What I'd Order at Qdoba to Lose Weight

Skip the burrito and go bowl; the tortilla alone is over 250 calories and does nothing for your protein.

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 Qdoba orders

Double chicken guac bowl

Lunch style

Double grilled adobo chicken, fajita veggies, guacamole 4 oz, pico, romaine, shredded cheese

640calories42gprotein

For a 150 lb goal: 36% of your calories and 40% of your protein for the day.

Chicken Protein Bowl

Carb meal

Chicken Protein Bowl as listed

610calories44gprotein

For a 150 lb goal: 34% of your calories and 42% of your protein for the day.

Smoked Brisket Keto Bowl

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 Qdoba: 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.

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 Qdoba. 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 Qdoba?

Double chicken guac bowl: Double grilled adobo chicken, fajita veggies, guacamole 4 oz, pico, romaine, shredded cheese. It comes to about 640 calories and 42g of protein.

How many calories should I eat at Qdoba 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 double chicken guac bowl is 36% of that day with 40% of the protein. Type your own goal weight on this page to see your numbers.

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

The ones that stack calories with little protein: Chicken Queso Burrito (1,080 calories), Tortilla chips (560 calories).

Can I eat Qdoba 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 Qdoba fits fine. Skip the burrito and go bowl; the tortilla alone is over 250 calories and does nothing for your protein.