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chicken tenders · head-to-head
Zaxby's vs Raising Cane's: which is better for your macros?
The top protein play at Zaxby's is The Grilled Cobb Zalad (55g protein, 680 cal); Raising Cane's answers with the 9 Chicken Fingers (117g, 1170 cal). Below, all 33 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
Zaxby's vs Raising Cane's, by the numbers
| Head-to-head | Zaxby's | Raising Cane's |
|---|---|---|
| Highest-protein meal | 55g The Grilled Cobb Zalad | 117g 9 Chicken Fingers |
| Leanest meal | 330 cal Grilled House Zalad, No Toast or Onions & Diet Coke | 360 cal 2 Fingers, Coleslaw & Unsweetened Tea |
| Avg protein per meal | 40g | 55g |
| Avg calories per meal | 518 cal | 796 cal |
| Meals at 425 cal or less | 5 | 2 |
| Low-carb / keto meals | 5 | 5 |
| Vegetarian meals | 1 | 3 |
| Meals tracked | 16 | 17 |
✓ marks the stronger number for that row (more protein, fewer calories, or more options). Computed from the 33 meals we track — not the chains' full menus.
Top 5, ranked by protein
The highest-protein meals, side by side
🍗 Zaxby's
| # | Meal | Protein | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Grilled Cobb Zalad Romaine and mixed greens, cheddar jack cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers, bacon, hard-cooked egg, fried onions, Texas toast, grilled chicken breast fillet | 55g | 680 |
| 2 | The Grilled House Zalad Mixed greens, cheddar jack cheese, tomatoes, fried onions, Texas toast, grilled chicken breast fillet | 48g | 560 |
| 3 | Grilled Caesar Zalad, No Croutons & Diet Coke Romaine, parmesan, bacon, grilled chicken breast fillet, no croutons — dressing on side — paired with a Diet Coke (0 cal) for a complete satisfying meal | 46g | 340 |
| 4 | Chicken Fingerz, 5 Piece 5 hand-breaded white-meat chicken tenders, no sauce (Zax Sauce served on side) | 46g | 610 |
| 5 | The Blackened Blue Zalad Mixed greens, bleu cheese crumbles, tomatoes, fried onions, Texas toast, blackened grilled chicken breast fillet | 45g | 540 |
🍗 Raising Cane's
| # | Meal | Protein | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 Chicken Fingers Nine breaded chicken fingers, a la carte, no sauce — the biggest single-order protein hit on the menu (officially 130 cal / 13g protein per finger) | 117g | 1170 |
| 2 | 8 Chicken Fingers Eight breaded chicken fingers, a la carte, no sauce — pure protein order, no fries/toast/slaw (130 cal / 13g protein per finger) | 104g | 1040 |
| 3 | 7 Chicken Fingers Seven breaded chicken fingers, a la carte, no sauce — clean high-protein order, no fries/toast/slaw (130 cal / 13g protein per finger) | 91g | 910 |
| 4 | Caniac Combo Six chicken fingers, crinkle-cut fries, coleslaw, Texas toast, two Cane's sauces | 89g | 1790 |
| 5 | 6 Chicken Fingers Six breaded chicken fingers, a la carte, no sauce — clean protein order, no fries/toast/slaw (130 cal / 13g protein per finger) | 78g | 780 |
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
Zaxby's takes it. Its leanest high-protein pick, the Grilled Caesar Zalad, No Croutons & Diet Coke, packs 46g of protein into 340 calories — 13.5g per 100 cal, ahead of Raising Cane's best (9 Chicken Fingers, 117g for 1170 cal, 10.0g per 100 cal). Zaxby's lists 5 meals at 425 calories or less; Raising Cane's has 2.
Bulking
Raising Cane's wins on raw protein. The 9 Chicken Fingers tops out at 117g (1170 cal), beating Zaxby's biggest hitter, The Grilled Cobb Zalad, at 55g. For repeat trips, Raising Cane's has 13 meals with 30g+ protein vs 14 at Zaxby's.
Keto
Even on options: both chains have 5 low-carb meals. Head-to-head on the best pick, Zaxby's Chicken Fingerz, 5 Piece brings 46g protein at 19g carbs, while Raising Cane's 6 Chicken Fingers brings 78g at 30g 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 Zaxby's menu → · full Raising Cane's menu → · all chains ranked →
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Settle Zaxby's vs Raising Cane's with your own macros.
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