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.

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.