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Casual Dining Chains Ranked by Average Menu Calories

Published May 2, 2026 · 6 min read · By the MenuCalories editorial desk

When you compare casual dining chains by the average calories per menu item in our database, a clear pattern emerges: the chains best known for shareable appetizers and oversized entrees land at the heavy end, while seafood-forward and grill-forward concepts tend to skew lighter.

The numbers below are averages across every entry we have published for each chain, not single-item picks. They are useful for comparison shopping between chains, not for choosing what to order inside one — that decision lives at the item level.

Average calories per menu item, ranked

  • 1. Bonefish Grill — 499 kcal avg across 22 tracked items
  • 2. Cracker Barrel — 575 kcal avg across 22 tracked items
  • 3. Ruby Tuesday — 639 kcal avg across 22 tracked items
  • 4. P.F. Chang's — 645 kcal avg across 22 tracked items
  • 5. Eddie V's Prime Seafood — 646 kcal avg across 22 tracked items
  • 6. Carrabba's Italian Grill — 663 kcal avg across 22 tracked items
  • 7. Red Lobster — 671 kcal avg across 22 tracked items
  • 8. Texas Roadhouse — 725 kcal avg across 23 tracked items
  • 9. LongHorn Steakhouse — 728 kcal avg across 22 tracked items
  • 10. Bahama Breeze — 752 kcal avg across 22 tracked items
  • 11. Olive Garden — 783 kcal avg across 23 tracked items
  • 12. Logan's Roadhouse — 811 kcal avg across 23 tracked items
  • 13. Outback Steakhouse — 840 kcal avg across 22 tracked items
  • 14. IHOP — 865 kcal avg across 22 tracked items
  • 15. Ruth's Chris Steak House — 883 kcal avg across 22 tracked items
  • 16. Denny's — 896 kcal avg across 22 tracked items
  • 17. Maggiano's Little Italy — 925 kcal avg across 23 tracked items
  • 18. Chili's — 935 kcal avg across 22 tracked items
  • 19. Yard House — 975 kcal avg across 22 tracked items
  • 20. Applebee's — 999 kcal avg across 22 tracked items
  • 21. TGI Fridays — 1003 kcal avg across 22 tracked items
  • 22. Buffalo Wild Wings — 1067 kcal avg across 22 tracked items
  • 23. BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse — 1199 kcal avg across 22 tracked items
  • 24. The Cheesecake Factory — 1341 kcal avg across 22 tracked items

Why averages can be misleading

A chain with a heavy average is not necessarily a worse choice. Most sit-down menus have a wide range — you will typically find a 400-calorie entree on the same page as a 1,500-calorie one. The averages reflect menu mix, not the lowest possible order.

A more useful question is: across the chains nearest you, which one publishes the largest selection of items under 600 calories? That is the right view if you are eating out frequently and want predictable, sustainable choices instead of one-off "diet" picks.

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