You’re hungry, you’re busy, and the drive-thru is right there. But you’re also trying to hit your protein goals without eating a sad desk salad for the fourth time this week. Sound familiar?
Here’s the thing nobody talks about enough: fast food can actually work for you if you know how to order. These 15 high protein fast food orders are the real ones — the meals that deliver serious protein, taste genuinely good, and don’t require you to special-order something so complicated the cashier gives you a look.
No guilt trips here. Just smart ordering, solid macros, and a few personal favorites I’ve picked up from way too many gym-day lunch runs.
1. Chick-fil-A Grilled Chicken Sandwich
Fast food chicken that isn’t a deep-fried regret? Chick-fil-A actually pulled it off.
What to Order
- Grilled Chicken Sandwich on a multigrain bun
- Add lettuce and tomato
- Skip the sauce or ask for a side of honey mustard (not the Chick-fil-A sauce — that one’s sneaky with calories)
How to Order It
- Order the Grilled Chicken Sandwich at the counter or app.
- Swap the standard bun for the multigrain bun if available at your location.
- Skip the fries and add a fruit cup or side salad to keep it balanced.
Why You’ll Love It
You’re looking at around 28–30g of protein in one tidy sandwich. The grilled chicken is genuinely juicy — not the dry, sad grilled chicken you’ve been traumatized by elsewhere. This one earns its spot at the top of every high protein fast food list for good reason.
2. McDonald’s McDouble (No Ketchup, Extra Mustard)
Yes, McDonald’s. Bear with me.
What to Order
- McDouble with mustard, no ketchup
- Add lettuce and onion
- Skip the fries; grab water or unsweetened iced tea
How to Order It
- Order the McDouble and customize it through the app for free.
- Remove ketchup (cuts sugar), add mustard for flavor with zero extra calories.
- Eat it as-is or unwrap it protein-style (no bun) if you’re really committed.
Why You’ll Love It
Two beef patties and a slice of cheese clock in around 22g of protein for under $3. IMO, the McDouble is one of the most underrated high protein fast food orders in existence. It’s not glamorous, but it gets the job done and your wallet will thank you.
3. Chipotle Double Protein Chicken Bowl
Chipotle was basically built for people who care about protein.
What to Order
- Brown rice base
- Double chicken (this is non-negotiable)
- Black beans
- Fajita veggies
- Fresh tomato salsa and tomatillo green salsa
- Skip the sour cream; add guacamole if you want healthy fats
How to Order It
- Order a bowl (not a burrito — you get more filling in a bowl, it’s a known Chipotle hack).
- Ask explicitly for double chicken — they’ll charge a little extra but it’s worth every penny.
- Load up on free toppings like salsa, fajita veggies, and lettuce.
Why You’ll Love It
Double chicken gets you close to 50–55g of protein in one bowl. This is the big gun of high protein fast food orders. I ate this exact bowl three times a week during a bulk phase and zero complaints — not once. 🙂
4. Panera Bread You Pick Two: Turkey Sandwich + Lentil Soup
Panera doesn’t get enough credit in the protein conversation.
What to Order
- Turkey Avocado BLT (half portion)
- Lentil Quinoa Broth Bowl or the 10 Vegetable Soup
- Water or unsweetened green tea
How to Order It
- Select the You Pick Two option and choose your half sandwich and soup.
- Ask for the turkey sandwich on whole grain bread for extra fiber.
- Skip the baguette side — it’s delicious but adds empty carbs you don’t need here.
Why You’ll Love It
The combo lands around 30–35g of protein with solid fiber to keep you full. Turkey is a lean protein powerhouse, and the lentil soup quietly adds another hit of plant-based protein. This one surprised me the first time I tried it — I went in expecting “fine” and left genuinely satisfied.
5. Subway 12-Inch Rotisserie Chicken Sub
Subway is as customizable as it gets, and that’s its superpower.
What to Order
- 12-inch Rotisserie-Style Chicken on 9-grain wheat bread
- Double the chicken if they’ll do it
- Spinach, cucumbers, tomatoes, green peppers, onions
- Yellow mustard or red wine vinegar as dressing (skip the mayo)
How to Order It
- Ask for the 12-inch Rotisserie Chicken on 9-grain wheat.
- Load every vegetable they have — it’s free and adds volume and nutrients.
- Use mustard or vinegar instead of creamy sauces to keep the protein-to-calorie ratio strong.
Why You’ll Love It
A fully loaded 12-inch hits around 45–50g of protein. The rotisserie chicken is Subway’s best protein option by a mile — juicy, seasoned, and not rubbery. This is my personal go-to on road trips when fast food is the only option.
6. Taco Bell Cantina Chicken Bowl
Taco Bell surprised everyone with this one, and honestly, good for them.
What to Order
- Cantina Chicken Bowl
- Add black beans
- Skip the creamy sauces; keep the avocado ranch in a small amount if you want
How to Order It
- Order the Cantina Chicken Bowl from the app to customize easily.
- Add black beans for extra protein and fiber.
- Ask for light sauce or skip it entirely — the chicken and salsa carry the flavor.
Why You’ll Love It
Around 30g of protein with solid macros for a Taco Bell order. FYI, Taco Bell’s Cantina Chicken is marinated and grilled — it’s genuinely a step above their usual protein game. I was skeptical the first time and ended up ordering a second one. No regrets.
7. Starbucks Egg White & Roasted Red Pepper Sous Vide Egg Bites
When you need a high protein fast food breakfast and you’re already at Starbucks anyway.
What to Order
- Egg White & Roasted Red Pepper Egg Bites (order two portions if you’re hungry)
- Pair with a Pike Place black coffee or unsweetened green tea
How to Order It
- Order at the register or through the app.
- Get two packs if you want a full meal — one pack is a snack, two is breakfast.
- Avoid the cheese-heavy egg bite options if you’re watching saturated fat.
Why You’ll Love It
Each pack delivers around 13g of protein with under 170 calories. They’re soft, savory, and weirdly satisfying for something that small. Pair two packs with a black coffee and you’ve got a legitimately solid high protein fast food breakfast.
8. Wendy’s Large Chili + Baked Potato
This combo is wildly underrated and I’ll stand by that forever.
What to Order
- Large Wendy’s Chili
- Plain Baked Potato
- Dump the chili on top of the potato (you’re welcome)
How to Order It
- Order the large chili and a plain baked potato.
- Ask for no butter or sour cream on the potato.
- Pour the chili directly over the potato for a fully loaded high protein meal.
Why You’ll Love It
The large chili alone packs 23g of protein with real beans and beef. Add the baked potato and you’ve got a genuinely filling meal with complex carbs, fiber, and protein — all from Wendy’s, of all places. This is the order that shocks people most when I bring it up, but the numbers don’t lie.
9. Burger King Grilled Chicken Sandwich
Not everything at BK needs to be deep fried. Turns out.
What to Order
- BK Royal Crispy Chicken — or better yet, ask about their grilled option
- Lettuce, tomato, no mayo
- Side salad instead of fries
How to Order It
- Order the grilled chicken option and remove the mayo to cut unnecessary fat.
- Keep the lettuce and tomato for volume and texture.
- Swap fries for a garden side salad with a light dressing.
Why You’ll Love It
Around 25–28g of protein with a cleaner macro profile than their standard sandwiches. The grilled option at BK doesn’t always get attention, but it holds up well — moist, seasoned, and easy to customize through their app.
10. Panda Express Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Plate
Panda Express is not health food. But this specific order? Surprisingly solid.
What to Order
- Grilled Teriyaki Chicken as your entrée
- Mixed Vegetables as your side
- Skip the fried rice; ask for steamed white or brown rice
How to Order It
- Order the plate with Grilled Teriyaki Chicken and steamed rice.
- Add mixed vegetables as your second side for fiber and volume.
- Ask for the teriyaki sauce on the side — it’s sweet, and a little goes a long way.
Why You’ll Love It
The Grilled Teriyaki Chicken alone delivers around 36g of protein per serving. It’s one of the only items at Panda that’s actually grilled rather than wok-tossed in oil. IMO, this is the best high protein fast food order at Panda Express and it isn’t particularly close.
11. Five Guys Little Bacon Burger, Lettuce Wrap Style
Five Guys lets you go bunless, which changes the whole equation.
What to Order
- Little Bacon Burger in a lettuce wrap
- Add tomato, grilled onions, grilled mushrooms
- Skip ketchup; add mustard or hot sauce
How to Order It
- Order the Little Bacon Burger and specifically request a lettuce wrap instead of a bun.
- Pile on the free toppings — mushrooms, onions, jalapeños if you’re brave.
- Hold the mayo and ketchup; mustard is your zero-calorie flavor friend.
Why You’ll Love It
You’re getting around 30g of protein without the refined carbs from the bun. Five Guys uses fresh, never-frozen beef and the bacon is thick and real — this isn’t sad fast food, this is a proper burger that just happens to be high protein.
12. Jimmy John’s Unwich — Turkey Tom
The “Unwich” is Jimmy John’s gift to low-carb, high protein eaters everywhere.
What to Order
- Turkey Tom Unwich (lettuce wrap instead of bread)
- Add avocado for healthy fat
- Dijon mustard, tomato, cucumber
How to Order It
- Order any sub and ask for it as an Unwich — they wrap everything in a large lettuce leaf.
- Add avocado if your location offers it.
- Keep the toppings clean and skip the creamy mayo-based sauces.
Why You’ll Love It
Around 25g of protein with almost zero refined carbs. The Unwich is genuinely filling despite having no bread — the lettuce wrap is surprisingly sturdy and holds everything together better than you’d expect. Great option when you’re doing a lower-carb day.
13. Dunkin’ Egg & Cheese Wake-Up Wrap with Turkey Sausage
Dunkin’ for protein? More possible than you’d think.
What to Order
- Wake-Up Wrap with Egg, Cheese, and Turkey Sausage
- Order two if you need a full meal
- Black coffee or an unsweetened iced coffee
How to Order It
- Order the Wake-Up Wrap with turkey sausage (not pork — leaner protein).
- Skip the hash browns; they’re a delicious distraction from your goals.
- Grab two wraps if one feels insufficient — because it will.
Why You’ll Love It
Each wrap has about 11–13g of protein and the turkey sausage version runs leaner than the pork. Two wraps plus black coffee is an efficient, fast high protein breakfast that takes zero time. Not glamorous, but it works. :/
14. El Pollo Loco Double Chicken Tostada Salad
The chain that actually centers its identity around real chicken.
What to Order
- Double Chicken Tostada Salad
- Skip the crispy tortilla bowl (yes, really — it adds 300+ calories)
- Ask for salsa verde as dressing instead of creamy options
How to Order It
- Order the Double Chicken Tostada Salad and ask them to hold the tortilla bowl.
- Request salsa verde or pico de gallo as your dressing substitute.
- Keep the beans and avocado — both earn their spot here.
Why You’ll Love It
Double chicken gets you close to 45g of protein in a salad format. El Pollo Loco’s chicken is fire-grilled and genuinely flavored — it’s not an afterthought. This is one of the highest protein fast food orders you can find at a Mexican-style chain.
15. Jersey Mike’s Giant Turkey and Provolone Sub
When you’re serious about protein and not in the mood to be subtle about it.
What to Order
- Giant Turkey and Provolone on wheat bread
- Add extra turkey if they allow it
- Mike’s Way: onions, lettuce, tomatoes, vinegar, oil, oregano — all of it
How to Order It
- Order the Giant sub and ask for extra turkey if you want to max out the protein.
- Go “Mike’s Way” for the full experience — the oil and vinegar dressing is the move.
- Skip the chips; grab a water or unsweetened drink instead.
Why You’ll Love It
A Giant sub can land anywhere from 50–60g of protein depending on how generous they are with the turkey. Jersey Mike’s slices fresh and the provolone adds calcium and a little extra protein on top. This is the big finish — the order you pull out when you mean business.
The Bottom Line
Hitting your protein goals on the go is 100% doable, and these 15 high protein fast food orders prove it. Whether you’re grabbing a quick Chipotle bowl between meetings, swinging through Chick-fil-A post-workout, or ordering a Wendy’s chili-potato situation at midnight — the options are out there.
The secret is knowing what to order, what to skip, and when to double the protein without doubling everything else. These orders do the heavy lifting so you don’t have to overthink it. Now go eat.
