Smaller portions and high protein, the 'Ozempic menu' has arrived in Dubai

Restaurants around the world are responding to decreased appetites in their own creative ways

Mini Bancer menu at The Banc in Downtown Dubai features scaled-down versions of popular dishes. Photo: The Banc

A Dubai restaurant has introduced a high-protein, smaller-portion menu designed specifically for people using weight-loss injections.

Mediterranean restaurant The Banc says the Mini Bancer menu comprises its most popular dishes and drinks, but reimagined as lighter and “more intentional” portions.

Highlights include a half-sized grilled sea bream and barbecue melt chicken, alongside scaled-down starters, such as lamb kebab, tiger prawns and Wagyu beef tartare. Dessert classics are also available in petite portions, ranging from baklava bites to half-sized apple pies.

GLP-1 drugs, marketed under brand names such as Ozempic, Mounjaro and Wegovy, work by slowing digestion and signalling the brain to promote a feeling of fullness, which can lead to reduced appetite and weight loss.

The Banc Dubai says its menu was first trialled at the London location before being introduced in the UAE.

“People are still dining out – they’re just arriving less hungry,” says Mazlum Topcu, co-founder of The Banc. “What this new guest really wants is the chance to eat less without drawing attention to it in front of the whole restaurant.

“Some diners don’t want to admit they’re on the jab. They’ll order a big spread, push food around their plate and hope someone else does the heavy lifting. The funny thing is that half the table is probably doing the same thing – so you end up with too much food and unnecessary waste. Our approach makes it easier for everyone to eat the way they want, without the fuss.”

GLP-1 drugs are marketed under various brands, including Wegovy and Ozempic. Reuters

While it might be new to the UAE, The Banc Dubai is not the first to introduce a so-called “Ozempic menu” as an increasing number of GLP-1 users say they are dining out less.

Earlier this year, a survey of 1,000 GLP-1 users in the US by Bloomberg Intelligence found 54 per cent of respondents said they dined out significantly less or less frequently since starting the medication. About the same percentage reported ordering less takeout.

In a Morgan Stanley survey in April last year, about two-thirds of GLP-1 users said they spent less money at restaurants, while 31 per cent said they cut back on groceries.

Clinton Hall, a group of burger and beer restaurants in New York City known for large portions, recently introduced a Teeny Weeny Mini Meal that includes a petite hamburger, a few fries and a small beer.

“It 100 per cent is targeting the growing number of GLP-1 users,” Greg Mecane, the group's marketing director, told Today.com.

While not specifically targeted at GLP-1 users, international chain Cheesecake Factory also has a SkinnyLicious menu, including at its UAE branches, which features smaller sizes and lower calorie dishes.

At Town restaurant in London, which opened in May, diners can order half-portions of selected main menu items, as well as desserts.

“We absolutely design dishes specifically for the Mounjaro generation,” owner Jonathan Downey told The Times. “We thought we were just giving people more options, but it turns out to be part of the zeitgeist.”

And the popularity of these drugs is only set to grow, with Morgan Stanley analysts estimating the market for GLP-1s to be worth $105 billion by 2030. They also estimate that 31.5 million people will take GLP-1s by 2035.