What should I order at McDonald's for high protein?
The Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese carries the most protein on the standard menu, 48 g. For a smaller appetite, 10 piece Chicken McNuggets is the better pick at 23 g for 410 calories. Both figures are pulled straight from McDonald's own nutrition calculator, current as of August 2026.
Key takeaways
- The Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese tops the menu at 48 g of protein, ahead of every sandwich and the 20 piece nuggets.
- For a smaller order, 10 piece Chicken McNuggets and the McDouble both clear 20 g for around 400 calories.
- Breakfast has its own strong option: an Egg McMuffin is 17 g for 310 calories, one of the lighter items on either list.
- McDonald's recipes change: the calculator now shows a Big Mac at 580 calories and 25 g protein, higher than older printed guides, so check the live tool rather than an old PDF.
McDonald's menu spans burgers, chicken and breakfast, and the protein numbers vary widely between them. The figures below come straight from McDonald's own nutrition calculator, current as of August 2026, not a printed guide or a third-party estimate.
The highest protein items
The multi-patty burgers and the larger nugget orders carry the most protein, along with the Big Breakfast for anyone ordering in the morning.
- 48 gDouble Quarter Pounder with Cheese1 sandwich, 740 kcal
- 46 gChicken McNuggets20 piece, 830 kcal
- 36 gBacon Quarter Pounder with Cheese1 sandwich, 630 kcal
- 36 gBig Breakfast with Hotcakes1 meal, 1340 kcal
- 30 gQuarter Pounder with Cheese Deluxe1 sandwich, 630 kcal
- 27 gDeluxe McCrispy1 sandwich, 530 kcal
High protein, low calorie: better for a smaller appetite
A lot of people on this site are eating less per sitting, whether that is a GLP-1 medication or just not wanting a 1,000 calorie sandwich. These are the items that hold a reasonable amount of protein without the size of the list above.
- 23 gChicken McNuggets10 piece, 410 kcal
- 22 gMcDouble1 sandwich, 390 kcal
- 20 gSausage McMuffin with Egg1 sandwich, 480 kcal
- 17 gEgg McMuffin1 sandwich, 310 kcal
- 16 gFilet-O-Fish1 sandwich, 380 kcal
- 15 gCheeseburger1 sandwich, 300 kcal
Only the first two items on that list clear 20 g while staying under 450 calories. The rest are the closest real options on the menu, not padding.
Ordering it
- Ask for the sauce on the side rather than skipped entirely if you want to cut calories without losing the protein.
- A 10 piece nugget order plus a side salad keeps the protein and drops the bun and fries.
- Breakfast items run leaner than the burger menu across the board, worth remembering if you are ordering earlier in the day.
If Burger King is more often on your route, the Burger King high protein menu works the same way.
If you're managing a GLP-1 prescription and unsure how a heavier order fits your plan for the day, that is a question for your prescriber or dietitian rather than a menu page.
More questions about Fast food
What's the highest protein item at McDonald's?
The Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese, at 48 g of protein for 740 calories. The 20 piece Chicken McNuggets is close behind at 46 g. Both are large orders rather than something to have alongside a full meal.
What should I order at McDonald's if I'm on a GLP-1 medication?
Something from the smaller-appetite list rather than a triple-patty sandwich: 10 piece Chicken McNuggets or a McDouble both land around 400 calories with 20 g or more of protein. If a full sandwich still feels like too much, order it and eat half rather than skipping the protein entirely. Run a bigger change to how you eat around your prescription past your prescriber or dietitian.
Do these numbers change if I customize the order?
Yes. Removing cheese, sauce or a bun changes both the calorie and protein figures, sometimes by a meaningful amount. The numbers here are for the item as McDonald's lists it on the standard menu, not a customized build.
