40 of the Unhealthiest Restaurant Meals in America (2024)

Filled with scrambled eggs, bacon, chicken chorizo, cheese, crispy potatoes, avocado, peppers, and onions, it's no surprise this burrito made the list. With a serving of sour cream and black beans, this entree will set you back 2,730 calories, 73 grams of saturated fat, and 4,630 milligrams of sodium.

A soft pretzel might feel like a pretty safe choice, but this particular movie theater snack is roughly the nutritional equivalent of six original soft pretzel's from Auntie Anne's. The Bavarian Legend is 9" wide, weighs about 1.5 pounds, and has 1,920 calories, 15 grams of saturated fat, and 7,600 milligrams of sodium.

You could feed your fried chicken craving with this Italian-style dish, or you could eat four pieces of Popeyes fried chicken and four biscuits for about the same amount of calories, according to CSPI. This meal will cost you 1,870 calories, 55 grams of fat, and 3,080 milligrams of sodium.

Tacos can be healthy, but not when the tortillas are coated with a crispy grilled cheese and stuffed with pork, bacon chorizo and cream sauce. Along with the side of rice, beans and a 32 ounce IPA, this meal comes in at 2,040 calories, 27 grams of saturated fat, and 3,820 milligrams of sodium.

Chili's puts their own take on chicken and waffles by topping the creation with bacon, jalapeños, and ancho-chile ranch. Served with fries and a honey-chipotle sauce, this meal comes in at 2,510 calories, 40 grams of fat, and 4,480 milligrams of sodium.

We're not denying that this triple chocolate cookie, complete with peanut butter, marshmallow fluff, marshmallows, and vanilla ice cream sounds good, but it's probably best enjoyed sparingly. And with plenty of other co-diners. This dessert contains 1,580 calories, 31 grams of saturated fat, and 135 grams of sodium.

Of course, there are healthy fast food burger choices, like a single hamburger. But this DoubleSmoke Shack with bacon, cherry pepper, and ShackSauce is one of the most fattening options. The sandwich alone has 930 calories, but paired with a side of fries and a peanut butter shake, this fast food lunch comes in at 2,240 calories, 55 grams of saturated fat, and 3,170 milligrams of sodium.

"This sandwich sounds like a light, fresh option, but this is another example of a calorie bomb at what is perceived as a healthy fast casual restaurant," says Kailey Proctor, RD at the Center for Cancer Prevention and Treatment at St. Joseph Hospital in Orange County, California. This sandwich has 900 calories, 13 grams of saturated fat, and 1,510 milligrams of sodium, so it's best to ask for the basil mayo and pesto on the side.

While it does have 10 grams of fiber, this salad has more calories than some fast food burgers. "The main calorie and fat driver in this meal is the fried tostada bowl. Nix the fried tostada bowl to make a heart healthier salad," says Proctor—and ask for dressing on the side. All-in-all, this salad has 1,000 calories, 49 grams of saturated fat, and 1,730 milligrams of sodium.

"Heavily processed meats, like the salami and pepperoni, combined with a pesto vinaigrette brings the calorie, fat, saturated fat, and sodium content up," says Proctor. When picking out a sandwich, look for leaner sources of protein, like chicken breast or turkey, to bring down the calorie and fat content. This sandwich has 1,030 calories, 23 grams of saturated fat, and 3,310 milligrams of sodium.

As if the McFlurry wasn't unhealthy enough, you can also buy it with a packet of M&Ms mixed in. Carbs and sugar content make this horrible for you. "The McFlurry contains precious few micronutrients that will support your health. In fact, your liver is probably going to be working overdrive to process and eliminate all the synthetic additives in the ice cream and candy," says nutritionist Lisa Richards. It contains 630 calories, 14 grams of saturated fat, and 200 milligrams of sodium—oh, and 86 grams of sugar.

It might not sound that bad, but the Chicken & Bacon Ranch Melt is one of the unhealthiest items on Subway's menu. "The ranch dressing, combined with the cheese and bacon, means that the sodium level is sky high. In fact, a 12-inch sub contains almost two-thirds of your daily sodium," says Richards. It contains 540 calories, 10 grams of saturated fat, and 1,100 milligrams of sodium.

"The Triple Whopper won't do your waistline any favors, thanks to the 1,140 calories and 75 grams of fat, and the high sodium levels are bad for your heart health," says Richards. Just as bad, this burger contains 5 grams of trans fat, which can increase your LDL cholesterol, clog up your arteries, and increase the risk of heart disease, she says. It also has 27 grams of saturated fat and 840 milligrams sodium.

This burger is pretty hefty, thanks to cheese, bacon, sauces, patties, and more. And the nutritional facts prove how bad it is for your health. It contains 1,130 calories, 27 grams of saturated fat, and 1,920 milligrams of sodium.

Quesadillas are usually higher in the calorie, fat, and sodium department due to the amount of full-fat cheese in them, but this option from El Pollo Loco also has a cream-based dressing, says Proctor. It has 940 calories, 23 grams of saturated fat, and 1,820 milligrams of sodium.

1,760 milligrams of sodium in a salad? No thanks! This salad has 620 calories and 28 grams of fat, too, which is probably not the "healthy" salad you had in mind.

Whether you're eating it for breakfast or dinner, this is a fat bomb. With 1,020 calories, 53 grams of fat, and 1,450 milligrams of sodium, this sandwich will account for almost half of your daily calories.

These honey, sweet chicken tenders are super bad for you. Just one tender contains 400 milligrams of sodium. Yikes. Not to mention 200 calories and 14 grams of fat. We repeat: in just one tender.

With 1,090 calories, 72 grams of fat, and 1,650 milligrams of sodium, this burger is a calorie bomb and super fatty. (It's a "triple" for a reason!) Even the warning on the site says, "Use both hands!"

"Depending on the accoutrements, this morning meal of eggs, pancakes, toast, and processed meats stacks up to nearly 2,000 calories and an obscene amount of sodium–nearly double the daily recommendation," says cookbook author, registered dietitian, certified athletic trainer Dana Angelo White, MS, RD ATC. The full meal contains 1,900 calories, 46 grams saturated fat, and 4,680 milligrams sodium.