In his youth, Jordan Treviño learned to cook with his grandmother, the late and legendary Viola Barrios.
Even now, as the 35-year-old general manager of Los Barrios, Treviño continues to create his own plates. One experiment led to a big hit, the protein bowl for guests on GLP-1 medications.
“Within the first five hours it was on the menu, I had 15 orders for it,” Treviño said. “I was honestly shocked at the numbers.”
Introduced in June, the protein bowl No. 1 — chicken or beef fajita with Spanish rice, charro beans, chihuahua cheese, pico de gallo, cilantro and sliced avocado — caters to a growing clientele.
A recent Gallup Poll shows that 11% of U.S. adults (1 in 9) are using a GLP-1 medication to lose weight, up from 3% (1 in 33) two years ago.
The success of protein bowl No. 1 led to two more protein bowls, which all appear on menus at sister restaurants La Hacienda de Los Barrios and Viola’s Ventanas.
“It’s been a home run,” said Louis Barrios, CEO of Los Barrios Enterprises.
The protein bowl and variations thereof are spreading across San Antonio, Texas and the U.S. to accommodate a growing GLP-1 population. GLP-1 drugs were originally intended to treat diabetes but have become popular weight-loss medications under such brand names as Ozempic and Wegovy.
Those on GLP-1s experience decreased appetites. They tend to dine out less and request smaller servings.
Chipotle Mexican Grill released a high-protein menu last year for more than 4,200 restaurants around the world, 20 of them in the San Antonio area. Items range from the Adobe Chicken Taco with 15 grams of protein to the double high protein bowl with 85 grams. Prices vary by location, but the national average is $3.57 for the taco and $13.91 for the bowl, according to a company spokesperson.
From the Chipotle news release on Dec. 23: “With the rise of GLP-1s and a broader focus on macronutrients, Chipotle’s new High Protein Menu offers more ways for guests to get the protein they want in the portions that work for them, whether that is a lighter bite or a more substantial build.”
In September of last year, Olive Garden released a “Lighter Portions” menu in 40 percent of its restaurants to strengthen “affordability.” The chain added the eight lighter portion items — smaller servings of chicken parmigiana and fettucine Alfredo, for example — to the rest of its locations in January, which include 13 Olive Gardens in the San Antonio area.
In December, Rick Cardenas, CEO of Olive Garden parent company Darden Restaurants, told reporters that GLP-1 drugs impact drinking more than eating. He also said the new menu “just so happens to benefit the consumers that might want smaller portions that are on GLP-1 medications.”
Local restaurateur Blanca Aldaco uses Ozempic not to lose weight but to treat diabetes. Since she began using the medication regularly in September, Aldaco came to better understand the changing appetites of her GLP-1 customers at Aldaco’s Mexican Cuisine.
“Guests want the same zesty flavor, just not so much food,” she said.
As a result, Aldaco’s is rolling out a petite menu on Tuesday with six items that focus on protein and vegetables.
“Have the food you love,” she said, “without having to finish a large plate.”
A petite woman, Aldaco did not need to lose weight. But Ozempic reduced her appetite for food and alcohol and inspired the petite menu. “I didn’t want to be Ozempic skinny,” she said.
The new menu will feature smaller portions of five favorites: carne asada, pollo Aldacos, puntas de puerco al chile chipotle, enchilada verde and The Centerpiece. “Same flavors, same quality,” she said.
A sixth item is under development. The ensalada verde will feature grilled chicken or beef with avocado slices and flauta croutons on a bed of romaine and iceberg lettuce with cilantro-lime dressing.
The GLP-1 trend is not affecting every restaurant. Jason Dady, for example, has not adjusted the menus at any of his multiple concepts to accommodate customers on weight-loss drugs.
“Have not given it one ounce of thought,” he said. “Honestly.”
A number of chefs contacted by the San Antonio Report have kept their menus unchanged. Those who have adjusted, however, say the GLP-1-friendly items resonate with customers.
The lighter portions menu has been so successful, Cardenas said, Olive Garden will not attempt to market it. Why spend money, he wonders, to promote a product customers already love?
Chipotle’s high-protein menu has drawn strong engagement with patrons, a spokesperson said.
At the Los Barrios family restaurants, the protein bowls have proven “extremely popular,” ranking among the top five best-selling items, according to vice president of operations Josh Riley.
Jordan Treviño, son of Los Barrios co-owner Diane Barrios-Treviño, got the protein bowl idea from the grocery store and a customer. He noticed label after label marked with protein or high protein. Around the same time, he noticed that the mother of a good friend — a short woman and a long-time Los Barrios patron — had dropped about 35 pounds while using Ozempic.
“That gave me the idea we need to cater to these people,” he said.
Treviño stepped into the kitchen, channeled lessons from his grandmother, embraced suggestions from his mother and produced the first protein bowl.
He asked for a review from Los Barrios Family Restaurants district manager Lindsay Barrios, Louis’s daughter, and accounting manager Kevin Glavez. Trevino’s colleagues offered suggestions and tweaks to the bowl, which were implemented.
A second protein bowl featuring a red drum filet with lettuce and sliced avocado and a third bowl featuring chicken or beef with queso fresco and grilled corn were added to the menu.
Ironically, Treviño has completed his own weight-loss journey — but without GLP-1 assistance. He once carried 220 pounds on his 5-foot-11 frame. Told that he needed to lose weight, Treviño dropped 75 pounds over two years through diet and exercise.
“I’m now about 150 pounds,” he said. “I’m skinny. One thing I like about these bowls is I’m still able to eat healthy. But every now and then, I’ll eat something (not healthy) that I’m craving.”
One Los Barrios regular lost more than 100 pounds on a GLP-1 but continues to order the special platter: two cheese enchiladas, two crispy beef tacos, rice, beans and a guacamole salad. Louis Barrios explained: “But that customer says, ‘It’s the only meal I eat all day.’”
So the GLP-1 crowd at Los Barrios Family Restaurants grows. Some order one of the protein bowls. Others indulge in a once-a-day favorite.
“Life is full of surprises,” Louis Barrios said. “And this has been a surprise.”
