Typically laden with saturated fats, ultra-high in sodium, and full of high-glycemic carbs, fast food certainly isn’t the healthiest way to get your calories in. But its call is in the name: It’s fast. And sometimes, even those who prioritize their nutrition need a quick meal or find themselves in a situation where the decision is out of their hands (group trips, work events, and road trips come to mind).
If you find yourself in a situation where fast food restaurants are the only or best option, but you still want high-protein foods, you can order confidently if you know which meals will help you reach your macronutrient goals. As a certified nutrition coach, here are my recommendations for the best high-protein fast food meals.
The 16 Best High-Protein Fast Food Items
Chick-Fil-A Grilled Chicken Nuggets
McDonald’s Grilled Chicken Sandwich
Starbucks Spinach, Egg White, and Feta Wrap
Chipotle Bean and Sofritas Bowl
Burger King Impossible Whopper
KFC Kentucky Grilled Chicken Combo
Panda Express Grilled Teriyaki Chicken
Panera Bread Mediterranean Chicken Greens With Grains Salad
In-N-Out Protein-Style Hamburger
Chick-Fil-A Grilled Chicken Nuggets (12 count)
Grams of protein: 25
Calories: 130
Chick-Fil-A is a go-to of mine when I’m in need of a healthier fast food option. This is for a few reasons: The menu is easily navigable, there are ample grilled chicken options (as opposed to fried chicken), and there are a number of lighter sides.
The 12-count grilled nugget dish provides 25 grams of protein in just 130 calories. For more calories, I like to add a side of both fruit (70 calories per fruit cup) and the Kale Crunch (170 calories per serving). This gives me a complete and nutrient-dense meal on the go.
P.S.: BarBend’s protein intake calculator can help you determine how much protein you need each day, and you can use that information to inform your meal choices at restaurants.
Chick-Fil-A Cool Wrap
Grams of protein: 43
Calories: 660
This hearty choice from Chick-Fil-A is like a chicken salad in a wrap. It features grilled chicken, lettuce, and cheese in a flaxseed wrap and comes with the restaurant’s Avocado Lime Ranch dressing. Because of the cheese and dressing, fats are on the higher side with this meal at 45 grams per serving. There are also 32 grams of carbohydrates from the wrap, lettuce, and dressing.
McDonald’s McCrispy Chicken Sandwich
Grams of protein: 26
Calories: 470
As a nutrition coach, I’d encourage you to go for a grilled chicken sandwich over a fried one if protein-to-calorie ratio is your concern. But as it stands, the macros on Mickey D’s McCrispy Chicken Sandwich are nothing to scoff at: 26 grams of protein, 20 grams of fats, and 46 grams of carbohydrates in a 470-calorie sandwich.
With a very high sodium content of 1,140 milligrams per serving (50% of the daily recommended intake), individuals watching their salt intake should take caution with this meal.
Starbucks Spinach, Egg White, and Feta Wrap
Grams of protein: 20 g
Calories: 290
This tasty wrap is a solid option at Starbucks and is one of the highest-protein hot meal options on deck there. It’s a protein-rich, filling alternative to a sugary pastry or cake pop to enjoy with your coffee. It contains 20 grams of protein in a 290-calorie wrap, with 34 grams of carbs and 8 grams of fat making up the rest of those calories. It is high in sodium and low in fiber, so keep that in mind when considering your overall health goals. Overall, it’s suitable for those looking for high-protein, low-calorie foods.
Starbucks Egg & Cheddar Protein Box
Grams of protein: 22
Calories: 460
For an ultra-quick, grab-and-go meal option, consider the Egg & Cheddar Protein Box from Starbucks. These “adult Lunchables” contain two boiled eggs, cheddar cheese cubes, multigrain bread, Justin’s nut butter, apples, and grapes, so you’ll get a variety of essential nutrients along with your 22 grams of protein.
Arby’s Classic Roast Beef Sandwich
Grams of protein: 23
Calories: 360
Arby’s Classic Roast Beef Sandwich — with just the meat and the bun — serves up an honorable 23 grams of protein in 360 calories, the rest of those calories coming from 14 grams of fat (5 saturated) and 37 grams of carbohydrates (2 being fiber, 5 being sugar).
Add sauce and french fries, and the calorie, carb, and fat content can skyrocket. But on its own, the Classic Roast Beef Sandwich is a respectable high-protein choice.
Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowl
Grams of protein: 50
Calories: 655
Chipotle is one of the best fast food restaurants for those prioritizing protein or nutrition in general. With a burrito bowl, your mileage may vary as far as grams of protein and total calories per bowl. Adding guacamole, queso, and sour cream will significantly increase the fats without a big bump in protein content.
I built a bowl with chicken, black beans, brown rice, cheese (shredded, not queso), and tomato salsa for 655 calories and 50 grams of protein. This exact configuration contains 63 grams of carbs and 23 grams of fat — play around with Chipotle’s nutrition calculator online to find your dream order!
Chipotle Bean and Sofritas Bowl
Grams of protein: 29
Calories: 675
For our vegans and vegetarians out there, Chipotle bowls allow you to create a high-protein meal by choosing multiple plant-based protein sources. You can also load up on fajita veggies for a micronutrient boost.
Create a vegan-friendly burrito bowl with double sofritas (simmered, spiced tofu), black or pinto beans, tomatillo-green salsa, and fajita veggies for 675 calories, 29 grams of protein, 85 grams of carbs, and 28 grams of fat.
Burger King Double Whopper
Grams of protein: 52.5
Calories: 920
Thanks to its two beef patties, the all-American sandwich turns out to be a relatively good source of protein. It’s got 52.5 grams of protein, in fact. Dressed as it comes on the menu, however, it also has nearly half of the average recommended 2,000 calorie-per-day intake.
At 920 calories per sandwich, it’s absolutely not a low-calorie meal, but it could be a tasty option for individuals in a bulking season. It also contains about 1,240 milligrams of sodium, which is more than half of the recommended daily intake, and 150 milligrams of cholesterol.
Burger King Impossible Whopper
Grams of protein: 28.5
Calories: 630
Those on a plant-based diet can still get their Burger King fix thanks to the Impossible Whopper. The positives: It has nearly 30 grams of protein and is much lower in cholesterol than its beef counterpart, with just 15.1 milligrams. The negatives: It still contains a four-digit dose of sodium (1,350.3 grams) and is high in sugar (14 grams).
Burger King, in general, is not the place I’d recommend for those with health concerns such as blood pressure management. But, for those currently prioritizing calorie and protein intake over all else, it’s an option. (Just make sure you ask them to prep the Impossible “meat” on a clean grill to avoid actual meat contamination.)
Taco Bell Chicken Quesadilla
Grams of protein: 29
Calories: 570
Does it get more classic than chicken and cheese melted into a tortilla? With 29 grams of protein and 570 calories, a Taco Bell Chicken Quesadilla is actually one of the better options if you’re looking strictly at protein-to-calorie ratios. That said, it does contain 32 grams of fats (16 of which are saturated fats) and 1,330 milligrams of sodium, putting you at 58 percent of the daily recommended intake of sodium with just one meal.
Wendy’s Apple Pecan Salad
Grams of protein: 31 g
Calories: 450 (540 with dressing)
If you prefer not to have a sandwich or wrap of sorts, Wendy’s Apple Pecan Salad can satiate your salad cravings with a good amount of protein to boot. The bed of lettuce is topped with grilled chicken breast, apple slices, dried cranberries, roasted pecans, and blue cheese crumbles. Even with the dressing, you’re looking at less than 550 calories for the whole meal, making this an excellent choice for a lighter but filling fast food lunch. It’s still high in sodium and saturated fat, as most fast food meals are.
KFC Kentucky Grilled Chicken Combo
Grams of protein: 52
Calories: 485
Though KFC is known for its crispy fried chicken, I’m going to encourage you to look at the (limited) grilled options for a healthier but still tasty meal high in protein. You can build your own meal, so your total protein and calories will vary. Here’s an example using the combo meal I built:
Grilled chicken breast and grilled wing (2-piece combo): 280 calories, 47 g protein
Biscuit: 180 calories, 4 g protein
Green beans: 25 calories, 1 g protein
Total: 485 calories, 52 g protein
Looking strictly at those numbers, this meal is a home run for those prioritizing high-protein, lower-calorie meals. Don’t forget to tally the sodium, fat, cholesterol, and carb content for a complete picture of nutrition, though.
Panda Express Grilled Teriyaki Chicken and Super Greens
Grams of protein: 47
Calories: 430
A simple order from Panda Express (one entree item and one side) of grilled teriyaki chicken and super greens (a variety of vegetables) provides 47 grams of protein in a 430-calorie meal. You’ll also be getting a variety of micronutrients from the veggies, unlike you might with a cheeseburger or typical fast food meal. Like Chipotle, Panda Express allows you to create your own meal, so play with the variables and meal sizes to find the right macronutrient ratio for you.
Panera Bread Mediterranean Chicken Greens With Grains Salad
Grams of protein: 34
Calories: 670
Compared to some salads on the Panera menu, like the Caesar salad and southwest ranch salad, the Mediterranean chicken salad is high in protein and lower in fat. It has 34 grams of protein and is stacked with micronutrient-rich ingredients like red onions, cucumbers, sweet peppers, and hummus. If Mediterranean isn’t your vibe, the cobb salad at Panera Bread is also high in protein with 40 grams.
In-N-Out Protein-Style Hamburger
Grams of protein: 12
Calories: 200
A “Protein-Style” burger from In-N-Out is a burger patty wrapped in lettuce instead of on a bun. It’s actually not very high in protein compared to other options on this list (12 grams per serving), but it’s also the lowest-calorie option on this list at just 200 calories. That includes the cheese and In-N-Out sauce. It’s also a great low-carb option with just 8 grams of carbohydrates per serving.
Is High-Protein Fast Food Healthy?
Rarely does a question about health have a straightforward yes-or-no answer. The question of whether fast food is healthy — high protein or not — is no different. It’s a nuanced question that requires a nuanced answer, so let’s take a look at some reasons that a high-protein fast food meal may or may not be a good choice for you.
No: It’s Ultra Processed
Most fast food is ultra-processed. Sure, some restaurants are changing that, but the fact remains that most fast food meals are very high in calories, saturated fats, sodium, and cholesterol — and very low in fiber, most vitamins, and essential minerals.
Chick-Fil-A cup of Grilled Chicken Nuggets.
This is because most fast food items fall into the spectrum of “ultra-processed foods” (UPFs), which are defined as “industrial formulations with five or more ingredients.” (1) Take a look at the Spinach, Feta, & Egg White Wrap from Starbucks, for example. It sounds healthy enough on the surface, and it’s even relatively low in calories and moderately high in protein. But the nutrition facts label lists nearly 200 (yes, 200) ingredients. Some of those items are benign, like whole wheat flour and egg whites. But there’s also a number of gums, preservatives, and other additives, including something called a “mold inhibitor.”
Regular consumption of UPFs has been linked to greater incidences of psychiatric health conditions, heart disease, respiratory illness, cancer, gastrointestinal disorders, and metabolic health conditions. (2)
Yes: It’s a Source of Complete Protein
Because most fast food restaurants revolve around chicken, burgers, or burritos, they typically include respectable amounts of complete protein, which is protein that includes all nine essential amino acids. (Learn the difference between protein and amino acids in our guide to protein vs BCAAs).
Essential amino acids are required to build muscle, and animal foods include all of them, unlike most plant-based proteins. Even if you follow a plant-based diet, some fast food restaurants, like Chipotle, provide the opportunity to create complete protein meals by combining different plant proteins.
Still, fast food is not the best place to get your protein from. To pack on muscle mass without adverse health outcomes, focus on whole-food sources of protein and cook most of your meals at home. If you think supplementation may help you, take a look at our top picks for the best protein powders for muscle gain (or the best-tasting protein powders, if you tend to struggle to get them down).
No: It’s Very High in Sodium
A gander at any fast food restaurant’s nutrition facts will reveal shockingly high amounts of sodium. It’s not uncommon for a single burger from a fast food restaurant to contain 50 percent or more of the daily recommended intake for sodium.
A Whopper with cheese from Burger King contains 1,610.3 mg of sodium (70% DV)
A McDouble from McDonald’s contains 920 mg of sodium (40% DV)
A Single ShackBurger from ShakeShack contains 1,250 mg of sodium (54% DV)
A Classic Chicken Sandwich from Popeyes contains 1,440 mg of sodium (63% DV)
The above represents just a sampling of sodium content you can expect to find across fast food restaurants. Of course, it’s possible to choose meals that are lower in sodium, but even the seemingly healthier items on a fast food menu are still high in sodium.
No: It’s Usually High In Fats
In addition to being very high in sodium, fast food meals tend to be high in fats, including both saturated and unsaturated fats. The high amounts of these fats in fast food come from primarily oils, but also from red meats, cheese, sauces, dressings, and toppings such as bacon. Many fast food meals also contain trans fats, despite this type of fat being banned in foods in the U.S. (They still appear in small amounts because they can be created when certain oils are used at high heat.)
Dietary fats, even saturated fats, are no longer thought to be inherently harmful. (On the contrary, unsaturated fats are associated with various positive health outcomes — but the complicated relationship between dietary fats and heart health is too much to cover here.) Still, too much of anything can harm your health. (3)(4)(5)
The main problem here is that fats are high in calories (9 calories per gram of fat), and fast food contains a LOT of fat. This drives up a person’s caloric intake substantially, usually without them noticing, especially if they eat fast food daily or multiple times per day. In some cases, a single fast food meal can put you at half or more than half of your daily calorie needs. But you probably won’t feel satiated for long, and therein lies the problem: Fast food causes us to overeat, which can lead to health issues. (6)
Yes: There Are Ways to Include Nutrient-Dense Ingredients
With all of the above laid out, it is still possible to choose healthy(ish) options at fast food restaurants. By carefully selecting the restaurant, researching the menu options, and making available modifications, you can get a decently nutritious meal on the go.
At just about any fast food restaurant, you can swap fries for a fruit cup or a side salad, for example. You can opt to have your burger wrapped in lettuce instead of on a bun or choose grilled chicken over fried chicken. Certain fast food restaurants have more nutrient-dense options than others. Panera Bread, for instance, offers an array of salads, while In-N-Out offers none.
Kind Of: They’re Economically Accessible and Calorically Dense
As a certified nutrition coach, my instinct would be to steer you toward a grocery store to get a rotisserie chicken and prepared potatoes so you can have several high-protein, simple, nutritious meals from a single purchase and with minimal effort. But if I told everyone that, I’d be neglecting to consider the fact that not everyone has a nearby grocery store with fresh rotisserie chickens and produce. Almost everyone has a fast food restaurant nearby, though.
A McDonald’s McDouble isn’t the objectively healthier choice over a chicken breast and an apple, no, but it’s probably the more financially accessible option for a lot of folks. Not to mention, the McDouble is cheaper upfront (about $4 for the sandwich) compared to the grocery store chicken (about $8) and contains more calories for one meal. In some cases, eating enough calories is more important than where those calories come from.
FAQs: High Protein Fast Food
What fast foods have the most protein?
Something with meat — poultry, beef, or fish — is going to have the most protein. Luckily, most fast food restaurants are built around beef or chicken, so it’s actually not too hard to find high-protein meals at fast food joints. For those on a plant-based diet, something with tofu, beans, and high-protein vegetables is the best route.
Can you eat fast food for protein?
Sure, you can eat fast food to get protein. However, it’s never going to be the healthiest option. While some fast food meals may be high in protein, they’re also generally high in saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, and sometimes sugar. For more protein and no extras, one of the best protein powders can help you reach your daily protein goal.
How much protein is in a fast food hamburger?
It varies. Fast food burgers can contain anywhere from 20 to more than 50 grams of protein, depending on the size of the patty, how many patties there are, and other ingredients such as cheese, bacon, and the bun.
Where can I get protein fast?
Protein powder — whether the best whey protein powder or best vegan protein powder — is the quickest, easiest, and often most cost-effective way to consume more protein powder.
References
Monteiro CA, Levy RB, Claro RM, Castro IR, Cannon G. A new classification of foods based on the extent and purpose of their processing. Cad Saude Publica. 2010;26(11):2039-2049. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21180977/
Fuhrman J. The Hidden Dangers of Fast and Processed Food. Am J Lifestyle Med. 2018;12(5):375-381. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6146358/
de Souza RJ, Mente A, Maroleanu A, et al. Intake of saturated and trans unsaturated fatty acids and risk of all cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes: systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. BMJ. 2015;351:h3978. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26268692/
Hooper L, Martin N, Jimoh OF, Kirk C, Foster E, Abdelhamid AS. Reduction in saturated fat intake for cardiovascular disease. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020;8(8):CD011737. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8092457/
Talukdar JR, Steen JP, Goldenberg JZ, et al. Saturated fat, the estimated absolute risk and certainty of risk for mortality and major cancer and cardiometabolic outcomes: an overview of systematic reviews. Syst Rev. 2023;12(1):179. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10541715/
Jakobsen DD, Brader L, Bruun JM. Association between Food, Beverages and Overweight/Obesity in Children and Adolescents-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies. Nutrients. 2023;15(3):764. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9920526/
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