The new menu items will be denoted by a Pc symbolizing a high protein dish that has few or trace carbohydrates.  Touted in best selling books and fueling the $33 billion diet industry, the popular high-protein, low-carbohydrate eating strategies are affecting Americans food choices when dining out, especially on the road. 

A survey of Loews Hotels Chefs and Food and Beverage Directors revealed that nearly 25 percent of diners request carbohydrate substitutions or elimination when ordering.  In all, Loews Hotels� restaurants are adding more than 40 new Pc selections that will change seasonally. Varying at each hotel, the Pc selections range from breakfast items and innovative desserts to complete gourmet meals. 

For example, the Azzura Point Restaurant at the Loews Coronado Bay Resort in San Diego has added a new five course Pc tasting menu where gourmet low-carbohydrate dishes include a Warm Lobster Salad with Black Truffle Vinaigrette and a Seared Foie Gras with Dried Cherries and Red Cabbage. Another hotel, the Loews Miami Beach, has developed a low- carbohydrate dessert, the Pepita Mascarpone Frozen Sabayon with Pineapple Chip with Mint Lemongrass Sauce. Some of the most popular dishes at Loews Hotels, like the Chicken Paillard with Grilled Vegetables served at The Regency Hotel in New York, were already low in carbohydrates and are now identified with Pc symbol. The Loews Hotels Pc menu selections continue to reflect the innovative, award-winning cuisine of Loews Hotels, and provide satisfying options without sacrifice.

�We recognized this trend growing for the last few years, and this past fall it became audible at our hotels across the country,� said Clark Wolf, the food and beverage consultant to Loews Hotels. �The most popular menu items were entree salads like Cobb and Caesar, simple Grilled Fillet with veggies and there was a noticeable increase in cheese course orders.�

Supporting the Loews Hotels survey, statistics from the beef industry revealed that consumption of meat was up 3 percent last year, reversing at 20-year decline in the United States.

Wolf attributes the resurgence of protein centered meals as a reflection of the strong economy as well as a result of the popular diet books. �The economy is booming and suddenly Americans don�t just have a taste for regular steak, they are asking for the rare and exotic, like Kobe Beef. It�s very reminiscent of the economic boom of the early 1980s, when diners were first willing to pay in excess of $30 an entree in top restaurants.�

Loews Hotels anticipate that the Pc selections will be especially popular with business travelers looking to maintain their lifestyle when traveling.

�With Pc our guests can enjoy a great meal without having to make a big production about being on a diet,� said Jonathan Tisch, President and CEO, Loews Hotels. �We think our customers will really appreciate this subtle convenience, especially when they are entertaining for business.�

In addition to Pc selections appearing on the menus in all of Loews Hotels restaurants and available through room service, Pc selections will be an option on food and beverage menus for groups and meeting functions.