Eating out / Burgers & American / Denny's

What I'd Order at Denny's to Lose Weight

Steak or grilled chicken first, and if I am at lunch I skip the bread that comes with the steak.

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

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.

My Denny's orders

Sirloin Steak with Broccoli

Lunch style

Sirloin as listed (includes dinner bread), broccoli side

565calories52gprotein

For a 150 lb goal: 31% of your calories and 50% of your protein for the day.

Super Bird

Carb meal

Sandwich only, no side

680calories47gprotein

For a 150 lb goal: 38% of your calories and 45% of your protein for the day.

Cobb Salad with Grilled Chicken

Lunch style

How I order it, the calories and the protein are in the Eating Out Playbook, along with 59 other chains and 25 kinds of restaurants.

See the Playbook ($7) →

The rule at Denny's: the lunch style order is built on protein, fat and fiber. The carb meal is the one you have when this is your dinner, or the one meal of the day you're spending your carbs on.

Skip these at Denny's

Brisket Melt (no side)1,330 cal
Lumberjack Slam with hash browns and toast (eggs extra)1,260 cal

Numbers from Denny's's published nutrition data via dennys.com. Menus change, so check before you order.

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 Denny's. 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 best high protein order at Denny's?

Sirloin Steak with Broccoli: Sirloin as listed (includes dinner bread), broccoli side. It comes to about 565 calories and 52g of protein.

How many calories should I eat at Denny's to lose weight?

It depends on your goal weight. I use goal weight x 12 for daily calories, so a 150 lb goal is 1,800 calories a day and a lunch around 500 to 800 of them. The sirloin steak with broccoli is 31% of that day with 50% of the protein. Type your own goal weight on this page to see your numbers.

What should I avoid at Denny's if I'm trying to lose weight?

The ones that stack calories with little protein: Brisket Melt (no side) (1,330 calories), Lumberjack Slam with hash browns and toast (eggs extra) (1,260 calories).

Can I eat Denny's and still lose fat?

Yes. I've never told a client to stop eating out. Build the order around protein, keep the carbs for one meal a day, and Denny's fits fine. Steak or grilled chicken first, and if I am at lunch I skip the bread that comes with the steak.