Eating out / Burgers & American

What I'd Order at a Burger Place to Lose Weight

I eat burgers. I just decide if it's lunch style or my carb meal before I order.

John Schaefer, fat loss coach for 27 years · Updated October 2026

Type your goal weight and every order below shows how much of your calories and protein it covers. Same math I use with clients: goal weight x 12 for calories, goal weight x 0.7 for protein.

What do I order?

Tell me where you're eating and your goal weight. I'll tell you exactly what to get, with the calories and protein.

Want me to email you your numbers? Your calories, protein, carbs and fats for your goal weight, plus this page so you have it at the table.

Answers are estimates from published nutrition data, not medical advice.

What I order

Cobb salad

Lunch style

Dressing on the side, add extra chicken

650calories50gprotein

For a 150 lb goal: 36% of your calories and 48% of your protein for the day.

Burger on the bun

Carb meal

Your carb meal: bun yes, fries no, or a small fries and no bun

850calories40gprotein

For a 150 lb goal: 47% of your calories and 38% of your protein for the day.

Double burger, lettuce wrap

Lunch style

How I order it, the calories and the protein are in the Eating Out Playbook, along with 60 other chains and 25 kinds of restaurants.

See the Playbook ($7) →

The move: Swap the fries for a side salad or vegetables. That one swap saves 400 to 500 calories and you won't miss them by tomorrow.

Skip these

Side of fries450 cal
Onion rings650 cal
Milkshake800 cal

Drinks: Light beer is about 100 calories. A craft IPA is closer to 200 to 250.

Estimates for a typical restaurant portion in the US. Treat them as a close guide.

How I fit any restaurant into the day

Protein firstEat the protein, then the vegetables and fats, then the carbs. You're satisfied before the bread matters.

One carb meal a dayBread, rice, pasta, potatoes, fries. Keep the big carb hit to one meal. On a night out, that's dinner.

Zoom out to the weekFat loss runs on your weekly average. One dinner out is easy to absorb when the rest of the week is steady.

The Eating Out Playbook

Every restaurant you go to, already figured out.

60 chains and 25 kinds of restaurants, including every burgers & american spot. Search the place you're going, pick an order, and see how it fits your goal weight before you sit down. Works on your phone, $7 one time.

Get the Playbook Free: my numbers

Quick answers

What is the healthiest thing to order at a Burger Place?

Cobb salad: Dressing on the side, add extra chicken. Around 650 calories and 50g of protein.

What should I skip at a Burger Place when I'm losing weight?

Side of fries (450 calories), Onion rings (650 calories), Milkshake (800 calories).

What about drinks?

Light beer is about 100 calories. A craft IPA is closer to 200 to 250.