Arkansas barbecue makes some changes

updated 5:55 p.m. ET Sept. 7, 2004

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Bill Clinton’s favorite Arkansas barbecue joint is getting health-conscious — to make sure it can keep the former president coming in after heart bypass surgery.

McClard’s Barbecue in Hot Springs is having a local cardiologist review recipes and portions for a new menu item. The idea: to cut down on carbohydrates and adhere to the South Beach diet Clinton has been following.

It might be the only time in the restaurant’s 76-year history that it has changed its menu. Owner Scott McClard says that’s appropriate, because Clinton is the only customer the place has ever taken reservations for.

McClard says he likes the publicity that comes with having Clinton as a customer — but he doesn’t want to be known as “the place that stuck him in the hospital.”

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