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Eating out / Highest protein, ranked

The Highest Protein Order at 60 Restaurant Chains, Ranked

I took the order I'd pick for fat loss at every chain I cover and ranked them by protein per calorie. The most protein for the calories you spend wins.

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

What the numbers say

#1 is The Cheesecake FactorySkinnyLicious Tuscan Chicken: 590 calories, 81g protein. 13.7g of protein for every 100 calories.
14 of 60 chainshave an order with 40g+ protein for 500 calories or less. Eating out is not the problem. The order is.
Fewest calories for 40g+McDonald's: Bacon ranch grilled chicken salad, 42g protein for just 320 calories.

Why per calorie: protein keeps you full and protects your muscle while you lose fat. Your calories are the budget. The best order gets you the most protein for that budget, and leaves room for the meal you actually look forward to.

Type your goal weight and every order shows how much of your calories and protein it covers. Goal weight x 12 for calories, goal weight x 0.7 for protein.

The ranking

1. The Cheesecake Factory

13.7g / 100 cal
SkinnyLicious Tuscan Chicken
590calories81gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 33% of your calories and 77% of your protein for the day.

2. Texas Roadhouse

13.7g / 100 cal
Portobello Mushroom Chicken
430calories59gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 24% of your calories and 56% of your protein for the day.

3. McDonald's

13.1g / 100 cal
Bacon ranch grilled chicken salad
320calories42gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 18% of your calories and 40% of your protein for the day.

4. Chili's

12.3g / 100 cal
Grilled Chicken Fajitas without tortilla
511calories63gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 28% of your calories and 60% of your protein for the day.

5. Culver's

12.2g / 100 cal
Cranberry Bacon Bleu Salad with Grilled Chicken
360calories44gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 20% of your calories and 42% of your protein for the day.

6. Buffalo Wild Wings

12.1g / 100 cal
Snack Size Lemon Pepper Wings
365calories44gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 20% of your calories and 42% of your protein for the day.

7. P.F. Chang's

11.9g / 100 cal
Ginger Chicken with Broccoli
480calories57gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 27% of your calories and 54% of your protein for the day.

8. Firehouse Subs

11.8g / 100 cal
Chopped Salad with Grilled Chicken
483calories57gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 27% of your calories and 54% of your protein for the day.

9. Cracker Barrel

11.8g / 100 cal
Grilled Sirloin with Greens
510calories60gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 28% of your calories and 57% of your protein for the day.

10. Olive Garden

11.7g / 100 cal
Chicken Margherita
590calories69gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 33% of your calories and 66% of your protein for the day.

11. Popeyes

11.2g / 100 cal
Blackened and Spicy Tenders
480calories54gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 27% of your calories and 51% of your protein for the day.

12. Jersey Mike's

11.2g / 100 cal
Roast Beef & Provolone in a tub
410calories46gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 23% of your calories and 44% of your protein for the day.

13. El Pollo Loco

11.2g / 100 cal
Fire-Grilled Breast and Thigh with Guac
510calories57gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 28% of your calories and 54% of your protein for the day.

14. Subway

11.1g / 100 cal
Cheesesteak salad and chicken bowl
530calories59gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 29% of your calories and 56% of your protein for the day.

15. Carrabba's Italian Grill

10.9g / 100 cal
Chicken Bryan
540calories59gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 30% of your calories and 56% of your protein for the day.

16. Noodles & Company

10.9g / 100 cal
Mediterranean Chicken Salad Plus Chicken
580calories63gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 32% of your calories and 60% of your protein for the day.

17. Panda Express

10.7g / 100 cal
Two grilled entrees plus greens
570calories61gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 32% of your calories and 58% of your protein for the day.

18. Outback Steakhouse

10.5g / 100 cal
Royal Port Tilapia with Shrimp
580calories61gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 32% of your calories and 58% of your protein for the day.

19. KFC

10.4g / 100 cal
Original Recipe Breast and Grilled Thigh
540calories56gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 30% of your calories and 53% of your protein for the day.

20. Benihana

10.2g / 100 cal
Hibachi Chateaubriand with salad and vegetables
500calories51gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 28% of your calories and 49% of your protein for the day.

21. Chipotle

10.0g / 100 cal
Double barbacoa bowl
520calories52gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 29% of your calories and 50% of your protein for the day.

22. Bonefish Grill

10.0g / 100 cal
Filet & Crab Cake
590calories59gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 33% of your calories and 56% of your protein for the day.

23. Sweetgreen

9.9g / 100 cal
Kale Caesar
405calories40gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 22% of your calories and 38% of your protein for the day.

24. Red Lobster

9.8g / 100 cal
Wood-Grilled Peppercorn Sirloin Steak & Shrimp
540calories53gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 30% of your calories and 50% of your protein for the day.

25. Arby's

9.7g / 100 cal
Steak Nuggets and Chicken Tenders
610calories59gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 34% of your calories and 56% of your protein for the day.

26. Seasons 52

9.6g / 100 cal
Wood-Grilled Tenderloin Salad
470calories45gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 26% of your calories and 43% of your protein for the day.

27. Pollo Tropical

9.5g / 100 cal
Chicken Bowl on Romaine
555calories53gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 31% of your calories and 50% of your protein for the day.

28. Red Robin

9.5g / 100 cal
Simply Grilled Chicken Salad
465calories44gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 26% of your calories and 42% of your protein for the day.

29. Blaze Pizza

9.4g / 100 cal
Keto Pizza
596calories56gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 33% of your calories and 53% of your protein for the day.

30. Denny's

9.2g / 100 cal
Sirloin Steak with Broccoli
565calories52gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 31% of your calories and 50% of your protein for the day.

31. Applebee's

9.2g / 100 cal
Shrimp 'N Parmesan Sirloin Steak
621calories57gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 34% of your calories and 54% of your protein for the day.

32. Panera Bread

9.0g / 100 cal
Power bowl plus half Cobb
620calories56gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 34% of your calories and 53% of your protein for the day.

33. Chick-fil-A

8.9g / 100 cal
Grilled nuggets and mac
650calories58gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 36% of your calories and 55% of your protein for the day.

34. Wingstop

8.8g / 100 cal
8 Louisiana Rub wings
684calories60gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 38% of your calories and 57% of your protein for the day.

35. Jimmy John's

8.8g / 100 cal
Hunter's Club Unwich
480calories42gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 27% of your calories and 40% of your protein for the day.

36. Pizza Hut

8.7g / 100 cal
Two Chicken Side Salads
635calories55gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 35% of your calories and 52% of your protein for the day.

37. Raising Cane's

8.5g / 100 cal
4 fingers and slaw
620calories53gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 34% of your calories and 50% of your protein for the day.

38. Wendy's

8.4g / 100 cal
Asiago Ranch Club, grilled
500calories42gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 28% of your calories and 40% of your protein for the day.

39. Maggiano's Little Italy

8.4g / 100 cal
Center-Cut Filet Mignon plus grilled asparagus
740calories62gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 41% of your calories and 59% of your protein for the day.

40. Whataburger

8.4g / 100 cal
Grilled Chicken Melt
395calories33gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 22% of your calories and 31% of your protein for the day.

41. Moe's Southwest Grill

8.2g / 100 cal
Double Chicken Salad
585calories48gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 32% of your calories and 46% of your protein for the day.

42. LongHorn Steakhouse

8.1g / 100 cal
Farm Fresh Field Greens with Salmon
530calories43gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 29% of your calories and 41% of your protein for the day.

43. Chuy's

8.0g / 100 cal
Chicka-Chicka Boom-Boom Enchiladas
540calories43gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 30% of your calories and 41% of your protein for the day.

44. BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse

7.8g / 100 cal
Lemon Herb Chicken & Asparagus Zucchini Noodles
640calories50gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 36% of your calories and 48% of your protein for the day.

45. Starbucks

7.8g / 100 cal
Egg bites, salami tray, yogurt
630calories49gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 35% of your calories and 47% of your protein for the day.

46. CAVA

7.6g / 100 cal
Tahini Caesar bowl
660calories50gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 37% of your calories and 48% of your protein for the day.

47. Shake Shack

7.5g / 100 cal
Double Hamburger
590calories44gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 33% of your calories and 42% of your protein for the day.

48. Potbelly

7.3g / 100 cal
A Wreck Salad with Chili
614calories45gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 34% of your calories and 43% of your protein for the day.

49. IHOP

7.0g / 100 cal
Sirloin Steak Tips with House Salad
640calories45gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 36% of your calories and 43% of your protein for the day.

50. Five Guys

6.9g / 100 cal
Bunless cheeseburger
580calories40gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 32% of your calories and 38% of your protein for the day.

51. First Watch

6.7g / 100 cal
Frittata Rustica
570calories38gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 32% of your calories and 36% of your protein for the day.

52. Qdoba

6.6g / 100 cal
Double chicken guac bowl
640calories42gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 36% of your calories and 40% of your protein for the day.

53. In-N-Out

6.3g / 100 cal
Double-Double protein style
520calories33gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 29% of your calories and 31% of your protein for the day.

54. Burger King

6.2g / 100 cal
Bacon Double Cheeseburger and Chicken Fries
550calories34gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 31% of your calories and 32% of your protein for the day.

55. Tropical Smoothie Cafe

6.2g / 100 cal
Supergreen Caesar Chicken Bowl
600calories37gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 33% of your calories and 35% of your protein for the day.

56. Dunkin'

6.1g / 100 cal
Double Omelet Bites
560calories34gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 31% of your calories and 32% of your protein for the day.

57. True Food Kitchen

5.8g / 100 cal
Grilled Sustainable Salmon
640calories37gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 36% of your calories and 35% of your protein for the day.

58. Domino's

5.6g / 100 cal
Plain Wings
750calories42gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 42% of your calories and 40% of your protein for the day.

59. Jason's Deli

5.4g / 100 cal
Lighter Big Chef Salad
521calories28gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 29% of your calories and 27% of your protein for the day.

60. Taco Bell

5.3g / 100 cal
Chicken Quesadilla
510calories27gprotein
For a 150 lb goal: 28% of your calories and 26% of your protein for the day.

Numbers from each chain's published nutrition data, for the order as I build it (how to order each one is on its page). Menus change, so check before you order.

The Eating Out Playbook

Every order, every restaurant, on your phone.

All 60 chains plus 25 kinds of restaurants and gas stations, three orders each, with how to order them and what to skip. $7 one time.

Get the PlaybookFree: my numbers
John Schaefer

Quick answers

Which fast food chain has the highest protein order per calorie?

Of the 60 chains I cover, The Cheesecake Factory: SkinnyLicious Tuscan Chicken, about 590 calories and 81g protein, or 13.7g of protein per 100 calories.

Where can I get 40 grams of protein for under 500 calories?

Texas Roadhouse (Portobello Mushroom Chicken, 430 cal, 59g), McDonald's (Bacon ranch grilled chicken salad, 320 cal, 42g), Culver's (Cranberry Bacon Bleu Salad with Grilled Chicken, 360 cal, 44g), Buffalo Wild Wings (Snack Size Lemon Pepper Wings, 365 cal, 44g), P.F. Chang's (Ginger Chicken with Broccoli, 480 cal, 57g), Firehouse Subs (Chopped Salad with Grilled Chicken, 483 cal, 57g), Popeyes (Blackened and Spicy Tenders, 480 cal, 54g), Jersey Mike's (Roast Beef & Provolone in a tub, 410 cal, 46g), Benihana (Hibachi Chateaubriand with salad and vegetables, 500 cal, 51g), Sweetgreen (Kale Caesar, 405 cal, 40g), Seasons 52 (Wood-Grilled Tenderloin Salad, 470 cal, 45g), Red Robin (Simply Grilled Chicken Salad, 465 cal, 44g).

Why rank by protein per calorie instead of total protein?

Because fat loss runs on calories and protein together. Protein keeps you full and protects your muscle while you lose fat, so the best order gives you the most protein for the calories you spend. A big order with lots of protein can still blow the day.