In an era of appetite-suppressing drugs, the parent company of brands like Cinnabon, Jamba, and McAlister’s Deli says it’s built to handle changing cravings.
“We recognize that trend really well,” GoTo Foods CEO Omer Gajial said in a recent interview with Business Insider, noting that GLP-1 use is expected to expand dramatically over the next several years.
Gajial sees opportunity for innovation across even GoTo Foods’ most indulgent brands as the use of weight-loss drugs expands and consumers increasingly prioritize protein, fiber, and digestive health.
Still, it’s tough to apply a wellness lens to sweet-treat icons like Cinnabon — and not just because of their decadent recipes. Recent research from the consumer insights firm Curion suggests that overt GLP-1 branding could backfire due to the “GLP-1 Menu Paradox”: more than half of consumers say they would likely order smaller, protein-forward versions of popular menu items if offered, yet over a third actively reject anything labeled “GLP-1-friendly.”
Staying the course isn’t an option, as there’s a financial cliff awaiting brands that fail to respond to changing consumer habits. And nearly a quarter of current GLP-1 users surveyed by Curion said they regularly order from the kids’ menu as a workaround for smaller portions, which is a big blow toward already razor-thin margins in an environment where costs are up, and consumer spending is down.
Rather than explicit GLP-1 labeling, demand is rising among both medication users and the broader public for flexible portion sizes, protein-first framing, and smaller indulgent options.
“What GLP-1 has done is bring those needs into sharper focus,” Rachel Buss, vice president of strategic insights at Curion, said in a statement to Business Insider about the firm’s findings. “The same menu architecture that works for a GLP-1 user also works for the macro-tracker, the runner, the fitness-focused consumer. This is not a niche — it’s the mainstream.”
GoTo Foods is thinking similarly
Rather than radically reinventing menus, Gajial described the company’s focus as “elevating the benefits that already exist” on its menus. At Moe’s Southwest Grill, for example, customers were already adding double protein to bowls.
“All we had to do was to rearrange and say, ‘This has 68 grams of protein in a bowl,'” he said. The ingredients were there; it was the positioning that shifted.
Portion flexibility is another lever that will be adjusted across the GoTo Foods portfolio. Gajial acknowledged that some customers now prefer smaller servings due to satiety changes caused by the use of GLP drugs. In response, the company has introduced bite-sized options, including a new “dippers” product at Moe’s featuring two smaller burritos paired with sauce.
Across brands — from Cinnabon to its sandwich concepts — Gajial said GoTo is working to “offer customers choice” so they can select “a smaller serving solution that meets their needs.”
That approach aligns closely with Curion’s recommendations for operators: focus on “portion architecture,” prioritizing protein content over calorie counts, and offering smaller versions of menu staples to give consumers choice without complicating delivery logistics or workflows.
GoTo’s portfolio, which includes restaurant concepts as well as food court staple brands, gives it multiple angles to consider. Gajial said further details of its updated menu strategy would be unveiled in the coming months and pointed to Jamba in particular as having “stretchability” — capable of operating both as a specialty snack brand and a restaurant concept.
He also emphasized that, by building smaller formats, highlighting protein, and letting customers choose without labeling them, the company behind some of America’s most recognizable mall treats is redefining itself for what Buss calls “appetite economics” — a world where not just what people eat, but how much they eat, is fundamentally changing.
