GLP-1 drugs are fueling the rise of the 'big kids' market, one mega restaurant chain says

Kids’ meals are in vogue, according to Cava CEO Brett Schulman.

The slop bowl chain is seeing an increasing consumer base that he calls “big kids” — adult customers on GLP-1 drugs opting for kids’ portions.

In response to a question during a Tuesday earnings call about how weight-loss drugs were changing consumer behaviors, Schulman said Cava’s offerings were already in line with what GLP-1 Consumers want: “GLPs are shifting folks more to our style of eating.” “We have seen some of our — we call them big kids — opt into our kids meal a little bit more in recent months from a portion standpoint, but in general we’ve just seen more people shifting to our brand and our style of eating and the Mediterranean diet, which addresses the protein needs that a lot of folks are looking for,” he said.

Cava offers an $8.25 kids’ meal that includes half portions of grains and mains, according to its website.

The full-sized build-your-own bowls start from $12.95.

The casual food chain’s observation of “big kids” consumers is the latest example of the “Ozempification of American food,” a trend in which Americans with shrinking appetites opt for smaller portion sizes.

Packaged food brands like General Mills and Conagra Brands have already introduced smaller-portion products, sometimes labeled “GLP-1 Friendly.” Cava reported second-quarter earnings on Tuesday, with a strong revenue increase of 31.3% compared to the same period last year.

Its same-store sales increased by 9% compared to last year, and it opened 17 new restaurants in the quarter.

Cava’s results are another indicator that slop bowls — casual pick-your-own-dishes popular with office workers — are on the comeback.

Last year, executives from Cava, Chipotle, and Sweetgreen all said on earnings calls that younger diners were visiting their stores less often as they looked to pinch pennies.

Salad bowl chains have also been hit by this year’s cyclosporiasis outbreak, linked to leafy vegetables like lettuce.