GLP-1: Redefining Portions
Shifting from “more” to “just right”: The widespread adoption of GLP-1-based therapies could transform many aspects of airport operations, ranging from menu design to portion strategies.
For many years, the airport food and beverage sector has been built on a few fundamental assumptions: passengers are hungry, they are pressed for time, and they often perceive airport prices as higher than those of alternatives in the city.
Consequently, hearty portions, quick service, familiar products, and a sense of value for money have become the cornerstones of the airport dining experience. However, eating habits are shifting today.
Moreover, one of the most striking drivers of this change is not a new restaurant concept or a culinary trend, but rather the rapidly growing use of GLP-1-based treatments, particularly in the US and Europe.
Next-generation drugs such as semaglutide and tirzepatide—originally used to treat diabetes and now increasingly common for weight management—influence appetite, portion preferences, and eating frequency. The impact they create is no longer confined to the healthcare sector; it extends to restaurants, retail, the hospitality industry, and, increasingly, the world of airport dining.
Although usage rates vary by market, research indicates that GLP-1 users are becoming an increasingly visible consumer group. This raises a simple yet significant question for airports:
GLP-1 redefines not only appetite but also the relationship between portion, price, and value.
If passengers want to eat less and less, why do we still design with the aim of offering them more?
The issue isn't just about "eating less."
Interpreting the effect of GLP-1 merely as "people will eat less" oversimplifies the matter. The real shift occurs in what we eat, how much we eat, and what we expect from the food we consume.
Research conducted in the US indicates significant shifts in the restaurant preferences of GLP-1 users. There is a growing preference for smaller portions, protein-rich items, options featuring more fruits and vegetables, and low-sugar alternatives.
Consumers also want smaller portions offered at more accessible price points, as well as the addition of half-portion and shareable plate options to menus.
This is precisely where the real opportunity lies for the airport food and beverage sector. It is not a matter of selling less food, but rather of reimagining the dining experience to align with these new expectations.
Why might this change be more pronounced at airports?
The rise in GLP-1 usage could impact the entire food and beverage sector. However, the unique dynamics of airports might make this transformation more visible.
1. Time pressure
At the airport, passengers are almost always racing against the clock. Between security checks, walking to the gate, boarding, and transfers, many passengers do not want a large, heavy meal.
Eating more—especially before a flight—does not always translate to a better passenger experience.
2. Price sensitivity
Food and beverage prices at airports are already perceived as higher compared to alternatives in city centers. If a passenger consumes only half of a standard portion, paying for the full amount may seem less appealing to them.
Therefore, the equation that airport food and beverage operators need to solve in the upcoming period may increasingly become:
Portion + Price + Value
Simply downsizing the portion is not enough. If the portion is reduced, the price and the customer's perception of value must also be reconsidered.Geleceğin menüsü daha küçük olmayacak; daha esnek, daha dengeli ve yolcunun ihtiyacına daha uygun olacak.
A new approach: Smart portioning
Today, many menus are still based on traditional size options like small, medium, and large. In the future, however, we may see a more flexible structure:
Snack → Small → Standard → Shareable"
The following options could be added to menus within this framework:
Mini bowls
Half sandwiches
Small salads
Protein boxes
Small plates
Half portions
Snack-sized hot meals
Smaller breakfast options
Fruit- and yogurt-based products
Protein-rich snacks
The key point here is not to position these products as a “diet menu” or a “GLP-1 menu.”
Instead, more inclusive and natural terms could be used:
Right-Sized Portions
Smart Portions
Small Plates
Balanced Snacks
Light and Protein-Rich
Travel-Sized Portions
The need for smaller portions is not unique to GLP-1 users. It is also relevant for children, older travellers, health-conscious consumers, passengers who prefer not to eat a heavy meal before a flight, or simply anyone who thinks, “I don’t need to eat that much.”
It’s Not Just the Portion Size-The Content Is Changing Too
Portion size is only one side of the equation. The content of the menu also needs to evolve.
For people using GLP-1 medications in particular, adequate intake of protein, fibre, vegetables, fruit and fluids may become increasingly important. This could pave the way for new product categories at airports.
For example, instead of a large traditional breakfast plate, a protein breakfast boxcould be offered, containing eggs, strained yogurt, fruit, nuts and a small wholegrain item.
A large burger meal could be replaced with a smaller protein-rich sandwich accompanied by vegetables. This would create a smaller yet more nutritious option.
For desserts, large slices of cake could be complemented by small portions of premium yogurt, fruit-based products or protein-rich alternatives.
The goal is not to turn airport restaurants into “diet restaurants.” It is much simpler: to better understand how today’s travellers want to eat.
Do Smaller Portions Mean Lower Revenue?
At first glance, it may seem so. However, from a commercial perspective, the issue needs to be viewed differently.
Consumers may want to eat less, but they may still be willing to pay for a product that offers higher quality, better nutrition, more appealing presentation and a closer fit with their needs. Therefore, the question is not only how much we sell, but how much value the product creates.
A smaller portion can still be positioned as a premium product if it offers:
Higher-quality ingredients
More protein
Better presentation
More functional packaging
Greater nutritional value
Increased transparency
Greater convenience
If it offers these qualities, it can still be positioned as a premium product.
A smaller portion does not mean lower value. With the right ingredients and presentation, it can still become a compelling premium product.
Therefore, the question airport food and beverage operators should be asking may no longer be:
“How can we avoid losing revenue if we sell less food?”
The real question may be:
“How can we create more value within a smaller portion?”
Designing Menus Around the Moment of the Journey,
Not the Product
This is where one of the most interesting aspects of this transformation emerges for airports.
In the future, menus may need to be designed not only around product categories, but also around what passengers need at each particular moment. After all, their needs differ at every stage of the journey.
Before security: “I need to grab something to eat quickly.”
At the gate: “My flight is in 45 minutes. I’d like something small to eat.”
Before boarding:“I don’t want to feel too full on the plane.”
During a layover:“A light snack will be enough.”
Before a long-haul flight:“I want something filling, but not too heavy.”
The successful product of the future will not be the largest one, but the one that delivers the right portion, with the right ingredients, at the right price and at the right time.
Perhaps the airport menus of the future will break away from the classic breakfast–lunch–dinner routine and instead shape themselves around the different moments of travel.
From "More" to "Just Right"
The widespread use of GLP-1-based treatments is still quite new. Therefore, it is too early to say exactly how it will affect the airport food and beverage sector in the coming years.
However, the behavioral changes we observe today could be the harbinger of a broader transformation. Consumers no longer want more food; they want what is more suitable for them. Moreover, this shift is not exclusive to GLP-1 users.
When combined with trends like wellness, portion control, reducing food waste, sustainability, premiumization, and personalization, this transformation could pave the way for a new product approach in the airport food and beverage sector.
Perhaps the most successful airport product of the future will not be the biggest sandwich, the most comprehensive breakfast, or the most extensive menu.
The successful product will be the one that offers the right portion, at the right price, with the right ingredients, and at the right moment.
GLP-1 could be one of the major catalysts of this change. Yet, the transformation is much larger:
From "more" to "just right."
This is precisely where one of the most remarkable opportunities for the airport food and beverage sector lies.
Aslı Nehir
Commercial Manager
Fraport Türkiye
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