Guide

Cheap high-protein fast food

The meals that give you the most protein for the money. Number one: Original Recipe Chicken Breast at KFC, with 39 g of protein for 390 calories.

How this list is picked: Meals from fast-food, fast-casual and café chains with at least 25 g of protein, ranked by grams of protein per dollar of typical price. Prices vary by location, so treat them as a guide. At most two per restaurant. From the 1,073 dishes My Fit Menu tracks at 66 chains.

#Dish · restaurantProtein per $CaloriesProteinCarbsFatProtein / 100 calSource
1Original Recipe Chicken BreastKFC · Chicken11.2 g · $3.4939039 g11 g21 g10.0 gPublished
2Bonafide Chicken - Breast, Mild (1pc)Popeyes · Bonafide Chicken10.0 g · $3.4944035 g16 g27 g8.0 gPublished
3Bonafide Chicken - Breast, Spicy (1pc)Popeyes · Bonafide Chicken9.5 g · $3.4942033 g13 g27 g7.9 gPublished
4Extra Crispy Chicken BreastKFC · Chicken9.2 g · $3.7953035 g18 g35 g6.6 gPublished
5Double Grilled Chicken Tropichop® BowlPollo Tropical · Tropichop Bowls8.4 g · $7.99702–85860–74 g~105 g~16 g8.6 gCalculated
6Bacon KingBurger King · Burgers8.1 g · $7.491,15061 g49 g79 g5.3 gPublished
7Grilled Chicken SaladJersey Mike's Subs · Salads8.1 g · $11.9581097 g52 g25 g12.0 gPublished
8Half ChickenPollo Tropical · Platters7.6 g · $8.7965067 g0 g42 g10.3 gPublished
9BaconatorWendy's · Burgers7.6 g · $7.4992057 g38 g60 g6.2 gPublished
10Bone-In Thighs (4pc) - Garlic ParmesanWingstop · Thighs7.1 g · $13.991,044–1,27690–110 g~4 g~84 g8.6 gCalculated
11Bone-In Thighs (4pc) - Original HotWingstop · Thighs7.1 g · $13.99828–1,01290–110 g~0 g~56 g10.9 gCalculated
12Signature SandwichZaxby's · Sandwiches6.4 g · $6.9978045 g53 g43 g5.8 gPublished
13Grilled Teriyaki ChickenPanda Express · Entrées6.4 g · $5.6030036 g8 g13 g12.0 gPublished
14Grilled Chicken Ranch WrapWendy's · Wraps6.0 g · $4.4942027 g41 g16 g6.4 gPublished
15Chicken Parm SandwichDomino's · Oven-Baked Sandwiches6.0 g · $7.99720–88043–53 g~76 g~30 g6.0 gCalculated
16House Zalad with Fried ChickenZaxby's · Zalads6.0 g · $7.9976048 g44 g42 g6.3 gPublished
17Charred Chicken & RiceDig Inn · All Day Deals6.0 g · $14.9582089 g18 g42 g10.9 gPublished
18Cool WrapChick-fil-A · Entrées5.9 g · $7.3566043 g32 g45 g6.5 gPublished
19Buffalo Chicken Ranch MacNoodles & Company · Mac & Cheese5.8 g · $11.991,38070 g128 g61 g5.1 gPublished
20Chick-n-Strips (4-count)Chick-fil-A · Entrées5.8 g · $6.7541039 g22 g19 g9.5 gPublished
21Firehouse Chopped Salad with Grilled ChickenFirehouse Subs · Salads5.7 g · $9.9937557 g14 g10 g15.2 gPublished
22Double Chicken BowlEl Pollo Loco · Bowls5.7 g · $12.9993074 g87 g33 g8.0 gPublished
231/2 Chicken and ChipsNando's PERi-PERi · PERi-PERi Chicken5.6 g · $16.4989092 g30 g31 g10.3 gPublished
24Street Corn Double Chicken Burrito BowlEl Pollo Loco · Bowls5.6 g · $13.491,08075 g95 g46 g6.9 gPublished
25Hunter's ClubJimmy John's · Sandwiches5.5 g · $9.9983055 g70 g34 g6.6 gPublished

Restaurants in this guide

Burger KingTop pick: Crispy Chicken Garden Salad · 470 cal · 31 gChick-fil-ATop pick: Chick-n-Strips (4-count) · 410 cal · 39 gDig InnTop pick: Herb Chicken, Rice & Broccoli Bowl · 387–473 cal · 37–45 gDomino'sTop pick: Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich · 684–836 cal · 36–44 gEl Pollo LocoTop pick: Mexican Caesar Salad · 420 cal · 52 gFirehouse SubsTop pick: Firehouse Chopped Salad with Grilled Chicken · 375 cal · 57 gJersey Mike's SubsTop pick: Chicken Philly (Regular) · 660 cal · 47 gJimmy John'sTop pick: #5 Vito · 570 cal · 32 gKFCTop pick: Original Recipe Chicken Breast · 390 cal · 39 gNando's PERi-PERiTop pick: Chicken Thigh Skewers · 480 cal · 58 gNoodles & CompanyTop pick: Mediterranean Chicken Salad · 430 cal · 36 gPanda ExpressTop pick: Bowl: Grilled Teriyaki Chicken & Super Greens · 351–429 cal · 38–46 gPollo TropicalTop pick: Half Chicken · 650 cal · 67 gPopeyesTop pick: Bonafide Chicken - Breast, Mild (1pc) · 440 cal · 35 gWendy'sTop pick: Grilled Chicken Sandwich · 370 cal · 34 gWingstopTop pick: Classic Wings (6pc) - Atomic · 486–594 cal · 54–66 gZaxby'sTop pick: Grilled Chicken Sandwich · 470 cal · 38 g

How we rank and where the numbers come from

“Healthiest” here means the most protein inside a moderate calorie range. It’s the same formula as the app’s Fat-loss goal: 400–650 calories, a 40 g protein target, protein per calorie, fiber, and a small preference for better-sourced numbers. It doesn’t weigh sodium, sugar or allergens.

Every number carries a label. Published is the restaurant's own figure for that exact item. Calculated is added up from the restaurant's published ingredient values for a standard build, shown as a likely range. Estimated means no published figure exists, so it is estimated and always shown as a range. Tap a label to see its source.

Menus change and portions vary. My Fit Menu never verifies allergens, so confirm ingredients with the restaurant. Spotted a wrong number? Email support@myfitmenu.health.

See what fits near you

Set your own calorie and protein targets and My Fit Menu ranks every dish near you the same way.

Download on theApp Store

More guides

High-protein fast food, rankedThe fast-food and fast-casual meals with the most protein for their calories.Fast food under 500 caloriesFilling fast-food meals that stay under 500 calories, most protein first.Sit-down restaurant meals under 600 caloriesChain restaurant entrées under 600 calories, with the most protein first.The healthiest sit-down restaurant mealsApplebee’s to Olive Garden: the entrées that best balance calories and protein.Healthy fast food breakfastBreakfasts with real protein from Starbucks to First Watch.High-protein vegetarian restaurant mealsMeatless meals at chains that still bring the protein.Low-carb fast foodFast-food meals under 25 g of carbs with plenty of protein.High-protein restaurant saladsSalads that actually fill you up, from Sweetgreen to Chick-fil-A.Healthy Mexican fast foodBowls, burritos and tacos that fit, across the big Mexican chains.The healthiest chicken fast foodGrilled beats fried: the best orders at the chicken chains.The healthiest subs and sandwichesThe sub and sandwich orders with the best calorie-to-protein balance.The healthiest orders at burger chainsWhat to get at McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Five Guys and Shake Shack.Healthy orders at Asian chainsStir-fries, bowls and poke that fit a calorie budget.Healthy Mediterranean bowlsThe CAVA and Roti builds with the most protein for their calories.The healthiest steakhouse mealsLean cuts and sides that keep a steak dinner in check.Healthy Italian restaurant mealsLighter pasta and entrée picks at the Italian chains.