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Shake Shack vs Five Guys: which is better for your macros?
The top protein play at Shake Shack is the Triple SmokeShack (80g protein, 1120 cal); Five Guys answers with the Bacon Cheeseburger (51g, 920 cal). Below, all 29 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
Shake Shack vs Five Guys, by the numbers
| Head-to-head | Shake Shack | Five Guys |
|---|---|---|
| Highest-protein meal | 80g Triple SmokeShack | 51g Bacon Cheeseburger |
| Leanest meal | 300 cal Chick'n Bites (6pc) & Diet Coke | 220 cal Bunless Little Hamburger & Diet Coke |
| Avg protein per meal | 37g | 30g |
| Avg calories per meal | 587 cal | 601 cal |
| Meals at 425 cal or less | 5 | 1 |
| Low-carb / keto meals | 4 | 5 |
| Vegetarian meals | 1 | 2 |
| Meals tracked | 16 | 13 |
✓ marks the stronger number for that row (more protein, fewer calories, or more options). Computed from the 29 meals we track — not the chains' full menus.
Top 5, ranked by protein
The highest-protein meals, side by side
🍔 Shake Shack
| # | Meal | Protein | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Triple SmokeShack Three beef patties, American cheese, applewood-smoked bacon, cherry peppers, ShackSauce on a potato roll | 80g | 1120 |
| 2 | Double Bacon Cheeseburger Two beef patties, American cheese, applewood-smoked bacon on a potato roll | 58g | 790 |
| 3 | Double SmokeShack Two beef patties, American cheese, applewood-smoked bacon, cherry peppers, ShackSauce on a potato roll | 58g | 870 |
| 4 | Double SmokeShack Lettuce Wrap Two beef patties, American cheese, applewood-smoked bacon, cherry peppers, ShackSauce served in a lettuce wrap (no bun). Derived from the official Double SmokeShack minus the potato roll. | 54g | 790 |
| 5 | Double Cheeseburger Two beef patties, American cheese on a potato roll, no special sauce | 51g | 700 |
🍟 Five Guys
| # | Meal | Protein | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bacon Cheeseburger Two beef patties with bacon and two slices of American cheese on sesame seed bun | 51g | 920 |
| 2 | Cheeseburger Two beef patties with two slices of American cheese on sesame seed bun | 47g | 840 |
| 3 | Bunless Bacon Cheeseburger Two beef patties with bacon and American cheese, served without bun (in a bowl or lettuce wrap) | 44g | 660 |
| 4 | Bunless Cheeseburger Two beef patties with American cheese, served without bun (in a bowl or lettuce wrap) | 40g | 580 |
| 5 | Bunless Bacon Burger Two beef patties with bacon served without bun in a bowl or lettuce wrap; no cheese | 36g | 520 |
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
Too close to call: Shake Shack's Double Bacon Cheeseburger and Five Guys' Bunless Hamburger both deliver about 7.3g of protein per 100 calories. On volume of lighter options, Shake Shack has 5 meals at 425 calories or less vs 1 at Five Guys.
Bulking
Shake Shack wins on raw protein. The Triple SmokeShack tops out at 80g (1120 cal), beating Five Guys' biggest hitter, the Bacon Cheeseburger, at 51g. For repeat trips, Shake Shack has 9 meals with 30g+ protein vs 7 at Five Guys.
Keto
Five Guys is the keto-friendlier menu with 5 low-carb meals vs 4 at Shake Shack. Best keto pick: the Bunless Bacon Cheeseburger — 44g protein, 1g carbs, 660 calories. At Shake Shack, the Double SmokeShack Lettuce Wrap (54g protein, 3g carbs) is the standout.
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 Shake Shack menu → · full Five Guys menu → · all chains ranked →
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Settle Shake Shack vs Five Guys with your own macros.
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