitudes change over time.

The research reveals four important themes.

1. GLP-1 use isn't static

One of the biggest mistakes restaurants can make is treating GLP-1 use as a fixed percentage of the population, Miller said, as her tracking shows that consumer interest and usage ebb and flow throughout the year and is tied to seasonal shifts.

For example, GLP-1 use peaked in May 2026 as consumers prepared for summer and weight-loss efforts were top of mind. However, interest moderated post-May as consumers moved out of what Miller described as the traditional "diet season."

The pharmaceutical industry appears to be responding to that seasonality as well, with companies pulling back on marketing outlay during the summer months after spending roughly $2 billion on GLP-1 advertising over the previous year.

At the same time, GLP-1 awareness has grown among consumers to 85% through the expansion of brands and services including Hims & Hers, Noom and WeightWatchers, combined with extensive media coverage and celebrity influence.

2. The biggest demographic blind spot may be men

Pop culture and social media have largely framed GLP-1 use as a women's issue, but the data tells a more complicated story.

During the period leading up to May, Miller's research found that men were increasingly trying GLP-1's, even as the broader conversation continued to focus heavily on women and weight loss.

Miller says there's also a particularly important demographic distinction: men taking GLP-1's are more likely to be executives, while women taking them skew more toward entry-level or lower-level positions. That creates an important blind spot for marketers as Miller says their question should now become "who exactly are the GLP-1 consumers affecting our business?"

If a company is developing a GLP-1 strategy primarily based on the assumption that its target consumer is a woman seeking to lose weight, it could be missing a significant segment of the market, Miller says.

3. There isn't one GLP-1 consumer

This may be the most important finding for restaurants.

Miller had been tracking approximately 60 restaurants long before her GLP-1 research began, allowing her to compare GLP-1 usage among their customer base as consumer adoption increased. Her findings highlighted that the percentage of customers using GLP-1's varies dramatically.

At the low end, approximately 12% of consumers at any given restaurant may be using a GLP-1. At the high end, that figure can reach 43%.

That's an enormous range and yet businesses are increasingly making decisions based on a single generalized GLP-1 consumer number, she said.

And that's the problem.

"We're shooting at this dartboard that's a one-size-fits-all," Miller said.

The implication for restaurants is significant. A chain with 12% of its customers using GLP-1's should probably think about the issue very differently from a restaurant where 43% of customers are using them.

That's why Lisa argues companies need to stop grabbing one data point and immediately turning it into strategy. Before using any consumer statistic, Miller said businesses should survey their own customer base, or look at their existing data sets and ask:

• Who was surveyed?
• How large was the sample?
• When was the research conducted?
• Is the data current?
• Is the demographic relevant to my restaurant?
• Does the consumer profile actually resemble my customer?
• How does my marketing need to change to reflect my current customer base?

4. GLP-1s aren't a threat, they are a catalyst for new opportunities

Much of the conversation around GLP-1's has focused on what consumers will stop buying.

For restaurants, that has meant questions about declining food consumption, smaller portions and changes in dining behavior. But Miller believes restaurants need to understand what GLP-1 consumers are gaining, and her broader research into consumer "joy" provides an interesting lens.

While the media tends to focus heavily on the negative side effects associated with GLP-1's, the outcome is overwhelmingly positive for many consumers: they lose weight, feel better, gain confidence and experience a greater sense of well-being.

"This ties back into joy over fear. The joy of the outcome from losing weight outweighs the side effects for some people," she said. "The media highlights its horrible side effects, but there are a lot of people who have joyful outcomes. How they feel in the joy of the outcome, no one is really talking about."

That creates an opportunity for businesses to understand the psychographics behind GLP-1 consumers rather than simply reacting to the medication itself.

How restaurants can adapt

With more restaurant chains focused on how to reach their GLP-1 consumer, from snack-sized portions to heavier beverage lines, GLP-1's aren't a passing trend.

They also aren't a silver bullet as consumers still have to develop new behaviors around food, exercise and lifestyle.

"If 'food noise' returns and eating habits return to previous patterns, weight can return as well," Miller said.

Therefore, the use of GLP-1's should be treated as an evolving consumer behavior, not a permanent demographic label.

"If roughly 10% or more of consumers are using GLP-1's at any given time — and that percentage varies dramatically by restaurant — operators need to think carefully about how those consumers will approach holiday dining, indulgence, portion sizes and traditional holiday fare," Miller said. "The question isn't simply: 'How do we accommodate GLP-1 users?' It's: 'What does this new consumer want, and how is that changing over time?'"

* Click here for more information on The Contrarian Blueprint for a GLP-1 Economy report.