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Del Taco vs Chipotle: which is better for your macros?
The top protein play at Del Taco is the Epic Cali Bacon Burrito (Carne Asada) (51g protein, 1060 cal); Chipotle answers with the Double High Protein Bowl (81g, 760 cal). Below, all 27 meals we track at both chains go head-to-head on protein, calories, low-carb and vegetarian options — from each brand's official nutrition data, not AI guesses — with a verdict for cutting, bulking and keto.
The tale of the tape
Del Taco vs Chipotle, by the numbers
| Head-to-head | Del Taco | Chipotle |
|---|---|---|
| Highest-protein meal | 51g Epic Cali Bacon Burrito (Carne Asada) | 81g Double High Protein Bowl |
| Leanest meal | 220 cal 2 Chicken Street Tacos & Diet Pepsi | 385 cal Chicken Salad Bowl & Diet Coke |
| Avg protein per meal | 30g | 44g |
| Avg calories per meal | 564 cal | 540 cal |
| Meals at 425 cal or less | 5 | 2 |
| Low-carb / keto meals | 3 | 3 |
| Vegetarian meals | 2 | 1 |
| Meals tracked | 14 | 13 |
✓ marks the stronger number for that row (more protein, fewer calories, or more options). Computed from the 27 meals we track — not the chains' full menus.
Top 5, ranked by protein
The highest-protein meals, side by side
🌮 Del Taco
| # | Meal | Protein | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Epic Cali Bacon Burrito (Carne Asada) Oversized flour tortilla filled with carne asada steak, crinkle-cut fries, bacon strips, cheddar cheese, and chipotle sauce | 51g | 1060 |
| 2 | Epic Grilled Chicken Loaded Queso Burrito Oversized flour tortilla with grilled chicken, crinkle-cut fries, creamy queso blanco, cheddar cheese, and pico de gallo | 45g | 880 |
| 3 | Epic Combo Beef & Bean Burrito Oversized flour tortilla packed with seasoned beef, slow-cooked pinto beans, cheddar cheese, sour cream, lettuce, tomato, and red and green sauces | 43g | 900 |
| 4 | Epic Grilled Chicken Fresh Guacamole Burrito Oversized flour tortilla with grilled chicken, slow-cooked beans, cilantro lime rice, house-made guacamole, and pico de gallo | 37g | 720 |
| 5 | Chicken Quesadilla (Cheddar) Grilled chicken and melted cheddar cheese folded in a flour tortilla, served with sour cream | 34g | 550 |
🌯 Chipotle
| # | Meal | Protein | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Double High Protein Bowl Double adobo chicken (8 oz), light white rice, black beans, fajita veggies, fresh tomato salsa, Monterey Jack cheese, romaine lettuce | 81g | 760 |
| 2 | Double Chicken Salad Bowl Double chicken (8 oz), supergreens mix, black beans, fajita veggies, fresh tomato salsa | 74g | 550 |
| 3 | High Protein-High Fiber Bowl Adobo chicken, light brown rice, black beans, fajita veggies, roasted chili-corn salsa, fresh tomato salsa, romaine lettuce | 46g | 545 |
| 4 | Chicken Brown Rice Bowl Chicken, brown rice, black beans, fajita veggies, fresh tomato salsa | 45g | 565 |
| 5 | Chicken Salad Bowl & Diet Coke Chicken, supergreens mix, black beans, fajita veggies, fresh tomato salsa, tomatillo-green chili salsa & Diet Coke (0 cal) | 42g | 385 |
MacroBite scores these against your daily protein & calorie targets and logs them in one tap. Get the app →
The verdict
Which is better for your goal?
Cutting
Chipotle takes it. Its leanest high-protein pick, the Double Chicken Salad Bowl, packs 74g of protein into 550 calories — 13.5g per 100 cal, ahead of Del Taco's best (3 Carne Asada Street Tacos & Diet Pepsi, 30g for 360 cal, 8.3g per 100 cal). Chipotle lists 2 meals at 425 calories or less; Del Taco has 5.
Bulking
Chipotle wins on raw protein. The Double High Protein Bowl tops out at 81g (760 cal), beating Del Taco's biggest hitter, the Epic Cali Bacon Burrito (Carne Asada), at 51g. For repeat trips, Chipotle has 12 meals with 30g+ protein vs 8 at Del Taco.
Keto
Even on options: both chains have 3 low-carb meals. Head-to-head on the best pick, Del Taco's Double Del Taco (Crunchy) & Diet Pepsi brings 34g protein at 28g carbs, while Chipotle's Chicken Keto Salad Bowl brings 41g at 16g carbs.
How we score it: cutting = most protein per calorie (25g protein floor) · bulking = highest absolute protein · keto = low-carb meals (20g carbs or less, or flagged low-carb in the official data). General nutrition info, not medical advice.
Dig deeper: full Del Taco menu → · full Chipotle menu → · all chains ranked →
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Settle Del Taco vs Chipotle with your own macros.
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