Highest-protein fast-food items
The biggest protein numbers on the menu, and what they cost you in calories.
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Sometimes you want the biggest protein number on the menu, full stop. We sorted every restaurant item on The Hoard Board by total grams of protein per item, then added protein per 100 calories so you can see what each one costs you in calories.
The 10 highest-protein fast-food items we track
| # | Item | Protein | Calories | Protein / 100 cal | Calories per 10 g protein | Leaderboard rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese 1 item (as listed) | 48 g | 740 | 6.5 | 154 | #123 | label |
| 2 | Chick-fil-A Cool Wrap 1 item (as listed) | 43 g | 660 | 6.5 | 153 | #122 | label |
| 3 | Chick-fil-A Spicy Deluxe Sandwich 1 item (as listed) | 34 g | 540 | 6.3 | 159 | #126 | label |
| 4 | Chick-fil-A Hash Brown Scramble Burrito 1 item (as listed) | 34 g | 700 | 4.9 | 206 | #135 | label |
| 5 | Chick-fil-A Deluxe Sandwich 1 item (as listed) | 32 g | 490 | 6.5 | 153 | #121 | label |
| 6 | Starbucks Iced Protein Matcha (Grande) Grande (16 fl oz) | 31 g | 260 | 11.9 | 84 | #70 | label |
| 7 | McDonald's McCrispy Strips (3 pc) 1 item (as listed) | 31 g | 400 | 7.8 | 129 | #111 | label |
| 8 | McDonald's Quarter Pounder with Cheese 1 item (as listed) | 30 g | 520 | 5.8 | 173 | #128 | label |
| 9 | Starbucks Iced Sugar-Free Vanilla Protein Latte (Grande) Grande (16 fl oz) | 29 g | 200 | 14.5 | 69 | #52 | label |
| 10 | Starbucks Iced Vanilla Protein Latte (Grande) Grande (16 fl oz) | 29 g | 270 | 10.7 | 93 | #86 | label |
Sorted by grams of protein; ties broken by fewer calories.
What stands out
The top two are big meals. McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese (48 g, 740 calories) and Chick-fil-A's Cool Wrap (43 g, 660 calories) both score about 6.5 per 100 calories. Lots of protein, lots of calories.
The leanest way to 30 g+: 8 items we track have 30 g or more. The lowest in calories, and the best per calorie, is Starbucks' Iced Protein Matcha (Grande): 31 g for 260 calories (11.9). Among food, McDonald's McCrispy Strips (3 pc) get you 31 g for 400 calories (7.8).
The best per-calorie item isn't on this list. Chick-fil-A's Grilled Nuggets (8 ct) have "only" 25 g, but at 130 calories they score 19.2, the best restaurant item we track. Two orders would be 50 g for 260 calories: more protein than the Double Quarter Pounder for about a third of the calories.
Caveats
Restaurant items are standard U.S. recipes without sauces, sides or customization; we don't have restaurant prices. Numbers come from each brand's or restaurant's published nutrition info, linked in the table, and can change. Flavors with identical label numbers are grouped into one row. We track 143 products, not every product on the market, so a missing product isn't a verdict on it. We rank by protein per calorie only and don't track sugar, fat, sodium or ingredients. General information, not dietary advice.
See all 143 products on The Hoard Board, our full leaderboard, or read how we rank.
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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.