The #1 Unhealthiest Menu Item at Olive Garden, McDonald's & More

Dining out is often considered a splurge…in more ways than one. First and foremost, it's a treat because of the strain it puts on your wallet. Eating at restaurants isn't what it used to be. According to the Consumer Price Index, the cost of food away from home has jumped up 3.7% in the past year after a 4.5% increase in 2024. Plus, we can't forget about the astounding 8.3% increase that was reported back in 2022. With the cost of a Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese currently at $8.67, it's clear that even fast food stops are pricey these days.

But eating out is also thought of as a splurge in terms of your diet. Restaurants, both fast food and dine-in alike, generally don't have the best reputation when it comes to nutrition. It's typical to see oversized portions, hidden ingredients, and loads of calories, fat, and sodium on their menus. When you're trying to stick to a plan, these eateries don't always make it easy. There are more wholesome options to choose from. But then there are also items such as the following that stand out as the absolute unhealthiest picks at some of the country's most prominent chains. Take a look and beware of these food bombs filled with everything you don't want and nothing you do—ranked, from least worst to the #1 worst dish out there.

Red Lobster – Lobster Linguine

February through April is Lobster Fest at Red Lobster. That means during these months, even more crustacean-inspired dishes can be found crawling around the chain. Dripping in butter, they are undeniably delicious but also tough on your diet. The Lobster Linguine is the least nutritious of the pod, and at 1,200 calories, it's also the highest-calorie single item on the maritime menu. The dinner's 69 grams of fat, 86 carbs, and 3,000 milligrams of sodium additionally don't help its case.

In terms of calories, the Bar Harbor Lobster Bake, Shrimp & Lobster Linguine, and Lobster Pappardelle Pasta aren't too far off. And, a few fried seafood meals complete with fries and hushpuppies like Admiral's Feast or Crunch-Fried Flounder Sandwich even surpass the linguine in most nutrition categories.

Jack in the Box – Big Smashed Jack

At Jack in the Box, the least nourishing selection is actually a newcomer. Released in February 2025, the Big Smashed Jack arrived with a bang. The burger, described as a "bigger, bolder, and more flavorful" version of the fan-favorite Smashed Jack, was introduced in honor of the chain's 74th birthday. It's almost Big Mac-esque with a triple bun, two quarter-pound beef patties, two slices of American cheese, shredded lettuce, onion, pickles, and Boss Sauce. Unfortunately, though, bigger and bolder also means more calories, and this new release surpasses the original Smashed Jack by 500. It also contains 78 grams of fat, including 29 grams of saturated and 4.5 grams of trans fats, and loads you up with 47 grams of carbs and nearly 2,000 milligrams of sodium.

On the dessert menu, you'll also want to watch out for the creamy milkshakes, specifically the indulgent 24-ounces. From Strawberry to Chocolate to OREO Cookie, each cup contains over 1,100 calories and over 100 grams of sugar.

McDonald's – Big Breakfast with Hotcakes

In the land of Big Macs, McFlurries, and McNuggets, it's a breakfast item that really racks up the nutrition numbers. McDonald's Big Breakfast–specifically with hotcakes tacked on–is a 1,340-calorie meal that starts your morning off with a bang. It masquerades as a filling meal with a combination of scrambled eggs, hashbrowns, a sausage patty, a biscuit, and, of course, pancakes with butter and syrup. But, what it's filling you up with is 63 grams of fat (24 of which are saturated fat), 158 carbs, and over 2,000 total milligrams of sodium. Nixing the hotcakes brings the order down to 1,060 calories and 48 grams of fat. However, you're still better off sticking to an Egg McMuffin or even a Sausage Burrito when you make a morning-time stop at the Golden Arches.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

Olive Garden – Chicken Tortellini Alfredo

At Olive Garden, the endless soup and salad can certainly add up. But that's nothing compared to the Chicken Tortellini Alfredo entree. Consisting of Asiago cheese-filled tortellini pasta baked in alfredo with a blend of Italian cheeses and breadcrumbs and topped with grilled chicken, the dinner portion will help you carbo load and surpass your protein goals–at 95 grams and 112 grams, respectively. It's also the highest-calorie meal on the restaurant's menu, with nearly 2,000 calories. Plus, its sodium content stands at an alarming 3,720 milligrams, while its fat content adds up to 131 grams (76 grams saturated, 2.5 grams trans).

While the Chicken Tortellini reports the highest overall nutrition numbers, this seems to be a recurring problem with all the chain's "Amazing Alfredos!" The Chicken Alfredo with crispy chicken has 1,790 calories, and the Steak Gorgonzola Alfredo is close behind with 1,580. We could venture to guess that Alfredo's makeup of butter, cheese, and cream has something to do with this.

Texas Roadhouse – Cactus Blossom

It doesn't come as a huge shock that a deep-fried onion appetizer served with a creamy Cajun sauce lacks nutritional value. In terms of calories and fat (among other things), the Cactus Blossom even beats out other hefty Texas Roadhouse specialties like a full rack of ribs or the chain's largest steak, the 23-ounce Porterhouse T-Bone. The shareable starter contains 2,250 calories (over half of which are from fat) as well as 236 carbs, and a heart-stopping 5,000 milligrams of sodium.

In terms of hand-cut steaks, the 20-ounce Bone-In Ribeye is the least healthy of the herd. It contains 1,480 calories and 101 grams of fat. If you're looking for something leaner and lighter, opt for the USDA Choice Sirloin or Dallas Filet instead.

Chili's – Nashville Hot Fried Mozzarella

It may deliver an epic, Instagram-worthy cheese pull, but Chili's Fried Mozzarella is one of the least healthy options on the menu–especially when it's covered in Nashville Hot sauce. Doused in this spicy coating, a six-count order of the cheese serves up 181 grams of fat with plenty of saturated and even trans fat, 6650 milligrams of sodium, and 114 carbs. That adds up to 2,470 total calories just for the "starter". And if you thought the Honey Chipotle rendition would be much better, you'd be mistaken. This alternative flavor contains similar levels of calories and fat and even more carbs and sugar.

Buffalo Wild Wings – Buffalo Chicken Tots

If you order the Buffalo Chicken Tots at B-Dubs, you should plan to share. Otherwise, you'll be staring down more than an entire day's worth of calories in one basket. The appetizer is made up of tater tots topped with shredded chicken, blue cheese crumbles, pickled Fresno chile peppers, green onions, and a drizzle of both a sauce of choice and ranch dressing. With Medium sauce, it comes to a total of 2,110 calories and 144 grams of fat. 6 of these grams are trans fat, equating to three times your recommended daily value. If you opt for something like Wild or Original Buffalo sauce instead, these counts shoot up even more–including sodium levels, which are already astronomical at 7,360 milligrams.

And the Worst Dish on This List is….Outback Steakhouse – Aussie Cheese Fries

Surprisingly, Down Under, the infamous Bloomin' Onion (the steak chain's original version of Texas Roadhouse's Cactus Blossom) is not the unhealthiest item on the menu–though it does pack a punch at 1,900 calories and 145 grams of fat. Instead, a different kind of "Aussi-tizer" dominates this category: the Aussie Cheese Fries. One standard order of the fries, covered in Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese, bacon, and ranch dressing, adds up to 2,620 calories, 182 grams of fat, 153 carbs, and, the real kicker, 7,490 milligrams of sodium. Crikey! That's over three times your recommended daily limit of sodium. Anything else on the menu would be a smarter choice, even 22-ounce steaks, rib combos, and decadent desserts like the Chocolate Tower.