When you eat out, the calories flood in — usually, many more than you need.
This is especially true at chain restaurants.
National chains like Mimi’s Café and McDonald’s gain loyal patrons for offering cheap, tasty meals. More precisely, customers like the caloric bang for the buck, convenience and fat content. Some even argue that the levels of fat, sodium and additives makes this food highly addictive. Many popular menu items have over half the amount of calories recommended in an entire day — approximately 2,000 according to the USDA — and dangerously high levels of fat.
For example, the item that made No. 1 on this list has 2,300 calories and 164 grams of fat. That’s 15 percent more than the daily recommended caloric intake and over 200 percent the daily recommended fat intake in one meal alone.
Using data from the ESHA nutrition database, the experts at HealthGrove looked at 40 chain restaurants and found the most caloric dish at each. All of these items are available in the United States and are on the menus as of this writing.
Note: In the case of ties, the dish with the most fat ranks highest. Additionally, we ruled out dessert items as well as family-sized items.
#40. Panda Express
Most Caloric Dish: Spicy Beijing Beef Entree
Calories per Serving: 470
Serving Size: 1.0 entree (158.76g)
Fat: 26g
Sodium: 660mg
#39. Tim Hortons
Most Caloric Dish: Bacon Tomato & Cheese Panini Sandwich (with multigrain)
Calories per Serving: 600
Serving Size: 1.0 each (230g)
Fat: 30g
Sodium: 1,390mg
#38. A&W Restaurant
Most Caloric Dish: Original Bacon Double Cheeseburger
Calories per Serving: 647
Serving Size: 1.0 each (267g)
Fat: 41g
Sodium: 1,923mg
#37. In-N-Out Burger
Most Caloric Dish: Double Double Cheeseburger (with spread)
Calories per Serving: 670
Serving Size: 1.0 each (330g)
Fat: 41g
Sodium: 1,440mg
#36. Chik-fil-A
Most Caloric Dish: Sausage Egg & Cheese Breakfast Sandwich (with biscuit)
Calories per Serving: 670
Serving Size: 1.0 each (198g)
Fat: 44g
Sodium: 1,470mg
#35. Bruegger's
Most Caloric Dish: Bacon Classic Breakfast Wrap (with whole wheat tortilla)
Calories per Serving: 760
Serving Size: 1.0 each (260.82g)
Fat: 50g
Sodium: 1,670mg
#34. Kentucky Fried Chicken
Most Caloric Dish: Chicken Pot Pie
Calories per Serving: 790
Serving Size: 1.0 each (400g)
Fat: 46g
Sodium: 2,120mg
#33. Arby's
Most Caloric Dish: Turkey Bacon Cheddar & Ranch Market Fresh Sandwich
Calories per Serving: 800
Serving Size: 1.0 each (344g)
Fat: 34g
Sodium: 2,420mg
#32. Au Bon Pain
Most Caloric Dish: Mediterranean Power Pack Meal
Calories per Serving: 800
Serving Size: 1.0 meal (369g)
Fat: 64g
Sodium: 680mg
#31. Subway
Most Caloric Dish: Sausage Pizza (8")
Calories per Serving: 820
Serving Size: 1.0 each (336g)
Fat: 34g
Sodium: 1,420mg
#30. Taco Bell
Most Caloric Dish: Grilled Beef Stuft XXL Burrito
Calories per Serving: 860
Serving Size: 1.0 each (434g)
Fat: 41g
Sodium: 2,170mg
#29. Domino's Pizza
Most Caloric Dish: Chicken Bacon Ranch Sandwich
Calories per Serving: 870
Serving Size: 1.0 each (315g)
Fat: 45g
Sodium: 2,380mg
#28. Sbarro
Most Caloric Dish: Pepperoni Stromboli
Calories per Serving: 900
Serving Size: 1.0 each (348g)
Fat: 50g
Sodium: 1,940mg
#27. Five Guys
Most Caloric Dish: Bacon Cheeseburger
Calories per Serving: 920
Serving Size: 1.0 each (317g)
Fat: 62g
Sodium: 1,310mg
#26. Checker's
Most Caloric Dish: Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings (10 piece)
Calories per Serving: 1,010
Serving Size: 1.0 order (332g)
Fat: 79g
Sodium: 2,150mg
#25. Jack in the Box
Most Caloric Dish: Sirloin Bacon Cheeseburger
Calories per Serving: 1,030
Serving Size: 1.0 each (388g)
Fat: 71g
Sodium: 2,400mg
#24. Panera Bread
Most Caloric Dish: Steak & White Cheddar Panini Sandwich (with baguette)
Calories per Serving: 1,060
Serving Size: 1.0 each (449.08g)
Fat: 46g
Sodium: 1,870mg
#23. Wendy's
Most Caloric Dish: Dave's Hot 'n Juicy 3/4 Lb. Triple Cheeseburger
Calories per Serving: 1,070
Serving Size: 1.0 each (423g)
Fat: 72g
Sodium: 1,930mg
#22. Whataburger
Most Caloric Dish: Triple Meat Whataburger Cheeseburger
Calories per Serving: 1,080
Serving Size: 1.0 each (484g)
Fat: 63g
Sodium: 1,720mg
#21. Papa John's
Most Caloric Dish: Original Crust John's Favorite Pizza (individual)
Calories per Serving: 1,120
Serving Size: 1.0 individual (368g)
Fat: 60g
Sodium: 2,680mg
#20. Jimmy John's
Most Caloric Dish: The JJ Gargantuan Sandwich (with french bread)
Calories per Serving: 1,134
Serving Size: 1.0 each (556.86g)
Fat: 55.3g
Sodium: 3,534mg
#19. McDonald's
Most Caloric Dish: Hotcakes & Large Biscuit Big Breakfast Meal
Calories per Serving: 1,150
Serving Size: 1.0 meal (434g)
Fat: 60g
Sodium: 2,260mg
#18. Del Taco
Most Caloric Dish: Chicken Chipotle Ranch Epic Burrito
Calories per Serving: 1,160
Serving Size: 1.0 each (513g)
Fat: 66g
Sodium: 2,650mg
#17. Burger King
Most Caloric Dish: Ultimate Breakfast Platter BK Meal
Calories per Serving: 1,190
Serving Size: 1.0 meal (464g)
Fat: 66g
Sodium: 2,460mg
#16. Blimpie
Most Caloric Dish: Chicken Cheddar Bacon Ranch Submarine Sandwich (with white, 12")
Calories per Serving: 1,200
Serving Size: 1.0 each (670g)
Fat: 59g
Sodium: 3,240mg
#15. Sonic
Most Caloric Dish: SuperSonic Bacon Double Cheeseburger (with mayonnaise)
Calories per Serving: 1,240
Serving Size: 1.0 each (396g)
Fat: 87g
Sodium: 1,690mg
#14. Dairy Queen
Most Caloric Dish: Chicken Strip Basket (with gravy toast & fries, 6 piece)
Calories per Serving: 1,250
Serving Size: 1.0 meal
Fat: 61g
Sodium: 3,190mg
#13. Carl's Junior
Most Caloric Dish: 1/2-lb. Thickburger El Diablo
Calories per Serving: 1,290
Serving Size: 1.0 each (431g)
Fat: 85g
Sodium: 2,790mg
#12. Hardee's
Most Caloric Dish: 2/3-lb. Monster Thickburger Cheeseburger
Calories per Serving: 1,340
Serving Size: 1.0 each (399g)
Fat: 96g
Sodium: 3,130mg
#11. Red Robin
Most Caloric Dish: Whiskey River BBQ Cheeseburger (with sesame bun)
Calories per Serving: 1,392
Serving Size: 1.0 each (340g)
Fat: 89g
Sodium: 1,741mg
#10. P.F. Chang
Most Caloric Dish: Walnut Shrimp with Melon
Calories per Serving: 1,420
Serving Size: 1.0 order
Fat: 113g
Sodium: 1,390mg
#9. Baja Fresh
Most Caloric Dish: Steak Quesadilla
Calories per Serving: 1,430
Serving Size: 1.0 each (550g)
Fat: 87g
Sodium: 2,600mg
#8. Pizza Hut
Most Caloric Dish: Meat Lover's PANormous Pizza (personal)
Calories per Serving: 1,470
Serving Size: 1.0 individual (465g)
Fat: 80g
Sodium: 3,670mg
#7. Denny's
Most Caloric Dish: Peanut Butter Cup Pancake Meal
Calories per Serving: 1,510
Serving Size: 1.0 meal (595.34g)
Fat: 90g
Sodium: 2,440mg
#6. Mimi's Cafe
Most Caloric Dish: Chicken Tillamook Cheddar Mac
Calories per Serving: 1,560
Serving Size: 1.0 order
Fat: 113g
Sodium: 2,679mg
#5. Culver's
Most Caloric Dish: North Atlantic Cod (with coleslaw fries & roll, 3 piece)
Calories per Serving: 1,680
Serving Size: 1.0 meal (629g)
Fat: 112g
Sodium: 1,876mg
#4. White Castle
Most Caloric Dish: Chicken Rings (20 rings)
Calories per Serving: 1,760
Serving Size: 20.0 each (478g)
Fat: 158g
Sodium: 2,020mg
#3. Jersey Mike's
Most Caloric Dish: Buffalo Chicken Cheesesteak Submarine Sandwich (with wheat, giant)
Calories per Serving: 1,770
Serving Size: 1.0 each (1045g)
Fat: 79.5g
Sodium: 7,790mg
#2. Johnny Rockets
Most Caloric Dish: Bacon & Cheddar Double Cheeseburger
Calories per Serving: 1,770
Serving Size: 1.0 each (555g)
Fat: 125g
Sodium: 2,380mg
#1. Uno Chicago Grill
Most Caloric Dish: Chicago Classic Deep Dish Pizza (personal)
Calories per Serving: 2,300
Serving Size: 1.0 each (757g)
Fat: 164g
Sodium: 4,910mg
Research Nutrition Information on HealthGrove
