The 12 Healthiest Orders at Perkins—and What To Skip

Whether you're hungry for a hearty breakfast, decadent dessert, or a family dinner, Perkins Restaurant delivers. Founded in 1958 as a single pancake house in Ohio, Perkins has expanded to nearly 300 locations throughout the United States and Canada, serving classic, affordable comfort dishes.

However, many Perkins dishes have poor nutritional value. While your Perkins visit may be about relaxing your diet, there are healthier options on the menu that still check the boxes for a comfort meal. We'll help you decode the menu with our guide on what to order and what to avoid when trying to make healthier choices at this restaurant chain.

Thankfully, Perkins is highly transparent about the nutrition facts of its menu items and prominently posts them on its website. With the chain's user-friendly nutritional calculator, you can see the nutrition stats of your order and customize your order to align with your goals.

If you're not one to spend the time decoding the best options to order, don't worry. We've rounded up the best and worst Perkins Restaurant options for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and desserts to take the guesswork out of the experience. If you want more health-conscious meals, check out these 25 Best Healthy Restaurants in America.

Breakfast

Best: Egg White Omelet with Whole Wheat Toast and Tomatoes

Sometimes, it's best to keep your meals simple. One of the best breakfast options at Perkins is a simple egg white omelet with whole wheat toast. When building your own omelet, you control the ingredients and sides.

These nutrition facts are for three egg whites, two slices of whole wheat toast, and a side of tomatoes. When the eggs and toast are combined, this meal packs in a whopping 27 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber, which can keep you full for longer and provide satisfaction.

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Best: French Toast

While French toast may seem off-limits for healthy eating, Perkins' French Toast order has a decent nutritional profile. For three slices, you'll get 440 calories alongside 19 grams of protein to reduce the likelihood of blood sugar spikes. And while the dish contains some sugar, it is lower than many other French toast recipes.

If you like this option, consider adding a side of fruit for more fiber to round out the dish.

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Best: Two Eggs, Spinach, and Hash Browns

When choosing a la carte at Perkins, its large fresh eggs are a great place to start. These three eggs contain only 200 calories but provide 18 grams of satiating protein, which can reduce overeating at your next meal.

Add spinach and a side of hash browns, and you'll have a balanced, nourishing meal. Even though this meal is a bit higher in fat and cholesterol, you can reduce that by swapping it for egg whites, if needed. Always speak to your doctor if you're concerned about your cholesterol levels.

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Best: Belgian Waffle

If you love the decadence of waffles, Perkins' Belgian Waffle is one of the better choices on its breakfast menu compared to other sweet pancakes or platters. While it contains a good amount of sodium and sugar, it is among the lowest on the menu.

Additionally, order two large egg whites with this dish for an additional 8 grams of protein to prevent a sugar crash.

Best: Buttermilk Short Stack Pancakes

Sometimes, you want a good old stack of pancakes. Perkins' Short Stack Buttermilk Pancakes is a smaller portion than traditional larger pancake stacks, offering a lighter option to those who want to indulge but not overdo it.

However, like most restaurant items, this dish is high in sodium. Egg dishes may be a better option if you're watching your sodium intake or have high blood pressure.

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Worst: Country Sausage Biscuit Breakfast

While Perkins' Country Sausage Biscuit Breakfast meets the mark for high protein content, the rest of its nutrition stats are abysmal. This dish contains 69 grams of total fat, exceeding the recommended daily fat intake for most people.

It is also shockingly high in sodium, tapping out at about 155% of the American Heart Association's daily limit of 2,300 milligrams to reduce heart disease. Because of these reasons, we suggest crossing this one off your list for your next Perkins visit.

Worst: Southern Fried Chicken Biscuit Breakfast

If you're looking for the unhealthiest breakfast item at Perkins, its Southern Fried Chicken Biscuit Breakfast takes the reign. With more than 1,300 calories, 78 grams of fat, and close to two days' worth of sodium, we suggest ditching this one for a happier heart. The 1,370 calories listed are also just the beginning and at the lowest end of the range, where the amount can go up depending on what meats and sides you swap.

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Lunch & Dinner

Best: Big BLT

While a BLT may not appear healthy, Perkins' BLT is one of the better options on the chain's lunch menu. Even compared to its salads, its BLT is significantly lower in calories. It also has ample protein at 24 grams and is low in sugar.

Instead of adding fries, a few healthier side options include fresh broccoli (70 calories), sauteed spinach (70 calories), or a side salad (110 calories).

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Best: Classic Burger

If you're having lunch at Perkins, its Classic Burger is one of the healthier options. While it is still higher in calories and fat than what is ideal for most people, it is low in sodium compared to most of the other dishes. It also contains an ample amount of protein, which can make you feel full before you even finish the whole meal.

This meal is a good choice if you want to omit the high-calorie fix-ins like cheese and mayo but still enjoy a satisfying burger. For a light side and a boost of fiber, consider ordering a side salad for 110 calories.

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Best: Grilled Salmon Dinner

When grabbing dinner at Perkins, the Grilled Salmon Dinner is one of the lightest options. It contains less than 500 calories and an astounding 40 grams of protein—a winning combination for a low-calorie, satisfying meal. It also only provides 120 milligrams of sodium, a rare low for a restaurant meal.

While salmon contains some saturated fat, most of its fat is from heart-healthy polyunsaturated fats like omega-3s. Pair it with grilled asparagus (45 calories) and a homestyle seasoned potato (210 calories) for a deliciously fiber-packed meal.

Best: Top Sirloin Steak Dinner

Perkins' Sirloin Steak is another good protein option that also tastes like you're splurging. Sirloin is one of the leanest cuts of steak, so it contains fewer calories per serving than many other cuts, such as rib-eye. However, sirloin's protein content is just as high as fattier cuts, with this meal packing close to 19 grams of protein.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

Add a side of asparagus (45 calories) or a side salad (110 calories) with mashed potatoes (190 calories) for a balanced meal.

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Best: Jumbo Shrimp Dinner

If you're looking for a meal high in protein and low in calories, Perkins' Jumbo Shrimp Dinner is a solid choice. It has 270 calories and 2 grams of saturated fat. Shrimp is high in protein but relatively low in calories, making it a great option if you're watching your calories but don't want to feel deprived.

To round out the meal, enjoy it with fresh broccoli (70 calories) and mashed potatoes with gravy (210 calories).

Worst: Chicken Strips Melt

If you're looking for a fat and sodium bomb, Perkins' Chicken Strips Melt fits the bill. With more fat and sodium than most people need in a day just for the sandwich alone, this dish is one to skip.

If you really want it, however, Perkins offers a half portion, an excellent option so you don't blow your daily budget. Most restaurant meals serve larger portions than needed, and cutting back on the portions can be one way to decrease the downsides of eating them.

Since the sandwich alone is already high in calories and fat, we suggest ordering some grilled asparagus as a side for only 45 calories.

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Worst: Homemade Meatloaf

While this dish is not quite the highest-calorie item on the menu, Perkins' Homemade Meatloaf contains an astronomical amount of sodium, even before you add any sides. It is also high in sugar, likely from its glaze. Consuming too much sodium is another factor that can be detrimental to health, especially for those with high blood pressure who are sensitive to salt.

For these reasons, we suggest skipping this option and enjoying homemade meatloaf, which allows you to control the amount of sodium and sugar you add.

Bakery & Desserts

Best: Strawberry and Cream Cheese Crispers

Sometimes, you want something sweet to cleanse the palate after your meal. If you're looking for a lighter sweet treat, Perkins' Strawberry and Cream Cheese Crispers are one of its healthiest desserts. Lightly fried and dusted with powdered sugar, these dippers are delectable and shareable for portion control.

Compared to most other dessert items on the Perkins menu, this dish is one to keep on your radar as a once-in-a-while indulgence.

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Best: Oatmeal Cranberry Raisin Cookie

While it contains a decent number of calories, Perkins' Oatmeal Cranberry Raisin Cookie is one of the chain's lowest-calorie options. Perkins' one-cookie option allows you to indulge in a decadent cookie without going overboard. You'll also get a bit of fiber from the oats and raisins for a small nutrition boost.

Worst: Peanut Butter Silk Pie

The most unhealthy desserts at Perkins are in the muffin and pie categories. For pie, the Peanut Butter Silk Pie is the worst option because of its high calorie and ridiculously high fat and sugar content. It contains 930 calories, more than most meals, but it won't fill you up like a meal. It also packs in 47 grams of sugar, almost twice a woman's daily sugar intake limit.

For these reasons, we suggest staying away from this one, especially if you have diabetes or are trying to mind your sugar intake.

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Worst: Banana Nut Mammoth Muffin

Perkins' Banana Nut Mammoth Muffin may appear seemingly harmless, as nuts and bananas are nutritious ingredients. However, its nutritional profile is poor, with a slice containing nearly 800 calories. It's also loaded with total fat, saturated fat, and added sugar, which can contribute to health problems such as insulin resistance.

To support your health, consider skipping this one and opting for one of the best dessert options above.