Fast food doesn’t come close when it comes to options for healthy eating, but lately fast-food chains have scrambled to throw salads on the menu, dial back sodium and even roll out plant-based burgers. But make no mistake—fast food is still far from nutritious. That said, if you’re craving a quick bite and wondering which options are the least likely to derail your health kick, a new study by PlushCare reveals the worst offenders on fast food menus around the U.S.
PlushCare took a deep dive into the most popular categories of fast-food items from America’s top chains, then scored them on a 50-point “unhealthiness scale” based on calories, sugar, saturated fat and sodium. The results? A ranking of the most unhealthy—and least unhealthy—burgers, chicken sandwiches, nuggets, fries and shakes you can order.
Five Guys takes the greasy crown when it comes to cheeseburgers. With a gut-busting score of 50, its cheeseburger tops the charts as the most unhealthy, packing 73 percent more saturated fat than any of its fast-food competitors. Meanwhile, McDonald’s and Burger King cheeseburgers aren’t exactly diet food, but they fare a lot better—they each scored just 18 points—as they both contain less than a quarter of the saturated fat found in a Five Guys burger and less than half of a Wendy’s cheeseburger.
As for chicken sandwiches, McDonald’s McChicken reigns supreme as the healthiest (well, the least unhealthy) with a score of 14 points. That’s almost half the score of Burger King’s chicken sandwich (31 points) and KFC’s (27 points). On the flip side, the Popeyes Chicken Sandwich Classic hits a whopping 39 points, making it the most unhealthy of the bunch.
Craving nuggets? Brace yourself. Popeyes Nuggets (30 points) and Arby’s Premium Nuggets (29 points) come out as the worst offenders, especially when it comes to sodium. And while McDonald’s (18 Points) might not win gold medals for health, their nuggets are surprisingly less salty than the competition.
A fast-food meal just doesn’t feel right without fries, but beware: order fries at Five Guys, and you’re tacking on 953 calories. KFC’s Secret Recipe Fries don’t just come with a side of salt—they serve up over 1,100 mg of sodium. If you’re set on fries, McDonald’s Medium Fries (7 points) and In-N-Out’s (6 points) are your safest bets.
If you think fries are bad, wait until you get to the shakes. Fatburger’s Vanilla Shake is a sugary nightmare, scoring a hefty 63 points with 890 calories, 30 grams of saturated fat and a staggering 86 grams of sugar—way over the recommended daily limits. McDonald’s Vanilla Shake might not be a health drink, but at 26 points, it’s the least unhealthy in this sugar-packed category.
In short, if you’re hitting the drive-thru, some fast-food options are definitely worse than others. So, maybe think twice before indulging in that Five Guys cheeseburger-shake combo.
Find the full breakdown of fast food faves here.