World Atlas Ranks the 10 Least Healthy Fast Food Chains in America

A lot of fast food restaurants got rid of the grilled chicken salads and sandwiches during Covid and never brought them back.

[quote] I'm glad Shake Shack didn't make the list.

Why are you 'glad'? Do you think maybe they just didn't include them at all? Do you think hamburgers are really that different from place to place?

I also notice Burger King is not on your 'list'.... does that mean a Whopper is super healthy? What an idiot list.

r2 You doing ok?

Yeah, how you doin?

The methodology really does make this a bit meaningless - it ranks these by the most calorific / least healthy possible meal option you can make at each one, and that's not generally how people order their fast food, unless they are trying to put weight on, not a problem most Westerners are facing.

It'd be a lot more helpful if they ranked them on how healthy the most healthy /least calorific possible meal options are. Rate their salads (if any) and vegetarian burgers etc (if any) cos thats what people who actually care about this sort of shit will order. And mark down the places that dont have either of those options

[quote][bold]Chick-fil-A[/bold] - An "original chicken sandwich" with medium waffle fries delivers ~ 750 mg sodium, about one-third of a day's limit, and 800 calories, while sugary lemonade and milkshakes push totals sky-high. The chain dialed back its "No Antibiotics Ever" pledge in 2024, though its 2026 cage-free-egg goal remains.

[quote][bold]Little Caesars[/bold] - A $5 Hot-N-Ready pepperoni pizza packs about 2,140 calories and 4,260 mg sodium, plus a day's saturated fat, yet it's marketed as an everyday meal. Bacon-Wrapped Deep! Deep! Dish, Crazy Bread and sugary dips pile on refined carbs and additives.

[quote][bold]Smashburger[/bold] - One large BBQ Bacon Cheddar burger supplies 1,050 calories and 28 g saturated fat; an Oreo shake adds 930 calories. Rosemary-oil Smash Fries, fried pickles and tater tots drive sodium sky-high.

[quote][bold]McDonald’s[/bold] - A Big Mac meal with large fries and soda tops 1,300 calories and half a day's saturated fat; a Double Quarter Pounder combo can hit 2,000. Deep-fried hash browns, McFlurries and oversized sodas add sugar and sodium.

[quote][bold]Quiznos[/bold] - A 12-inch Classic Italian runs about 1,300 calories and 2,850 mg sodium before chips, cookies or soda. Limited-time monsters like the Chipotle Steak & Guac top 1,700 calories. Meal deals push totals near 2,500 calories.

[quote][bold]KFC[/bold] - A three-piece Extra Crispy combo with biscuit and mashed-potato gravy hits ~1,300 calories, 2,900 mg sodium and 22 g saturated fat,before a soda or 540-calorie Famous Bowl. The periodic Double Down (610 calories) paired with fries and a drink pushes a meal to about 1,450 calories.

[quote][bold]Dairy Queen[/bold] - A medium Oreo Blizzard contains 1,080 calories and 44 g fat; the six-piece Chicken Strip Basket with gravy and fries adds 1,300 calories, 2,400 mg sodium and 21 g saturated fat. Texas-size Hungr-Buster burgers, foot-long chili dogs and fried cheese curds push meals past 2,500 calories. "

[quote][bold]Taco Bell[/bold] - A Beefy 5-Layer Burrito plus Baja Blast reaches 970 calories and 1,770 mg sodium. The Double Steak Grilled Cheese Burrito packs 910 calories alone. A Crunchwrap Supreme combo (Crunchwrap, fries and 20-oz soda) lands around 1,140 calories.

[quote][bold]Sonic[/bold] - A Sonic Cheeseburger combo with medium tots and 32-oz Cherry Limeade tops 1,600 calories and 3,000 mg sodium, while a 44-oz Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Master Shake alone delivers 1,720 calories and 48 teaspoons of sugar. Chili Cheese Coneys, Footlong Quarter-Pound dogs and "Sonic Blast" candy shakes add saturated-fat overload.

[quote][bold]Wendy’s[/bold] - A Triple Baconator meal with large fries and medium Frosty hits about 2,160 calories, 54 g saturated fat and 3,400 mg sodium, exceeding most daily limits in one sitting. Seasonal beasts like the Pretzel Bacon Pub Triple top 1,500 calories by themselves.

Ooof, sorry about the formatting at R6

R2, I didn't create the list. Talk to the World Atlas people if you have an issue. Coming for me will not solve your problems.

R8, OP, you posted it. So it IS ON YOU

Calorie counting is a load of horseshit.

Wendy's makes the best fast food burgers in my area.

Wendy's has excellent chicken burgers. I actually think it's better than Chick-fil-A.

I always get the asiago ranch chicken club.