Fogo de Chão bets on protein with a $45 plate
The Brazilian steakhouse chain renames its Single Churrasco Cut as Protein Plates on 3 November, leaning into the macronutrient trend reshaping US menus.
Fogo de Chão Protein Plates launch on 3 November, renaming the chain's Single Churrasco Cut and pairing 8 to 10 ounces of one fire-roasted meat with unlimited access to its Market Table salad bar.
The Brazilian steakhouse chain says each plate carries up to 85 grams of protein. Diners choose between picanha, fraldinha, lamb picanha, a double-cut pork chop or roasted chicken, plus charcuterie and smoked salmon from the Market Table. A spokesperson said the new name exists mainly to help protein-seeking customers find the dish faster than the old menu listing did.
Pricing runs from $45 to $49 at dinner depending on the market, and $36 at lunch — well under the $73 to $83 charged for Fogo's all-you-can-eat Churrasco Experience in Chicago, Los Angeles and New York.
A steakhouse now sells protein by the gram, not just by the cut.
A menu built around a government chart
Fogo frames the launch as a response to the US Department of Agriculture's revised dietary guidelines, which put more weight on whole foods. At an ICR investor conference, chief executive Barry McGowan joked that the agency's updated food pyramid should be renamed the Fogo Food Pyramid. The chain cites Stanford Medicine guidance that a 150-pound adult needs 80 to 110 grams of protein a day, a range its own plates are built to clear in one sitting.
"Our new Protein Plates deliver real, nutrient-dense protein in one abundant meal," McGowan said in the announcement.
A marathon weekend to launch it
The rollout is timed to the New York City Marathon. On 1 November, Fogo runs a pop-up Protein Bar on Amsterdam Avenue, handing out samples and cards worth 20% off a Protein Plate once the new menu goes live. On 2 November, runners who show a marathon medal get a free Protein Plate at participating New York locations.
The pitch fits a wider shift already visible elsewhere: Yukon steakhouse in Redmond built its entire concept around fast, high-protein Wagyu portions, and US chains are increasingly sorting menus by macronutrient count rather than courses.
