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Wendy's vs McDonald's: which is better for your macros?
The top protein play at Wendy's is the Dave's Triple Cheeseburger (70g protein, 1090 cal); McDonald's answers with the Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese (48g, 740 cal). Below, all 34 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
Wendy's vs McDonald's, by the numbers
| Head-to-head | Wendy's | McDonald's |
|---|---|---|
| Highest-protein meal | 70g Dave's Triple Cheeseburger | 48g Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese |
| Leanest meal | 265 cal Small Chili, Garden Side Salad & Diet Coke | 250 cal Hamburger |
| Avg protein per meal | 30g | 24g |
| Avg calories per meal | 496 cal | 456 cal |
| Meals at 425 cal or less | 10 | 8 |
| Low-carb / keto meals | 4 | 3 |
| Vegetarian meals | 3 | 2 |
| Meals tracked | 19 | 15 |
✓ marks the stronger number for that row (more protein, fewer calories, or more options). Computed from the 34 meals we track — not the chains' full menus.
Top 5, ranked by protein
The highest-protein meals, side by side
🍔 Wendy's
| # | Meal | Protein | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dave's Triple Cheeseburger Three 1/4 lb fresh beef patties, three slices American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion, mayo, ketchup, brioche bun | 70g | 1090 |
| 2 | Baconator Two 1/4 lb beef patties, six strips of Applewood smoked bacon, American cheese, mayo, ketchup, brioche bun | 57g | 920 |
| 3 | Parmesan Caesar Salad (Full, with Dressing) Grilled chicken, romaine, Parmesan, croutons, Caesar dressing, full size | 50g | 480 |
| 4 | Dave's Double Cheeseburger Two 1/4 lb fresh beef patties, two slices American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion, mayo, ketchup, brioche bun | 49g | 810 |
| 5 | Apple Pecan Chicken Salad (Full, with Dressing) Grilled chicken, romaine blend, apple pieces, blue cheese crumbles, roasted pecans, pomegranate vinaigrette, full size | 39g | 520 |
🍟 McDonald's
| # | Meal | Protein | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese Two 1/4 lb fresh beef patties, two slices American cheese, pickles, slivered onions, sesame seed bun | 48g | 740 |
| 2 | 4pc McCrispy Strips Four 100% white meat chicken strips in crispy black-pepper breading, no dipping sauce | 40g | 460 |
| 3 | Bacon Quarter Pounder with Cheese Quarter-pound fresh beef patty, two slices American cheese, thick-cut applewood smoked bacon, ketchup, mustard, pickles, slivered onions on a sesame seed bun | 36g | 630 |
| 4 | McDouble + McChicken McDouble (two beef patties, one slice American cheese, mustard, ketchup, pickles, onions) ordered with McChicken (crispy chicken patty, mayo, shredded lettuce) | 36g | 780 |
| 5 | Quarter Pounder with Cheese Fresh 1/4 lb beef patty, two slices American cheese, ketchup, mustard, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun | 30g | 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
Wendy's takes it. Its leanest high-protein pick, the Parmesan Caesar Salad (Full, with Dressing), packs 50g of protein into 480 calories — 10.4g per 100 cal, ahead of McDonald's best (4pc McCrispy Strips, 40g for 460 cal, 8.7g per 100 cal). Wendy's lists 10 meals at 425 calories or less; McDonald's has 8.
Bulking
Wendy's wins on raw protein. The Dave's Triple Cheeseburger tops out at 70g (1090 cal), beating McDonald's biggest hitter, the Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese, at 48g. For repeat trips, Wendy's has 8 meals with 30g+ protein vs 5 at McDonald's.
Keto
Wendy's is the keto-friendlier menu with 4 low-carb meals vs 3 at McDonald's. Best keto pick: the Parmesan Caesar Salad (Full, with Dressing) — 50g protein, 9g carbs, 480 calories. At McDonald's, the 4pc McCrispy Strips (40g protein, 24g 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 Wendy's menu → · full McDonald's menu → · all chains ranked →
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Settle Wendy's vs McDonald's with your own macros.
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