Chick-fil-A vs McDonald's protein
Which chain gives you more protein for the calories, item by item.
Disclosure: This article contains no affiliate links. Some other links on this site may be affiliate links; we may earn a commission at no cost to you. Rankings are never affected. How we make money.
Chick-fil-A and McDonald's are the two chains people most often weigh against each other for a quick high-protein meal. We compared all 16 Chick-fil-A items and 10 McDonald's items we track, using each chain's published U.S. nutrition info, on grams of protein per 100 calories.
Verdict: Chick-fil-A wins. Its best item (Grilled Nuggets (8 ct), 19.2) scores 2.5 times McDonald's best (McCrispy Strips (3 pc), 7.8), and its median item (6.6) beats McDonald's median (5.6). McDonald's has the single biggest protein number (48 g).
The chains at a glance
| Chick-fil-A | McDonald's | |
|---|---|---|
| Items we track | 16 | 10 |
| Best item | Chick-fil-A Grilled Nuggets (8 ct) 25 g · 130 cal · 19.2 per 100 cal | McDonald's McCrispy Strips (3 pc) 31 g · 400 cal · 7.8 per 100 cal |
| Median score (protein / 100 cal) | 6.6 | 5.6 |
| Items scoring 10 or more | 2 | 0 |
| Most protein in one item | Chick-fil-A Cool Wrap 43 g · 660 cal · 6.5 per 100 cal | McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese 48 g · 740 cal · 6.5 per 100 cal |
Item vs item
| Matchup | Chick-fil-A | McDonald's |
|---|---|---|
| Nuggets / strips | Chick-fil-A Grilled Nuggets (8 ct) 25 g · 130 cal · 19.2 per 100 cal | McDonald's McCrispy Strips (3 pc) 31 g · 400 cal · 7.8 per 100 cal |
| Breaded strips | Chick-fil-A Chick-n-Strips 29 g · 310 cal · 9.4 per 100 cal | McDonald's McCrispy Strips (3 pc) 31 g · 400 cal · 7.8 per 100 cal |
| Chicken sandwich | Chick-fil-A Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich 29 g · 420 cal · 6.9 per 100 cal | McDonald's McCrispy 26 g · 470 cal · 5.5 per 100 cal |
| Breakfast sandwich | Chick-fil-A Egg White Grill 27 g · 300 cal · 9.0 per 100 cal | McDonald's Egg McMuffin 17 g · 310 cal · 5.5 per 100 cal |
| Most protein in one item | Chick-fil-A Cool Wrap 43 g · 660 cal · 6.5 per 100 cal | McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese 48 g · 740 cal · 6.5 per 100 cal |
| Lowest score | Chick-fil-A Chicken Biscuit 19 g · 460 cal · 4.1 per 100 cal | McDonald's Sausage McMuffin with Egg 20 g · 480 cal · 4.2 per 100 cal |
What the numbers say
Grilled chicken is most of the gap. McDonald's doesn't have a grilled chicken item on our list. Chick-fil-A's Grilled Nuggets (8 ct) rank #11 of 143 on our whole leaderboard; McDonald's best item ranks #111. Even breaded vs breaded, Chick-fil-A's Chick-n-Strips (9.4) beat McCrispy Strips (7.8).
Sandwich and breakfast both go to Chick-fil-A. The classic Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich scores 6.9 vs 5.5 for the McCrispy, and the Egg White Grill has 10 g more protein than an Egg McMuffin for 10 fewer calories.
McDonald's wins one column: total protein. The Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese has 48 g, more than anything at Chick-fil-A (the Cool Wrap has 43 g). Both of those score about the same per calorie (6.5 vs 6.5), so they're for a big appetite, not a calorie budget. At the bottom, both chains' breakfast biscuits and sausage sandwiches look alike: Chicken Biscuit 4.1, Sausage McMuffin with Egg 4.2.
Which one should you pick?
- Calories are your budget: Chick-fil-A Grilled Nuggets. Nothing at McDonald's we track comes close.
- Stuck at McDonald's: McCrispy Strips, then the Quarter Pounder with Cheese or McDouble. See our McDonald's ranking.
- Most protein in one order: McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese.
- Watch sauces and sides. They add calories and almost no protein, and they aren't included here.
Caveats
Numbers are for each item as the chain lists it (standard U.S. recipe, no sauces or sides), checked between 2026-10-26 and 2026-10-28. We track a selection of each menu, not all of it, and we don't have restaurant prices. Menus vary by location and season. General information, not dietary advice.
See both chains next to everything else on The Hoard Board, or read our full Chick-fil-A ranking.
Get The Weekly Haul
New high-protein launches ranked by protein per calorie, once a week, free.
Free, one email a week. Unsubscribe anytime.
Disclaimer: All numbers come from manufacturer labels, brand websites and restaurant nutrition pages on the dates shown on the leaderboard. They can change without notice, vary by location, flavor or customization, or differ from the product in your hand. Always check the current label. This article is general information only and is not medical, dietary or health advice.