There’s nothing wrong with a little splurge every now and then, but going out to eat at chain restaurants can quickly turn into a deep-fried, cheese-smothered nightmare when it comes to your diet.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest, a healthy eating advocacy group, has released its annual list of the most gut-busting meals at America’s chain restaurants. Here’s what to look out for:
Applebee’s Build Your Sampler
This is one of those deals where you choose 2-5 appetizers and your whole table goes after it like a pack of lions on a gazelle carcass. If you choose cheeseburger egg rolls, pretzels with beer cheese dip, a chicken quesadilla, boneless wings with classic sauce (plus bleu cheese) and spinach and artichoke dip, you’re looking at 3,390 calories and enough sodium to salt a small neighborhood in winter.
But wait, you say! It’s intended to be shared! Split it two ways and you’re looking at 1,700 calories, or even if you go four ways, you’re still eating the equivalent of a cheeseburger.
Marco’s Meal for Two at Maggiano’s Little Italy
This set-price menu lets you choose three courses – plus two more pasta dishes to take home to eat for lunch and/or in shame by the light of the refrigerator at 3 a.m. If you pick the mozzarella marinara appetizer, baked ziti and fettucini alfredo for mains and the apple crostada for dessert, each person has a whopping 2,840 calories – not to mention those take-home pastas.
Fried Chicken and Waffles Benedict from The Cheesecake Factory
We gained five pounds from reading the name of this dish. Shockingly, when you eat fried chicken, waffles, potatoes, syrup and hollandaise all in a single meal, it’s going to use up more than a day’s worth of calories (2,580) and four day’s worth of saturated fat (86 grams).
Short Rib & Cheesy Mac Stack from Dave & Buster’s
Look, any time mac and cheese is a primary ingredient, it’s going to pack a wallop. Add in a side of tater tots and you’ve got 1,910 calories. All told, it’s like eating three Big Macs and a medium fry. But at least you can burn it off by playing video games?
RT 44 Grape Slush with Rainbow Candy from Sonic
Drinks in general can pack a ton of “hidden calories,” but this one’s pretty up-front about being just a bunch of sippable candy. The 44 oz. slush includes 970 calories just on its own.
Cremini Pork Shank from Romano’s Macaroni Grill
So far, you probably aren’t surprised by anything on this list. But you wouldn’t necessarily think that pork shanks would be that horrible for you. Well, it turns out we’re talking about two pounds of pork, marsala wine sauce, onions, mushrooms and roasted Parmesan potatoes, which comes out to 1,800 calories. Add on the complimentary bread and you might as well stuff your face with two fully-loaded carnitas burritos from Chipotle.
Whole Hog Burger from Uno Pizzeria & Grill
It’s over a pound of five different kinds of meats with four cheeses, along with fries and onion rings. What else do you need to know? It’s 2,850 calories and has enough salt to last you six days.
Giant Chipotle Cheese Steak from Jersey Mike’s Subs
Yes, if you eat a sandwich the size of a baseball bat, you will consume many calories. This 14-inch sandwich will give you 1,850 calories – and that’s before adding on a bag of chips and a soda.
Dessert Nachos from Buffalo Wild Wings
After finishing off your wings at B Dub Three, you can spring for a tortilla deep-fried in beef tallow with cinnamon and sugar, deep-fried cheesecake bites and caramel and chocolate sauces. All in all, you’re talking about 30 teaspoons of sugar and 2,100 calories. Or, you could eat four Taco Bell crunchy tacos, a whole pint of vanilla ice cream and a couple of Hershey bars. Your call.
Now, CSPI does include some tips for managing calories while out and about. Common-sense stuff: Skip the appetizer, opt for chicken or veggie burgers over beef, and remember that doggy bags are always an option.
