Restaurants like Starbucks, Smoothie King seek to join protein trend
Starbucks protein drink
Courtesy: Starbucks
Restaurant chains participate in the protein frenzy, hoping to encourage eaters to pay more for extra macrobes in a period when many consumers do not spend much.
Many Americans, from “Gym Bros Bros” to GLP-1 pharmaceutical users, are trying to add more protein to their diets to build or maintain muscle masses and feel more saturated after meals. In addition, it has fallen in favor of dietary trends that do not emphasize protein intake such as ketogenic diet.
Julia Mills, a food and beverage analyst for Mintel, a market research company, said, “Many young consumer more proactives about health habits, so they are now looking for ways to support health, and they are also looking for ways to support their health in the future.” He said. “Generation Alfa, Gen Z, Millenniles – These consumers are very active on social media, so they constantly feed on this message you need more protein and help you gain muscle muscle and make you stronger.”
According to DatasSentic, who watched restaurant menus and consumer preferences, about one -third of consumers said that they liked high protein in the second quarter of 2025 from 24%.
The trend fueled Khloe Kardashian, one of the protein -filled ego waffles, a protein inheritance in the grocery corridors up to Khloud protein popcorn.
But at the same time, he also strikes the restaurant menus looking for ways to encourage the audience to pay for premium foods and beverages.
To take StarbucksFor example. The coffee giant said it would open a cold foam full of 15 grams of protein this year; Regular cold foam plugin costs customers extra $ 1.25 per beverage. The new foam, the US sales of the United States of the chain last year’s coffee drinkers javas at home or more trendy options are shrinking.
Rival Dutch Bros At the beginning of 2024, he launched a protein coffee and receives an extra $ 1 for customization for customers. The menu suffix fueled the same store sales growth and snow for the upward chain.
‘I never humiliated’
Eatites are trying to attract listeners such as 42 -year -old intermediary director Jared Hutkowski in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He works six days a week and tries to achieve the daily protein target to improve his physics and general health. When he goes out, he sometimes tries to maximize the protein, although he goes to the pizza.
“The biggest factor is what I am in the air for that day, and then I’m normally trying to choose a meal with at least a kind of protein portion.” He said.
This year, 28.4% of the US restaurant menus call it “protein” from 5.9% ten years ago, according to Dataserment. And it seems to have the power to stay. Datsi estimates that more than 40% of restaurants will emphasize protein in their menus until 2029.
“One of the things that has never worsened, because nobody said that eating too much protein could be bad for you.” He said.
In the short term, consuming more protein than your body needs does not cause health problems, but in the long term, Diane Han, a registered dietician based on San Francisco, and Diane Han, the founder of Woking Balance Wellness, can cause kidney problems.
According to the disease control and prevention centers, the recommended daily protein intake varies according to body weight, but about 46 grams for women and 56 grams for men.
Protein’s step change for restaurants took place a few years ago. In 2021, the protein had only 11.5%menu penetration; Until 2022, more than a quarter of the restaurant menus used the term based on data dominant data. That year, Food brands’ For example, IHOP introduced 18 grams of protein per flapjack with crepe.
Fast-Ruhate Literature is a restaurant segment that is likely to call protein in their menus thanks to asking customers to ask for proteins or to ask their partners to choose their partners or to double their portions.
Fast salad chain Sweet greenery Dinner introduced a series of “protein plates” at the end of 2023 as part of the effort to offer more satisfying options for its customers. In March, managers said that the addition of menu helps the company’s dinner to increase from 35% to 40% of sales.
Many restaurants are leaning against the desire of comfort of US consumers. Accessibility may find that Datasenceal tends consumers to choose protein -filled drinks.
Protein for Smoothie King has been a menu staple since its establishment more than 50 years ago. However, in October, the chain went one step further and launched a menu for consumers receiving GLP-1 drugs for weight loss or diabetes. Rapid weight loss that may occur from drugs can cause muscle mass to decrease, so doctors often advise patients to increase protein intake to protect their muscles.
“You are looking for your protein in your diet, when you’re looking for your protein, when you’re looking for your protein,” said Lori Primavera, Smoothie King’s Vice President of Research and Development and Product Marketing.
Protein
An employee, Louisville, Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. It prepares a pastry bowl in its restaurant.
Luke Sharrett | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Many restaurants choose to emphasize existing protein -filled options instead of adding new menu items that will slow down kitchens or contribute to their operations too much.
For example, Panda Express introduced their own protein plates earlier this year. The line created jointly with a registered dietitian includes pre -existing menu elements, but it emphasizes the protein and fiber content as a balanced meal.
Chipotle Mexican grille In 2019, when he introduced “lifestyle bowls”, he used a similar strategy, marketed to comply with different diet targets, such as Paleo diet or double protein.
Likewise, in July, Chick-Fil-A, spotlight to its high protein options Company BlogTo emphasize grilled ingots and cool winding containing grilled chicken breasts, cheese and lettuce in a tortilla.
However, for restaurants that want to add new menu items, according to your data president Trendologist Claire Conaghan, protein option, restaurant -made protein bars and egg dishes that emphasize the high protein content are increasingly popular.
Eggs are breakfast, brunch and lunch is a reason for Eatery First hour CEO Chris Tomasso told CNBC, always “protein advanced”. The chain did not set the menu to address more protein demands of consumers, but Tiktok impressive When visiting restaurants, emphasize how to order a high -protein meal.
“This continues to be a trend because we’re right in the middle of Fairway.” He said.
Of course, the only way to win consumers with health awareness is not protein. Hutkowski, restaurants, the primary problem of dinner, most of the foods that contribute rapidly to the fat, butter and heavy grease, he said.
“A restaurant, which finds a cleaner way to cook, would be much more attractive for me than over -loaded protein dishes,” he said.
