10 'Healthiest' Restaurant Chain Cheeseburgers

Cheeseburgers are a classic order, whether at fast-food restaurants or sit-down chains. While cheeseburgers aren't known for having the healthiest nutrient profile, they have some redeeming qualities. They typically pack plenty of protein to constitute a meal and contain important nutrients like iron. When served on a whole grain bun, you can also get some fiber from a cheeseburger meal, and plant-based burgers tend to bump up the fiber content even more.

Most chain restaurants have healthier options than cheeseburgers on their menus. However, if you are craving this American classic, there are healthier ones to order. Some cheeseburgers can pack a day's worth of calories, so you are better off looking at the nutrition info before selecting. We have narrowed down the most nutritious options at 10 chain restaurants to make choosing a healthier cheeseburger easier.

How We Chose the Healthiest Cheeseburgers

Many cheeseburgers pack sky-high calories and fat grams. Here is how we picked the healthiest orders at each restaurant.

• Total calories: Options with more than 1,000 calories were only considered for our list if there were easy modifications to cut calories. While many options on our list provide more calories than needed at a meal, there are easy ways to cut calories on a cheeseburger.
• Fiber: Burgers may not be an excellent source of fiber, but options with 1 or more grams of this essential nutrient secured a spot on our list. Unfortunately, two options on our list provide zero fiber; however, they were still the healthiest on those menus.
• Saturated fat: Animal proteins are the most common source of this controversial nutrient. Although total fat is essential in a balanced diet, saturated fat should be limited as much as possible due to its potential health impact. All the options on our list provide no more than half the total fat grams from saturated fat. Although this is a generous cutoff, some options pack more saturated fat.

Read on for our top picks for the healthiest chain restaurant cheeseburgers, and for more, check out 25 Popular Fast-Food Burgers, Ranked by Calories.

Shake Shack Cheeseburger

The Shake Shack cheeseburger is one of the lower-calorie options on our list and makes for a reasonable meal. Unfortunately, it doesn't provide any fiber, so adding a side of fruit or veggies from home turns it into a more balanced meal. Adding avocado to your burger boosts fiber while adding healthy fats.

 The Best Shake Shack Order for Weight Loss

Applebee's Impossible Cheeseburger

At more than 1,000 calories, the plant-based burger is the healthiest option on Applebee's burger menu. Its major perk is its 12 grams of fiber, which provides nearly half the daily requirement for many adults. Skip the fries to cut calories in this meal, and drop half of the bun for even more calorie and carb savings.

Johnny Rockets The Rocket Single

The cheeseburger option is the lowest-calorie burger on the menu, with fewer than 300 calories. It provides 10 grams of carbs and the lowest sodium on our list. Unfortunately, it only has 10 grams of protein, which is low for a meal. The double patty option gets you 20 grams of protein for 560 calories, making it a reasonable choice with more protein.

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Red Robbin Smoke and Pepper

Who knew a burger with bacon would make our healthiest list? The combination of a beef patty, bacon, veggies, and specialty ketchup makes this option flavorful for less than 800 calories. While the smoke and pepper ketchup adds some flavor, it contains sugar. Ask for this condiment on the side and use sparingly to cut sugar. You can also reduce to one slice of bacon for more fat and calorie savings.

Chili's Oldtimer with Cheese

Chili's is known for its burgers, and the Oldimer option keeps it simple at a little more than 800 calories. Unfortunately, this calorie count doesn't include the fries, which means you need to skip part of the bun or eat half of the burger to cut calories. The good news is that eating half of the burger provides a reasonable number of calories and grams of protein.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

 10 Healthiest Fast-Food Cheeseburgers, According to a Dietitian

Ruby Tuesday Ruby's Cheeseburger

Another simple cheeseburger, this option may be high in calories, but it does have a few things going for it. This burger provides 3 grams of fiber and one of our list's lower saturated fat counts. Additionally, most of its sugar comes from natural sources with little added sugar.

Cheesecake Factory Cheeseburger Spring Rolls

While not a traditional burger, this option packs the familiar cheeseburger flavors in a spring roll form. One of the reasons this option made our list is the ease of portion control. While the complete order contains 990 calories, having only half the order provides a more reasonable number of calories with enough protein to make a filling meal. Add a steamed veggie on the side to add more fiber with few extra calories.

 How Many Calories Are In A Cheeseburger?

Buffalo Wild Wings Southwestern Black Bean Burger

As one of the two plant-based burgers on our list, this option makes for another fiber-packed meal. With 17 grams of filling fiber in the burger, it provides more than half your daily need while loading you with protein. Skip the ranch dressing to drop fat grams and calories, and have only half the bun to reduce carbs without sacrificing much fiber.

Denny's Single Cheeseburger

You may associate Denny's with breakfast food, but its full menu includes plenty of lunch and dinner items. This single cheeseburger is one of the most reasonable meals on our list at just under 600 calories. It packs plenty of protein and appropriate carbs, although you can still skip half the bun to reduce this number by about 50%.

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Outback Steakhouse The Outback Burger

A traditional cheeseburger topped with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, and mustard makes this the healthiest burger at Outback. This option may provide nearly a full day's worth of fat, but its 48 grams is far lower than the Bloomin' Burger, which packs 78 grams of fat. Unfortunately, the only way to lower fat is not to eat some of the patty or cheese. Otherwise, you can reduce calories by eating it open-faced or enjoying a smaller portion of the cheeseburger.

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