12 Best High-Protein Fast Food Meals

A lot of fast food is high in calories and low in protein. But, on each menu, there are always at least a few high-protein options. To prevent you from doing the annoying task of analyzing each item on the menu, we’ve collected the 12 best high-protein fast food meals. 

Here, we’ll go over the 12 best high-protein fast food meals you can order from the most popular fast food chains.

Can Fast Food Meals Be High In Protein? 

When selecting a meal from a fast food place, you need to be careful with how many total calories it has and other nutrients such as carbs, fats, and sodium. 

For example, a burger might offer 50-60 grams of protein, but it can also have 80-100 grams of carbs and over 1,000 calories. 

This is why, in this article, we will only include those meals that have the highest amount of protein per 100 calories in each menu. 

Best High Protein Fast Foods Meals

1. Burger King Double Quarter Pound King

• Per serving: 900 calories, 50 grams of carbs, 54 grams of fats, and 56 grams of protein.
• Per 100 calories: 6.2 grams of protein.

If you are craving a burger, Burger King offers a decent option for anyone following a high-protein diet. While there might be better options in other restaurants, if Burger King is the only option available, go with the Double Quarter Pound King. 

Keep in mind that it is high in calories. So, to prevent adding more calories, add a side salad and a diet soda. 

2. Starbucks Turkey Rustico Panini

• Per serving: 480 calories, 43 grams of carbs, 17 grams of fats, and 33 grams of protein.
• Per 100 calories: 6.9 grams of protein.

While most people think that you cannot find a decent high-protein option at this coffee shop, the truth is that you can find several sandwiches that are high in protein. 

Starbucks’ turkey rustico panini not only is high in protein, but it also has the advantage of being low in calories. This allows you some wiggle room to add a beverage. Just be careful with adding too many syrups and toppings since it can increase the carbs and calories. 

3. Chick-fil-A Grilled Chicken Club Sandwich (With Colby Jack)

• Per serving: 520 calories, 45 grams of carbs, 18 grams of fats, and 38 grams of protein.
• Per 100 calories: 7.3 grams of protein.

Chick-fil-A offers several high-protein options to choose from, but one of the best is its Grilled Chicken Club Sandwich with Colby Jack. 

Now, keep in mind that there are other different types of cheese (American and Pepper Jack). If you want to replace Colby Jack, choose Pepper Jack since it offers a similar amount of calories and protein content. 

If you want to add more protein to your diet, consider adding an order of grilled nuggets as these can give you a massive 19 grams of protein per 100 calories. 

4. Taco Bell Soft Taco Chicken

• Per serving: 160 calories, 17 grams of carbs, 7 grams of fats, and 12 grams of protein.
• Per 100 calories: 7.5 grams of protein.

If you are craving a taco, Taco Bell has good high-protein options. The best option on the menu is their soft taco chicken. Not only does it have a great protein content, but it also comes with lettuce and tomato, providing you with some nutrients and fiber to your diet. 

If you want something else, try their protein bowls since they offer 6.3 grams of protein per 100 calories, making it the next option. 

5. Panera Bread Green Goddess Cobb With Chicken

• Per serving: 500 calories, 26 grams of carbs, 28 grams of fats, and 39 grams of protein.
• Per 100 calories: 7.8 grams of protein.

If you are driving past Panera, know there are some great high-protein meals. One great option is their Green Goddess Cobb with chicken. Not only will it pack a punch of flavor, but you will also get a good protein intake (39 grams) without getting a ridiculous amount of calories, carbs, and fats. 

Keep in mind that the nutritional value is with the dressing. If you want to reduce the calories and get more grams of protein per calorie, consider skipping the dressing or adding only half of it. 

6. Arby’s Half Pound Roast Beef

• Per serving: 610 calories, 36 grams of carbs, 30 grams of fats, and 48 grams of protein.
• Per 100 calories: 7.9 grams of protein.

Arby’s is widely known for its roast beef sandwiches and for a reason. These delicious sandwiches are a great fast food meal that can provide a lot of protein without increasing your calorie intake too much. We love that this option provides 48 grams of protein but only 36 grams of carbs. 

7. In-N-Out Double-Double With Onion (No Bun)

• Per serving: 362 calories, 11 grams of carbs, 39 grams of fats, and 33 grams of protein.
• Per 100 calories: 9.1 grams of protein. 

You can’t go wrong by choosing an In-N-Out burger, especially if it’s their Double-Double burger. Avoid adding the bun since it can add unnecessary calories and decrease the protein per calorie content. 

There are also other ways in which you can reduce the calories even more. For example, try replacing the spread with ketchup and mustard.

8. Chipotle Lifestyle Bowl High Protein

• Per serving: 845 calories, 68 grams of carbs, 28 grams of fats, and 82 grams of protein.
• Per 100 calories: 9.7 grams of protein.

Chipotle has different high-protein options, but one of the best is their Lifestyle Bowl High Protein. One serving has a whopping 82 grams of protein. And, the best thing is that you can modify the ingredients to make it lower in calories. 

For example, if you want to reduce the calories without affecting the protein much, switch the rice and beans serving to light (instead of normal). This will help you reduce 170 calories, mostly coming from carbs. 

9. Wendy’s Parmesan Caesar Chicken Salad

• Per serving: 290 calories, 13 grams of carbs, 13 grams of fats, and 32 grams of protein.
• Per 100 calories: 11.0 grams of protein.  

One of the best options for a high-protein meal at Wendy’s is the Parmesan Caesar salad. It offers an amazing 11 grams of protein per 100 calories. 

However, the previous nutritional value is without the dressing. If you add the dressing, you will be adding 240 calories. This means that instead of getting 11 grams of protein per 100 calories, you would be getting 6 grams of protein per 100 calories. 

For this reason, make sure you avoid the dressing, or at least make sure you don’t add the whole package. 

10. Subway Rotisserie Chicken Salad Bowl

• Per serving: 170 calories, 26 grams of carbs, 5 grams of fats, and 21 grams of protein.
• Per 100 calories: 13.3 grams of protein. 

Subway has great options if you are looking for a high-protein meal. Their salad bowls are the best high-protein option on the menu. However, not all of them are as high in protein as expected. 

If you are looking for the highest protein option on the menu, their Rotisserie Chicken Salad Bowl offers 13.3 grams of protein per 100 calories, making it an incredible option. Now, keep in mind that this is without adding bread and without dressing. 

11. McDonald’s Grilled Chicken Salad

• Per serving: 139 calories, 5 grams of carbs, 1.4 grams of fats, and 25 grams of protein.
• Per 100 calories: 18.0 grams of protein.

McDonald’s offers several good options with high-protein content. One of the best options is its grilled chicken salad. It is a low-calorie and low-carb option, making it an ideal choice for those looking to increase their protein intake without sacrificing their calories. 

Keep in mind that the calories stated are with their balsamic dressing (23 calories). If you choose another option, it might change the total calories. 

Now, if you are looking for a burger, the best next option is their double quarter pounder, which offers 7.2 grams of protein per 100 calories. 

12. KFC Kentucky Grilled Chicken

• Per serving: 210 calories, 0 grams of carbs, 7 grams of fats, and 38 grams of protein. 
• Per 100 calories: 19.1 grams of protein. 

KFC has some great high-protein options to choose from. You just need to be careful about the type of chicken you get (crispy vs. grilled) and the sides you choose. To create a balanced dish, add green beans and macaroni salad. This killer combo won’t provide more than 500 calories. 

Final Thoughts 

Searching for a high-protein meal at a fast food restaurant is not impossible, but it is challenging. While there are other high-protein options, they might be higher in calories and other macros that can throw off the rest of the day. 

While the calories and macros rely on your goals, activity levels, and needs, a good amount of protein per serving can be +25 grams and a calorie range of 400-900 calories. 

Thanks to the rise of the healthy trend, it is likely we’ll start seeing healthier fast food options that are higher in protein and can cover all your nutritious needs without adding too many calories, fats, and sodium to your diet.