Yes, You Can Get a Delicious Fast-Food Salad — and These Are the Best

These fast-food salads are not only flavorful, but they're also 550 calories or less.

We know what you’re thinking. Fast-food salads are notorious for being filled with wilted leaves and flavorless toppings. And they’re still packed with calories from an overabundance of cheese and dressing.

But we’re here to prove you wrong. After a bit of research, we found five fast-food salads that are not only flavorful but are also 550 calories or less. We ranked them from most to least caloric, but we’d order any one of them right now.

5. Chick-fil-A Market Salad

Chick-fil-A / PR Newswire

Calories: 550

Fat: 31 grams

Protein: 28 grams

Carbs: 42 grams

Why It’s One of the Best Fast-Food Salads

Sandy V. / Yelp

Chick-fil-A has a surprising salad section. In fact, its salads are so beloved by customers that the fast-food chain decided not to discontinue its side salad after facing severe backlash when it announced plans to do so in spring 2023.

The fast-food restaurant offers three salads year-round, but the Market Salad is its most delicious — and healthiest. For those who firmly believe fruit doesn’t belong on salad, this one will make you think otherwise. Its blend of red and green apples, strawberries and blueberries, crumbled blue cheese and sliced chicken breast creates a flavorful combination that will keep you coming back for more. Plus, these salads are prepared daily with fresh produce delivered to the restaurants up to six days a week.

4. Wendy’s Parmesan Caesar Salad

Wendy’s Guam / Facebook

Calories: 530

Fat: 37 grams

Protein: 33 grams

Carbs: 15 grams

Why It’s One of the Best Fast-Food Salads

Gretchen S. / Yelp

Of the three big burger fast-food chains, Wendy’s takes the cakes when it comes to creating a salad people actually want to eat. Remember McDonald’s questionable McSalad Shakers? We wish we could forget them.

While Wendy’s actually offers four salads, we’re going to suggest the Parmesan Caesar because we love its approach to this classic recipe. And before you panic over the amount of total fat in it, consider that 25 grams are from the dressing alone. So, if you don’t use the dressing or at least not all of it, the salad quickly becomes a 290-calorie entree.

3. Panera’s Green Goddess Cobb With Chicken

Panera Bread / Facebook

Calories: 480

Fat: 27 grams

Protein: 37 grams

Carbs: 25 grams

Why It’s One of the Best Fast-Food Salads

Reva B. / Yelp

The freshly made Green Goddess dressing takes the classic Chicken Cobb salad up a notch, making this a salad flavor pairing we could eat again and again. Keep it extra healthy with a side apple, or venture out a bit by ordering the French baguette (still only 180 calories).

Note: Panera is known for its half salad, but the nutrition count is for the whole salad entree, which makes it a definite win in our book.

2. Sweetgreen Italian Chopped Salad

Sweetgreen / Facebook

Calories: 390

Fat: 28 grams

Protein: 17 grams

Carbs: 20 grams

Why It’s One of the Best Fast-Food Salads

Sara Z. / Yelp

We almost can’t believe that the calorie count is so low on this one. Plus, it’s packed with protein.

All of the ingredients — salami, spicy banana peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, chickpeas, red onions, shaved parmesan, and chopped romaine and shredded kale — are finished off with a red wine vinaigrette that’s guaranteed to make this a go-to lunch item for anyone lucky enough to be in close proximity of a Sweetgreen.

1. Chipotle Steak Salad With Black Beans, Fajita Vegetables and Fresh Tomato Salsa

Chipotle Mexican Grill / PR Newswire

Calories: 330

Fat: 8 grams

Protein: 30 grams

Carbs: 33 grams

Why It’s One of the Best Fast-Food Salads

Alpana M. / Yelp

Yes, you can get a steak salad at Chipotle for fewer than 350 calories. The trick is eating the salad without dressing, which is easy to do if you incorporate the flavorful, fresh tomato salsa in addition to the black beans and grilled onions and green peppers.

Of course, you can liven it up with cheese, guacamole and the Chipotle honey vinaigrette, but it will cost you in calorie count.

For more nutritious fast-food options, check out “25 Healthiest Fast-Food Menu Options, Ranked.”