High-protein McDonald's at a glance
- Most protein in one item: Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese — 48 g protein, 740 calories, $7.89.
- Most protein per dollar: McDouble — 5.8 g per $1. Two McDoubles give 44 g of protein for $7.54.
- High-protein chicken: 4 pc. McCrispy Strips — 41 g protein for $6.55, or 10 pc. McNuggets with 23 g.
- Protein per calorie: the 10 pc. McNuggets give 5.6 g of protein per 100 calories, the Quarter Pounder with Cheese 5.8 g.
High-protein breakfast at McDonald's
The breakfast items with the most protein: Big Breakfast with Hotcakes (36 g, $7.72), Steak, Egg & Cheese Bagel (34 g, $6.77), Sausage, Egg & Cheese Bagel (27 g, $5.96). The Egg McMuffin is the leanest protein breakfast: 17 g of protein in 310 calories. Adding a round egg ($2.43) to any sandwich is the cheapest protein boost. More on the McDonald's breakfast menu.
Protein and sodium
High-protein fast food comes with a lot of salt. The Double Quarter Pounder carries 1,360 mg of sodium and the 4 pc. McCrispy Strips 1,760 mg, against a 2,300 mg daily limit. The McDouble has 920 mg for 22 g of protein — one of the better high-protein ratios on the menu. Calorie-light options are on low-calorie McDonald's.
High Protein items with prices
| Menu item | In restaurant (est.) | Delivery apps | Restaurant range (est.) | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 pc. Chicken McNuggets | ≈ $14.28 | $16.99 (+19%) | $11.09 – $23.69 | 1,650 |
| Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese | ≈ $7.89 | $9.39 (+19%) | $5.71 – $11.34 | 740 |
| 20 pc. Chicken McNuggets | ≈ $8.90 | $10.59 (+19%) | $6.80 – $13.61 | 830 |
| 4 pc. McCrispy Strips | ≈ $6.55 | $7.79 (+19%) | $5.03 – $8.82 | 530 |
| Big Breakfast with Hotcakes | ≈ $7.72 | $9.19 (+19%) | $5.71 – $10.58 | 1,340 |
| Bacon Quarter Pounder with Cheese | ≈ $7.58 | $9.02 (+19%) | $5.79 – $10.08 | 630 |
| Steak, Egg & Cheese Bagel | ≈ $6.77 | $8.06 (+19%) | $5.29 – $9.66 | 680 |
| 3 pc. McCrispy Strips | ≈ $5.46 | $6.49 (+19%) | $4.19 – $7.39 | 400 |
| Quarter Pounder with Cheese | ≈ $6.30 | $7.49 (+19%) | $4.45 – $8.27 | 520 |
| Quarter Pounder with Cheese Deluxe | ≈ $6.88 | $8.19 (+19%) | $4.87 – $9.24 | 630 |
| Sausage, Egg & Cheese Bagel | ≈ $5.96 | $7.09 (+19%) | $4.61 – $8.06 | 710 |
| Deluxe McCrispy | ≈ $6.30 | $7.50 (+19%) | $4.95 – $8.06 | 530 |
| Spicy McCrispy | ≈ $5.86 | $6.97 (+19%) | $4.11 – $7.47 | 530 |
| Spicy Deluxe McCrispy | ≈ $6.46 | $7.69 (+19%) | $4.87 – $8.23 | 530 |
| Big Breakfast | ≈ $6.13 | $7.29 (+19%) | $4.53 – $8.99 | 1,060 |
| McCrispy | ≈ $5.46 | $6.50 (+19%) | $3.86 – $7.52 | 470 |
| Bacon, Egg & Cheese Bagel | ≈ $5.88 | $6.99 (+19%) | $4.61 – $8.06 | 590 |
| Big Mac | ≈ $6.22 | $7.40 (+19%) | $4.61 – $7.64 | 580 |
| Double Cheeseburger | ≈ $4.11 | $4.89 (+19%) | $3.02 – $6.55 | 440 |
| 10 pc. Chicken McNuggets | ≈ $6.04 | $7.19 (+19%) | $4.61 – $8.40 | 410 |
| McDouble | ≈ $3.77 | $4.49 (+19%) | $2.51 – $5.71 | 390 |
| Daily Double | ≈ $4.53 | $5.39 (+19%) | $3.27 – $6.30 | 490 |
| Sausage McMuffin with Egg | ≈ $4.87 | $5.79 (+19%) | $3.86 – $6.72 | 480 |
Nutrition
| Item | Calories | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Sodium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 pc. Chicken McNuggets | 1650 | 92 g | 98 g | 102 g | 3400 mg |
| Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese | 740 | 48 g | 42 g | 43 g | 1360 mg |
| 20 pc. Chicken McNuggets | 830 | 46 g | 49 g | 51 g | 1700 mg |
| 4 pc. McCrispy Strips | 530 | 41 g | 26 g | 32 g | 1760 mg |
| Big Breakfast with Hotcakes | 1340 | 36 g | 63 g | 158 g | 2070 mg |
| Bacon Quarter Pounder with Cheese | 630 | 36 g | 35 g | 43 g | 1470 mg |
| Steak, Egg & Cheese Bagel | 680 | 34 g | 35 g | 57 g | 1510 mg |
| 3 pc. McCrispy Strips | 400 | 31 g | 20 g | 24 g | 1320 mg |
| Quarter Pounder with Cheese | 520 | 30 g | 26 g | 42 g | 1140 mg |
| Quarter Pounder with Cheese Deluxe | 630 | 30 g | 37 g | 44 g | 1210 mg |
| Sausage, Egg & Cheese Bagel | 710 | 27 g | 42 g | 56 g | 1380 mg |
| Deluxe McCrispy | 530 | 27 g | 26 g | 48 g | 1050 mg |
| Spicy McCrispy | 530 | 27 g | 26 g | 48 g | 1320 mg |
| Spicy Deluxe McCrispy | 530 | 27 g | 26 g | 49 g | 1200 mg |
| Big Breakfast | 1060 | 26 g | 48 g | 131 g | 1540 mg |
| McCrispy | 470 | 26 g | 20 g | 46 g | 1140 mg |
| Bacon, Egg & Cheese Bagel | 590 | 25 g | 30 g | 56 g | 1320 mg |
| Big Mac | 580 | 25 g | 34 g | 45 g | 1060 mg |
| Double Cheeseburger | 440 | 25 g | 24 g | 34 g | 1120 mg |
| 10 pc. Chicken McNuggets | 410 | 23 g | 24 g | 26 g | 850 mg |
| McDouble | 390 | 22 g | 20 g | 32 g | 920 mg |
| Daily Double | 490 | 22 g | 31 g | 30 g | 810 mg |
| Sausage McMuffin with Egg | 480 | 20 g | 31 g | 30 g | 830 mg |
Leanest protein: most protein per calorie
| Item | Protein | Calories | Protein per 100 calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 pc. McCrispy Strips | 31 g | 400 | 7.8 g |
| 4 pc. McCrispy Strips | 41 g | 530 | 7.7 g |
| Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese | 48 g | 740 | 6.5 g |
| Quarter Pounder with Cheese | 30 g | 520 | 5.8 g |
| Bacon Quarter Pounder with Cheese | 36 g | 630 | 5.7 g |
| Double Cheeseburger | 25 g | 440 | 5.7 g |
| McDouble | 22 g | 390 | 5.6 g |
| 10 pc. Chicken McNuggets | 23 g | 410 | 5.6 g |
| 40 pc. Chicken McNuggets | 92 g | 1,650 | 5.6 g |
| 20 pc. Chicken McNuggets | 46 g | 830 | 5.5 g |
Most protein for your money
Most protein per dollar
| # | Item | Typical price | Protein | Protein per $1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 40 pc. Chicken McNuggets | $14.28 | 92 g | 6.4 g |
| 2 | 4 pc. McCrispy Strips | $6.55 | 41 g | 6.3 g |
| 3 | Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese | $7.89 | 48 g | 6.1 g |
| 4 | Double Cheeseburger | $4.11 | 25 g | 6.1 g |
| 5 | McDouble | $3.77 | 22 g | 5.8 g |
| 6 | 3 pc. McCrispy Strips | $5.46 | 31 g | 5.7 g |
| 7 | Ranch Snack Wrap | $3.27 | 17 g | 5.2 g |
| 8 | Spicy Snack Wrap | $3.27 | 17 g | 5.2 g |
| 9 | 20 pc. Chicken McNuggets | $8.90 | 46 g | 5.2 g |
| 10 | Cheeseburger | $2.93 | 15 g | 5.1 g |
Filter the whole menu
Need to avoid specific allergens or combine conditions (for example vegan and under 500 calories)? Use the interactive allergen & diet filter. Other guides: Low Calorie.
Paid a different price? Tell us
Two taps, no account, no email. We check every report and update the prices ourselves.
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest-protein item at McDonald's?
The Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese, with 48 g of protein and 740 calories for $7.89. Among sharing boxes, the 40 pc. McNuggets has 92 g.
What is the cheapest high-protein item at McDonald's?
The McDouble: 22 g of protein for $3.77, about 5.8 g per dollar.
How much protein is in 10 McNuggets?
23 g, with 410 calories before sauce.
How much protein is in a Big Mac?
25 g of protein in 580 calories — less than a Quarter Pounder with Cheese (30 g).
What is a good high-protein breakfast at McDonald's?
The Egg McMuffin (17 g protein, 310 calories) for a lean option, or the Sausage McMuffin with Egg (20 g) for more.
Which McDonald's chicken has the most protein?
The 4 pc. McCrispy Strips (41 g) among single servings, then the 10 pc. McNuggets (23 g) and the McCrispy sandwiches (26–27 g).
How many McDonald's items have 20 g of protein or more?
23 food items on the US menu, mostly double-patty burgers, Quarter Pounders, McCrispy sandwiches, larger McNuggets boxes and strips.