Methodology

How we source & verify our data

listofmacros.com tracks 3,212 meals across 206 chains. 3,155 of 3,212 meals (98.2%) are individually verified against the brand's official published nutrition data, each with a visible verification date. Here is exactly how the dataset is built, what we assume, and what to do when we get something wrong.

Where the numbers come from

Every chain page links its source — the brand's official nutrition PDF, calculator, or menu page. Nothing is AI-estimated and nothing is crowdsourced. When a brand's official source blocks automated access, we mark those items unverified (57 meals today, clearly the exception) rather than guessing, and re-check them when access allows.

How verification works

• Data is collected per chain from the official source, then independently re-checked in a second pass before publishing. Chains that fail verification are dropped entirely — during the July 2026 expansion, one chain was rejected outright because its published figures could not be confirmed.
• Each verified meal carries a "last verified" date, shown on its page. The most recent verification in the dataset is Jul 2, 2026.
• We run periodic accuracy audits across the live dataset. The June 2026 audit re-checked visible picks against official sources and corrected 39 values (~1.2% of the dataset) and removed 1 item that could not be confirmed.

Serving assumptions

• Values are for the brand's standard published serving or the exact build listed under the meal name (composed meals state every component and modification).
• Calculators sum the brand's official per-component values. Where a brand's printed calories deviate from the standard 4/4/9 macro math by design, we keep the official printed number and note it.
• Derived metrics (protein per 100 calories, rankings, goal fits) are computed from those official values — the math is ours, the inputs are not.

Freshness & limitations

The entire site rebuilds from a single dataset on every update, so a corrected number changes everywhere at once — a meal never shows different macros on different pages. Restaurant menus change and vary by region and location; published values are a guide, not a guarantee. Allergen tags are a convenience filter, not medical advice — always confirm with the restaurant if you have an allergy.

Corrections

Spot a number that doesn't match the brand's current official data? Email hello@macrobite.app with the meal and a link to the official source. A human reads every report; confirmed errors are corrected in the next site build, usually within days.