McDonald's protein menu: what actually has the most protein per calorie
Burgers, strips and breakfast sandwiches ranked by protein per calorie, plus the honest takeaway.
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McDonald's isn't where most people go for protein, but sometimes it's where you end up. So which items actually give you the most protein for the calories? We ranked the 10 McDonald's items we track by grams of protein per 100 calories, the same metric as our leaderboard, using McDonald's own U.S. nutrition pages.
McDonald's items ranked by protein per 100 calories
| # | Item | Protein | Calories | Protein / 100 cal | Leaderboard rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | McDonald's McCrispy Strips (3 pc) 1 item (as listed) | 31 g | 400 | 7.8 | #111 | label |
| 2 | McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese 1 item (as listed) | 48 g | 740 | 6.5 | #123 | label |
| 3 | McDonald's Quarter Pounder with Cheese 1 item (as listed) | 30 g | 520 | 5.8 | #128 | label |
| 4 | McDonald's Double Cheeseburger 1 item (as listed) | 25 g | 440 | 5.7 | #129 | label |
| 5 | McDonald's McDouble 1 item (as listed) | 22 g | 390 | 5.6 | #131 | label |
| 6 | McDonald's McCrispy 1 item (as listed) | 26 g | 470 | 5.5 | #132 | label |
| 7 | McDonald's Egg McMuffin 1 item (as listed) | 17 g | 310 | 5.5 | #133 | label |
| 8 | McDonald's Big Mac 1 item (as listed) | 25 g | 580 | 4.3 | #139 | label |
| 9 | McDonald's Ranch Snack Wrap (McCrispy) 1 item (as listed) | 17 g | 400 | 4.2 | #140 | label |
| 10 | McDonald's Sausage McMuffin with Egg 1 item (as listed) | 20 g | 480 | 4.2 | #142 | label |
Leaderboard rank is out of all 143 products on the site.
What stands out
The McCrispy Strips are the best pick we track. The McDonald's McCrispy Strips (3 pc) have 31 g of protein for 400 calories, or 7.8 per 100 calories. That's the top McDonald's score on our list, though it only ranks #111 of 143 on the overall leaderboard.
The Double Quarter Pounder has the most protein. The McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese carries 48 g of protein, more than anything else here, but also 740 calories (6.5). If you need a lot of protein in one sitting and calories aren't the issue, it delivers. If calories matter, it's a middling choice.
The burgers are bunched together. The McDonald's Quarter Pounder with Cheese (5.8), McDonald's Double Cheeseburger (5.7) and McDonald's McDouble (5.6) are all within a few tenths of each other. The McDouble is the smallest of those at 390 calories with 22 g of protein.
The Big Mac is near the bottom. At 25 g of protein for 580 calories, it scores 4.3. The McDouble has 3 g less protein but 190 fewer calories.
At breakfast, the Egg McMuffin beats the sausage version. The McDonald's Egg McMuffin is 17 g for 310 calories (5.5). The McDonald's Sausage McMuffin with Egg adds 3 g of protein but 170 calories, for 4.2.
The lowest score is the McDonald's Sausage McMuffin with Egg, at 20 g of protein for 480 calories (4.2).
The honest takeaway
The spread at McDonald's is narrow. Every item we track lands between 4.2 and 7.8 g of protein per 100 calories. Compare that with Chick-fil-A's Grilled Nuggets (8 ct) at 19.2, which is 2.5 times the best McDonald's score. No McDonald's item we track is a protein-per-calorie standout, so the total calories in your order matter more than which sandwich you pick. See fast-food protein picks, ranked for how the chains compare.
How to use this list
- Calorie-conscious? Start with the strips, then the Quarter Pounder with Cheese or the McDouble.
- Want max protein? The Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese, if the calories fit your day.
- Customizing (no cheese, no sauce, extra patty) changes both numbers. McDonald's publishes nutrition info you can check for a custom order.
Caveats
All numbers are from McDonald's U.S. product pages for the standard build, without sides or drinks. Recipes, sizes and availability vary by country and sometimes by restaurant. We track only 10 McDonald's items, a selection of burgers, chicken and breakfast sandwiches, so this isn't the full menu. We don't track sodium, fat or carbs, which matter for a lot of people.
See McDonald's next to everything else on the full leaderboard.
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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.