As health-conscious restaurant-goers demand low-carbohydrate food alternatives, the slimming of America may provide opportunities to fatten profits, courtesy of the Atkins diet.
Nationwide, several chains have started offering Atkins-friendly menu selections. Subway and TGI Friday’s have recently paired with Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. to develop Atkins menus, which carry the Atkins company’s logo.
The Atkins diet emphasizes a reduced intake of carbohydrates (such as breads) and is based on a series of diet books by the late Robert Atkins — the first, “Dr. Atkins’ Diet Revolution,” appeared in 1972. Atkins believed that bodies fueled less by carbs would begin to digest fat for energy, slimming dieters.
Atkins began developing products based on his diet research and eventually formed a company called Complementary Foundations (which changed its name in 1998 to Atkins Nutritionals, Inc.)
Dec. 29, Subway sandwich shops began offering Atkins wraps, and customers can currently choose between two Atkins-designed wraps or turn any sandwich into a wrap for 50 cents extra.
Subway spokesman Kevin Kane said the chain decided to start a relationship with the Atkins company after noticing that many people requested items with lower carbs in 2003.
While the chain has not yet compiled final numbers for the release of the Atkins menu, Kane said, “It’s fair to say we have gotten twice the numbers of orders for wraps than we had anticipated, and we had anticipated a lot.”
Much of the fast food industry has followed Subway’s lead. Both Burger King and McDonald’s have begun retooling their menus toward diet-conscious consumers.
On Jan. 13, Burger King began offering burgers without the buns (thus eliminating carbohydrates). That followed a move one week earlier by McDonald’s, which introduced their “Real Life Choices” program in the New York tri-state area, providing diet-friendly menu items for those watching calories, carbs or fats.
Other types of stores have also noticed the market for low-carb items.
At Blanchard’s liquor store in Allston, staff members said they have seen a large increase in sales of lower-carb beers, particularly Miller Lite.
Amid reports last week that Atkins was obese and suffered from heart conditions at the time of his death, Atkins Nutritionals posted a response by Atkins’ wife, Veronica, on its website: “I have been assured by my husband’s physicians that his health problems late in life were completely unrelated to his diet or any diet.”
Regardless of how this affects the current Atkins fad, many restaurants are still thriving on carbohydrate-rich meals.
Though Allston’s Bagel Rising has a few wraps on the menu that may be considered Atkins-friendly, employee Craig Hendrix said they’re not a hit.
“We assume people coming in here are ready for some carbohydrate action,” he said.
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