GLP-1 users put the classic fast food meal deal under pressure

Delivery and drive-thru impulse decisions are occasions users are cutting back on.

Australians on weight-loss medications are largely maintaining their fast food spend, but abandoning the bundled meal deal in favour of à la carte, higher-protein and smaller orders, according to new research from Ideally.

The research found that 63% of Australian GLP-1 users say their typical fast food spend has not changed, and four in 10 have not changed their order at all. 

Amongst those who have adjusted, the shift is consistent: higher-protein items, smaller portions and simpler orders are replacing larger bundles, whilst delivery and impulse occasions drop off.

The findings come from GLP-1 Sentiment and Snacking in Australia, an Ideally study of 531 Australian adults weighted to national population benchmarks. With 7% of Australians currently using a GLP-1 and a potential audience of 27% of adults, the research suggests the medications do not remove the fast food occasion but raise the bar for what earns a place in the order.

"Grocery baskets were already shifting towards protein and lower sugar before GLP-1s arrived. What we're seeing now is that trend accelerating," said Lucy Travaglia, head of research at Ideally. "This isn't a brand new behaviour. It's an existing shift gathering pace. The market is already moving towards smaller, healthier eating occasions, and the brands that get onto that trend now will be best placed if adoption grows."

The research pointed to the meal deal as the format most exposed. Whilst the main remains the centrepiece of the meal, with 58% of Australians calling it non-negotiable, sides and drinks carry less weight, and 16% now prefer to order à la carte. Ideally said the classic meal deal may need to become more flexible, keeping the core product whilst giving consumers control over sides, drinks and portion size.

Delivery is the fast food occasion users are cutting back on most at 28%, followed by drive-through impulse visits at 22% and late-night orders at 18%. Planned occasions barely register, with workday lunches at 6% and weekend family meals at 9%.

Better-quality ingredients ranked as the most desired improvement to fast food at 24%, ahead of half-size meals at a lower price and high-protein mains, both at 15%. The report said this suggested consumers want familiar food that better matches their appetite rather than more choice on the menu.

The research also flagged that portion reduction needs to be handled carefully. Half-size meals at a lower price were as appealing as high-protein mains, with women showing particularly strong interest, but the report warned that reducing portions without a corresponding price adjustment risks weakening the value proposition.