More Restaurants Start To Cash In On Low-Carb Craze

If it seems everyone you know is going low-carb, you are not far off. Health officials said one out of every seven adults is on a low-carb diet.

Woody Sniffen is a big fan of the Atkins diet and eating out.

"It's convenient and quick," he said. "I've lost like 15 pounds in the past month, month and a half!"

However, even strict carb counters get bored with their choices at restaurants. Eating on the run leaves even fewer options. Sure, you can order a hamburger or chicken sandwich, but you have to take off the bread. More restaurants now cater to low-carb diners. Michael Dean's Wood Over and Bar in Raleigh serves a low-carb lunch menu. Even fast food restaurants like KFC boast carb counts.

Most recently, Ruby Tuesday added 30 items to its menu -- each has 25 carbs or less.

"I try to stay between 50 and under a day, so anything on here you can eat," Sniffen said.

Ruby Tuesday's menu includes the burger wrap with 8 carbs and fajitas with 22 carbs. The low-carb catch of the day with mashed cauliflower instead of potatoes lured Ken Ostraco to the table. He discovered low-carb dining just two days into his diet.

"I like it. It's one of the things I wanted to try," he said. "I'm trying to lose about 30 pounds in the next three to four months."

Health officials do not expect low-carb popularity will fade anytime soon, which means more restaurants will probably expand their menus and cash in on the craze. Even if restaurants do not have a low-carb menu, you should ask your server if the chef can modify a meal to make it low-carb.