Home / Whataburger vs McDonald's
burgers · head-to-head
Whataburger vs McDonald's: which is better for your macros?
The top protein play at Whataburger is the Triple Meat Whataburger (65g protein, 1070 cal); McDonald's answers with the Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese (48g, 740 cal). Below, all 28 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
Whataburger vs McDonald's, by the numbers
| Head-to-head | Whataburger | McDonald's |
|---|---|---|
| Highest-protein meal | 65g Triple Meat Whataburger | 48g Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese |
| Leanest meal | 235 cal Grilled Chicken Melt, No Bun & Diet Coke | 250 cal Hamburger |
| Avg protein per meal | 35g | 24g |
| Avg calories per meal | 493 cal | 456 cal |
| Meals at 425 cal or less | 6 | 8 |
| Low-carb / keto meals | 3 | 3 |
| Vegetarian meals | 1 | 2 |
| Meals tracked | 13 | 15 |
✓ marks the stronger number for that row (more protein, fewer calories, or more options). Computed from the 28 meals we track — not the chains' full menus.
Top 5, ranked by protein
The highest-protein meals, side by side
🍔 Whataburger
| # | Meal | Protein | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Triple Meat Whataburger Three beef patties on a 5" bun with mustard, lettuce, tomato, pickles, diced onions | 65g | 1070 |
| 2 | Double Meat Whataburger Two beef patties on a 5" bun with mustard, lettuce, tomato, pickles, diced onions | 47g | 830 |
| 3 | Whatachick'n Bites (9-piece) Nine bite-sized breaded and fried chicken pieces; no dipping sauce | 45g | 640 |
| 4 | Cobb Salad with Grilled Chicken Garden greens with grilled chicken, shredded cheddar, bacon crumbles, grape tomatoes, avocado, hard-boiled egg; no dressing | 44g | 430 |
| 5 | Buffalo Ranch Chicken Salad with Grilled Chicken Mixed greens, grilled chicken strips, shredded cheddar, buffalo-ranch seasoning; no dressing | 37g | 370 |
🍟 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
Whataburger takes it. Its leanest high-protein pick, the Grilled Chicken Melt, No Bun & Diet Coke, packs 28g of protein into 235 calories — 11.9g per 100 cal, ahead of McDonald's best (4pc McCrispy Strips, 40g for 460 cal, 8.7g per 100 cal). Whataburger lists 6 meals at 425 calories or less; McDonald's has 8.
Bulking
Whataburger wins on raw protein. The Triple Meat Whataburger tops out at 65g (1070 cal), beating McDonald's biggest hitter, the Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese, at 48g. For repeat trips, Whataburger has 9 meals with 30g+ protein vs 5 at McDonald's.
Keto
Even on options: both chains have 3 low-carb meals. Head-to-head on the best pick, Whataburger's Cobb Salad with Grilled Chicken brings 44g protein at 10g carbs, while McDonald's 4pc McCrispy Strips brings 40g at 24g 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 Whataburger menu → · full McDonald's menu → · all chains ranked →
“Great app that comes in handy while dieting. I don't have to think about what to order, any pick from the app will keep me within my calories.”
“I've never had an app tell me all the healthy options at different fast foods.”
“Helped me hit my goals and gave amazing recommendations!”
Settle Whataburger vs McDonald's with your own macros.
MacroBite scores every meal at both chains against the calories and protein you have left today — and logs it in one tap.
Rated 4.7★ by 1000+ people · 3-day free trial · Cancel anytime
