9 Best Fast Food Salads, Ranked
Most people have eaten at a fast food chain at least once in their life. Whether it's been for a quick lunch, on the road, or at an airport, notorious joints like McDonald's and Wendy's are home to some of the most well-known sandwiches, burgers, and french fries. But did you know some fast food joints offer healthier options, too?
Although they're not always the most nutritional meals, fast food chains have made a true effort in the salad game — some spots are more obvious for getting a salad, like Chipotle, the Mexican-inspired chain. And other places are more of a surprise, like Burger King. However, there's certainly a hierarchy to these fast food salads. Spoiler alert: We're definitely not surprised that options from Panera Bread and Qdoba landed on our list.
With all that being said, when you're at a fast food spot, and you're contemplating ordering a salad, it's helpful to know which ones are actually worth it. In some cases, though, a salad can have just as many calories as a burger or chicken sandwich. To help you figure out which ones you should try, look no further than our definitive ranking of the best fast food salads.
9. Burger King Chicken Club Salad
While Burger King succeeds in certain respects — the chain's chicken fries are a must-try — salads don't seem to be the chain's forte. Our list is rounded out by BK's Chicken Club Salad, which happens to boast a whopping 610 calories and 41 grams of fat per serving. Outside of its lackluster nutritional value, the ingredients themselves aren't the most exciting. It contains romaine lettuce and radicchio, bacon, cheddar cheese, tomatoes, breaded chicken, croutons, and a packet of dressing.
Although it may sound appealing to some meat lovers, Insider reviewed this salad back in 2018 and described the chicken as being "bland, stringy, and boring." It's likely a decent option if you're in a pinch — say, you're on a road trip and Burger King is one of your only food options — but customers generally find this meal to be overwhelmingly unappealing. To top things off, Insider reports that it costs around $7.49, which is a pretty high price for something so dull.
8. McDonald's Southwest Salad
This salad comes from one of the most well-known fast food chains in the world. McDonald's cheap pricing and core food offerings tend to be quick, easy, and consistent. Surprisingly, its Southwest Salad isn't too bad, especially in comparison to other options at this fast food location. In 2016, the McDonald's menu made headlines when it was revealed that its Keep Calm, Caesar On salad — no longer sold in the U.S. — had more calories than a Big Mac. At the time, the Caesar salad contained more than 730 calories, while a Double Big Mac boasted 680.
On the other hand, the Southwest Salad is a much healthier option, featuring 350 calories per serving. Best of all, it actually comprises some yummy ingredients, like grilled chicken, beans, lime, and tortilla chips. You can also order the salad exactly how you'd like. This means non-meat eaters can nix the chicken and go veggie. That being said, while the caloric value is decent, the rest of the nutritional value could be better. The sodium and saturated fat levels are especially high, so it likely won't be the best combination of health and taste.
7. Wendy's Avocado Chicken Salad
Wendy's Avocado Chicken Salad has been found to be good but not great. According to Delishably, the southwest ranch dressing features a "nice, spicy chipotle taste," while the bacon was crispy and the vegetables tasted quite fresh. However, in an effort to live up to its Tex-Mex-inspired taste profile, it does come with a giant glob of avocado on top, which definitely won't be everyone's jam.
When it comes to nutrition, it actually performs pretty well. It's high in fat with 33 grams total and calories at 520 per serving, likely due to the avocado, but chances are, this means that it'll probably keep you fuller for longer. However, if you're looking to lose weight, you may want to opt for something lighter in caloric value. We're not wildly impressed by this fast food salad, which is why it ended up landing at a pretty middle-of-the-road spot. It doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it does feature good-tasting ingredients.
6. Panera Bread Asian Sesame Chicken Salad
Panera Bread is no stranger to the salad game. The sit-down spot is known for its variety of sandwiches, soups, and salads. So, naturally, next up on our list is the Asian Sesame Chicken Salad. This option is a yummy mix of Asian-inspired flavors, complete with a tangy vinaigrette and fun garnishes like cilantro and wonton strips. At 420 calories per serving, this salad tastes pretty decent. It also contains crunchy romaine lettuce, chicken that's been raised without antibiotics, toasted almonds, and sesame seeds, so it packs a lot of flavors.
The ingredients are relatively simple, which may be more appealing to a variety of eaters, even if you're not a huge salad lover. That being said, the chicken wasn't the greatest — when we tried it, we found that it leaves a bit to be desired in terms of the seasoning and texture, feeling more akin to pre-made grocery store chicken strips. It's also expensive and boasts the highest price point on our list. Currently, it costs $11.79 for a full serving. For those reasons, we can't rank this salad too high. However, if you don't mind the cost, you may want to try this fresh option for yourself.
5. Chick-Fil-A Market Salad
Remember when we said that Wendy's Southwest Avocado Chicken Salad doesn't reinvent the wheel? Well, Chick-Fil-A is getting closer to doing so, thanks to its array of unique ingredients that aren't typically found in fast food salads. This option features grilled chicken, mixed greens, blue cheese, apples, strawberries, and blueberries. For those who absolutely adore adding seasonal fruit to their salads, this is the meal for you. To top things off, you also receive a Zesty Apple Cider Vinaigrette dressing, roasted almonds, and harvest nut granola.
One reviewer dubbed Chick-Fil-A's Market Salad with Grilled Fillet as "very fresh," finding that the greens weren't wilted and the fruit had a nice bite to it. Additionally, they said that they didn't love the dressing that came with it, stating that "the avocado lime ranch dressing is delish and low carb, but it is pretty high in calories." However, they also noted that there was a tad too much fruit for their liking, but the nuts provided a yummy crunch.
The base caloric value weighs in at about 540 calories, 26 grams of protein, 31 grams of fat, and a whopping 41 grams of carbs if you get the cold option. We're not sure why, but if you like your chicken warm, then these numbers fluctuate a bit. They come out to 550 calories, 31 grams of fat, 28 grams of protein, and 42 grams of carbs. While we love the variety of ingredients, it's not as nutritious as a salad can be — so this places it at the middle of our list.
4. Wendy's Apple Pecan Chicken Salad
We're down to the wire now, with one of our favorite options coming straight from Wendy's menu. The chain's Apple Pecan Chicken Salad is actually pretty solid: It contains a blend of lettuce, green and red apples, dried cranberries, roasted pecans, grilled chicken, and blue cheese. It also comes with a tasty pomegranate vinaigrette, which ties everything together in a tangy and slightly sweet way.
At a first glance, this salad isn't too bad on the nutritional side of things. It has a protein that reviewers described as "fresh," "juicy," and "tender," while the blend of green and red apples provides a nice crunch. However, the dietary qualms come in the form of the dressing, dried cranberries, and blue cheese crumbles, pushing this salad to 520 calories total and 23 grams of fat, according to Fast Food Nutrition. Still, even at a higher caloric value, Wendy's customers really seem to love this option. After all, you can easily nix the dressing to shed some calories on this meal, and with rave reviews to boot, we can't deny that Wendy's Apple Pecan Chicken Salad is a decent pick.
3. Panera Bread Strawberry Poppyseed Salad
Panera Bread has made another appearance on our list, but this time, it's because of its seasonal Strawberry Poppyseed Salad. All in all, Panera Bread customers really like this option. It perfectly encompasses summertime flavors thanks to its flavor profile, which contains natural chicken, fresh romaine, and an array of fruit, including strawberries, blueberries, and pineapple (via The Repository). It also features a poppyseed dressing — hence the name. However, one reviewer found the dressing to be a tad too sweet, especially with all of the fruit.
At just 360 calories, this is definitely a fun and guilt-free dish that is worth trying. With the chicken, it has 28 grams of protein per serving. However, it can be taken out to make a vegetarian-friendly option — which isn't too shabby (via Panera Bread).
Our primary qualm with this salad is its price, which has a similar price point to Panera Bread's Asian Sesame Chicken Salad. One serving comes in at $11.49, putting it on the higher end for what you get. It's also only available on the menu during the summer, so you, unfortunately, can't try this salad out at any other time of year. For those reasons, we can't place this option any higher on our list. However, it still ranks pretty highly for its taste, versatility, and yummy ingredients.
2. Qdoba Citrus Lime Chicken Salad
Our second to last pick comes from Qdoba, a Mexican-style fast food joint known for its wide variety of bowls, tacos, quesadillas, and more. The chain's Citrus Lime Chicken Salad is a Tex-Mex-inspired take on a classic chicken salad, boasting Southwestern flavors like adobo, chile, and citrus lime. When it comes to a salad, a good flavor profile can amplify things, and this option doesn't fall short in that department. As stated on the Qdoba menu, this meal consists of grilled adobo chicken, romaine lettuce, black beans, chile corn salsa, pico de gallo, a citrus lime vinaigrette, and tortilla strips — sounds delicious.
It was initially introduced as part of the chain's vegetarian, keto, and more menu back in 2021 since it can also be made gluten-free without tortilla chips. According to Chew Boom, it's under 550 calories, which is pretty impressive since it contains so many delicious ingredients. When we tried this salad out, we were immediately obsessed — the taste was incredible, the chicken was juicy and tender, and the slight spice was a nice addition. The only reason why it didn't receive our top spot is salad doesn't work well without the protein, which means non-meat eaters can't enjoy this yummy option.
1. Chipotle build your own salad option
Our top pick for the best fast food salad goes to Chipotle's build your own salad option. There isn't a set recipe for this dish, but that's kind of the beauty of it: Like any of Chipotle's other meal options, you can go down the line and choose what you'd like to include. The only thing that stays the same across the board is the base: A lettuce blend of romaine, baby kale, and baby spinach (via Chipotle). From there, you can choose from a meat protein, veggies, or a plant-based meat substitute, and rice, beans, and a bunch of other tasty toppings.
In general, people really love Chipotle's salad options. When Fast Food Geek reviewed the chain's vegetarian salad — made with lettuce, black beans, fajita veggies, and salsas — they gave it an A- for nutrition and a B+ for taste, describing it as "very colorful and extremely tasty." There are a ton of different salad combinations you can create, making it a particularly versatile option, too. We love this because non-meat eaters or plant-based folks can find something just as easily as those who eat dairy and meat.
Salad prices start at $6.50 but can increase with toppings like guacamole and salsa (via Fast Food Menu Prices). Not only is this option less expensive than some others on the list, but the ingredients are also fresh. All 53 of Chipotle's ingredients are "real," meaning they're without artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives (as stated by Chipotle). When you consider all of those impressive factors, it's easy to see how the chain's salad came in at number one.