If fast food is often on your menu, there’s a chance you may be eating too much sodium. In fact, most Americans consume around 3,500 milligrams of sodium per day, and about 70% of the sodium we eat comes from processed meals, such as fast food, rather than from the salt shaker on our kitchen tables.
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends a maximum of 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day for most people, with an ideal limit of 1,500 milligrams. To put things into perspective, just one teaspoon of salt contains 2,300 milligrams of sodium. People with high blood pressure and heart issues should stick to the 1,500-milligram-per-day recommendation. The problem? Eating a diet high in sodium can contribute to cardiovascular problems, such as heart disease, stroke, as well as kidney disease, osteoporosis, and certain cancer, per the AHA.
To help you put a cap on your salt intake, we rounded up the saltiest fast-food orders you should try to avoid at the drive-thru, and ranked them all in order, starting with overly salty and ending with the absolute saltiest fast-food order.
If you’re going the fast-food route, opt for these 21 Best Low-Sodium Fast-Food Orders, According to Dietitians instead.
Papa John’s Philly Cheesesteak Pizza
Nutrition (Per extra-large slice):
Calories: 350
Fat: 13 g (Saturated fat: 5 g)
Sodium: 1,250 mg
Carbs: 40 g (Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 5 g)
Protein: 16 g
The AHA lists pizza as one of the Salty Six, aka the six highest-sodium foods, and it’s no secret as to why. Just a single single of Papa John’s Philly Cheese Steak Pizza packs more than half a day’s worth of sodium. Go for seconds, and you’ll reach a full day’s worth of sodium in one sitting.
McDonald’s Sausage McGriddles Meal
Nutrition (Per meal):
Calories: 575
Fat: 32 g (Saturated fat: 10 g)
Sodium: 1,310 mg
Carbs: 60 g (Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 14 g)
Protein: 13 g
You’ll want to avoid Mickey D’s Sausage McGriddles Meal at any time of the day. The sodium-per-calorie ratio in this popular breakfast order is sky-high. The sandwich in this meal features griddle cakes and sausage and it’s paired with crispy hash browns for a meal that gives you 57% of your day’s worth of sodium.
Five Guys Bacon Cheeseburger
Nutrition (Per burger):
Calories: 1,060
Fat: 62 g
Sodium: 1,310 mg
Carbs: 40 g
Five Guys’ Bacon Cheeseburger comes stacked with American cheese and apple-wood smoked bacon. This flavorful base gives you 1,310 milligrams of sodium, and that’s before you even add any toppings.
McDonald’s Big Mac Combo Meal
Nutrition (Per meal):
Calories: 1,120
Fat: 49 g (Saturated fat: 13 g)
Sodium: 1,365 mg
Carbs: 145 g (Fiber: 7 g, Sugar: 65 g)
Protein: 30 g
McDonald’s Big Mac Combo Meal comes with the fast-food chain’s signature Big Mac, a medium-sized order of fries, and a Coca-Cola. Altogether, you’ll get a staggering 1,365 milligrams of sodium, mostly from the burger (which contains sodium-rich cheese and pickles) and fries.
Subway Buffalo Chicken 6″ Sandwich
Nutrition (Per 6-inch sub):
Calories: 380
Fat: 12 g (Saturated fat: 3 g)
Sodium: 1,380 mg
Carbs: 42 g (Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 6 g)
Protein: 25 g
Macronutrient-wise, Subway’s Buffalo Chicken Sandwich isn’t the worst fast-food lunch you can order. For under 400 calories, you’ll get 25 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber. But when you zoom into the micronutrients—sodium, specifically—that’s when things start to go south. One 6-inch sub is about 1,000 milligrams shy of your entire day’s worth of sodium.
Taco Bell Grilled Cheese Burrito
Nutrition (Per burrito):
Calories: 720
Fat: 40 g (Saturated fat: 16 g)
Sodium: 1,500 mg
Carbs: 64 g (Fiber: 6 g, Sugar: 5 g)
Protein: 26 g
Taco Bell sprinkles a double dose of its three-cheese blend in this Grilled Cheese Burrito, which also comes stuffed with seasoned beef, nacho cheese sauce, seasoned rice, fiesta strips, creamy chipotle sauce, and sour cream. The result? You’ll get the same amount of sodium found in 85 mini pretzel twists.
Pizza Hut Oven-Baked Italian Meats Pasta
Nutrition (Per meal):
Calories: 860
Fat: 37 g (Saturated fat: 15 g)
Sodium: 1,640 mg
Carbs: 97 g (Fiber: 8 g, Sugar: 17 g)
Protein: 36 g
Pizza Hut’s Oven-Baked Italian Meats Pasta order is packed with pepperoni, sausage, loads of cheese, and sweet tomato sauce, plus five breadsticks for a sodium bomb of a meal. You’ll get 71% of your entire day’s worth of sodium by forking into this pasta dish.
Culver’s Triple Bacon Deluxe
Nutrition (Per burger):
Calories: 1,200
Fat: 82 g (Saturated fat: 33 g)
Sodium: 1,700 mg
Carbs: 45 g (Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 11 g)
Protein: 68 g
This Triple Burger piles three beef patties high with thick-cut bacon, Wisconsin cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, red onion, and Culver’s signature mayo on a buttered bun. This cheesy burger contains the same amount of salt as about 97 mini pretzel twists.
Raising Cane’s The Sandwich Combo
Nutrition (Per meal):
Calories: 1,080
Fat: 54 g (Saturated fat: 8 g)
Sodium: 1,700 mg
Carbs: 103 g (Fiber: 10 g, Sugar: 13 g)
Protein: 52 g
This Chicken Sandwich Meal from Raising Cane’s comes with three fried chicken fingers inside a bun with Cane’s sauce and a hefty portion of crinkle-cut fries. Fried food is notoriously high in sodium, so it’s no surprise that this meal jam-packs half a day’s worth of sodium.
Wendy’s Big Bacon Classic Triple Burger
Nutrition (Per burger):
Calories: 1,220
Fat: 86 g (Saturated fat: 36 g)
Sodium: 1,850 mg
Carbs: 38 g (Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 9 g)
Protein: 75 g
This Triple-Stacked Burger packs 3/4 of a pound of beef plus bacon and American cheese for a sandwich totaling 1,850 milligrams of sodium. What’s even more mind-blowing is the amount of fat in this burger: You’ll get 86 grams of total fat, including 36 grams of saturated fat.
Chick-fil-A Chicken, Egg & Cheese Biscuit
Nutrition (Per sandwich):
Calories: 550
Fat: 28 g (Saturated fat: 12 g)
Sodium: 1,870 mg
Carbs: 48 g (Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 7 g)
Protein: 27 g
Chick-fil-A’s southern fare-inspired breakfast offers up 1,870 milligrams of sodium, which is about as much sodium as 103 pretzel sticks. You’ll get a triple dose of salt from the chicken’s seasoning as well as in the American cheese-folded egg and the buttermilk biscuit.
Burger King Egg-Normous Burrito
Nutrition (Per burrito):
Calories: 830
Fat: 45 g (Saturated fat: 17 g)
Sodium: 2,055 mg
Carbs: 69 g (Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 4 g)
Protein: 35 g
Burger King’s breakfast offerings aren’t any less salty than many of the burgers and sandwiches on its menu. Take the Egg-Normous Burrito, for example. It packs 2,055 milligrams of sodium, which is nearly a full teaspoon of salt.
McDonald’s Big Breakfast with Hotcakes
Nutrition (Per meal):
Calories: 1,340
Fat: 63 g (Saturated fat: 24 g)
Sodium: 2,070 mg
Carbs: 158 g (Fiber: 5 g, Sugar: 48 g)
Protein: 36 g
Imagine getting an entire day’s worth of sodium before noon. That’s exactly what you’re bargaining for if you wake up to McDonald’s Big Breakfast with Hotcakes. This morning meal provides 90% of your daily value of sodium, and that’s thanks to a large portion of hotcakes, scrambled eggs, hash browns, sausage, a biscuit, and butter.
Wendy’s Loaded Nacho Chicken Combo
Nutrition (Per meal):
Calories: 670
Fat: 30 g (Saturated fat: 8 g)
Sodium: 2,070 mg
Carbs: 66 g (Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 11 g)
Protein: 35 g
Imagine all the fixings in your favorite nacho platter stuffed into a sandwich. That’s what Wendy’s Loaded Nacho Chicken sandwich is: It has breaded chicken breast, American cheese, tortilla strips, spicy chipotle sauce, and poblano queso all packed high onto a jalapeño cheddar bun. Add fries to the side, and you’ll get a total of 2,070 milligrams of sodium.
Subway The Beast Sub
Nutrition (Per sub):
Calories: 730
Fat: 44 g (Saturated fat: 14 g)
Sodium: 2,080 mg
Carbs: 45 g (Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 7 g)
Protein: 40 g
Truly beastly, Subway stuffs six sodium bombs into this sub. You’ll get nearly a full day’s worth of sodium from pepperoni, salami, turkey, ham, roast beef, and double provolone cheese.
Burger King Double Sausage, Egg, & Cheese Croissan’wich
Nutrition (Per sandwich):
Calories: 882
Fat: 66 g (Saturated fat: 29 g)
Sodium: 2,196 mg
Carbs: 33 g (Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 5 g)
Protein: 39 g
Two thick sausage patties, cheese, and an omelet get stacked on a buttery croissant, offering up a staggering 882 calories, 66 grams of fat, and nearly a whole day’s worth of sodium. If you’re at Burger King for breakfast, skip this Croissan’wich to save the heart-harming sodium and fat.
Dairy Queen Triple Backyard Bacon Ranch Signature Stackburgers
Nutrition (Per sandwich):
Calories: 1,020
Fat: 67 g (Saturated fat: 27 g)
Sodium: 2,310 mg
Carbs: 54 g (Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 15 g)
Protein: 50 g
This Triple Burger from DQ is piled with three patties along with honey BBQ sauce, onion rings, applewood smoked bacon, and two slices of processed cheddar cheese, resulting in a full day’s worth of sodium. Biting into this burger for lunch is like eating an entire teaspoon of salt – if you wouldn’t eat a spoonful of salt, then you’ll probably want to avoid ordering this sandwich at the Blizzard chain’s drive-thru.
Dairy Queen Country Platter With Ham
Nutrition (Per meal):
Calories: 860
Fat: 42 g (Saturated fat: 13 g)
Sodium: 2,350 mg
Carbs: 60 g (Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 2 g)
Protein: 28 g
Waking up to a breakfast with more sodium than you should eat in an entire day is never a smart idea. DQ’s Breakfast Platter is piled high with scrambled eggs, potatoes, ham, and your choice of a biscuit or Texas toast for 2,350 milligrams of sodium.
Burger King Bacon King
Nutrition (Per sandwich):
Calories: 1,710
Fat: 48 g (Saturated fat: 3 g)
Sodium: 2,405 mg
Carbs: 59 g (Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 16 g)
Protein: 107 g
Stacked with bacon, beef patties, and cheese, the Bacon King is one of the saltiest burgers you can get at the drive-thru. Each sandwich packs nearly a whole teaspoon’s worth of salt.
Arby’s Roast Turkey Ranch & Bacon Sandwich
Nutrition (Per sandwich):
Calories: 810
Fat: 35 g (Saturated fat: 10 g)
Sodium: 2,520 mg
Carbs: 79 g (Fiber: 5 g, Sugar: 15 g)
Protein: 46 g
Roasted turkey is lean protein source, but when it’s combined with bacon, cheddar, and Parmesan Peppercorn Ranch sauce, you’re in for one of the saltiest sandwiches on fast-food menus. One Arby’s Roast Turkey Ranch & Bacon Sandwich brings you 10% over your sodium limit for the entire day.
Arby’s Half Pound Beef ‘N Cheddar
Nutrition (Per sandwich):
Calories: 740
Fat: 39 g (Saturated fat: 14 g)
Sodium: 2,530 mg
Carbs: 48 g (Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 9 g)
Protein: 49 g
Arby’s sure “has the meats,” but fast-food chain’s meats are loaded with sodium. Sandwiched between an onion bun is a half pound of roast beef plus cheddar cheese sauce and red ranch. No wonder this hefty sandwich contains 110% of your daily value of sodium.
Arby’s Classic French Dip & Swiss
Nutrition (Per sandwich):
Calories: 530
Fat: 21 g (Saturated fat: 10 g)
Sodium: 2,540 mg
Carbs: 50 g (Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 3 g)
Protein: 34 g
This roast beef and cheese sub’s sodium-to-calorie ratio is pretty preposterous, with one sandwich containing 530 calories and 2,540 milligrams of sodium. It makes sense: Cold cuts (including roast beef) are one of AHA’s Salty Six foods, providing large doses of salt in our diets.
Raising Cane’s The Caniac Combo
Nutrition (Per meal):
Calories: 1,790
Fat: 104 g (Saturated fat: 16 g)
Sodium: 3,160 mg
Carbs: 124 g (Fiber:15 g, Sugar: 21 g)
Protein: 89 g
Raising Cane’s Chicken Combo Meal comes with six large chicken fingers, crinkle-cut fries, two portions of Cane’s sauce, Texas Toast, coleslaw, and a large fountain drink. And this massive amount of food, expectedly, comes packing a monstrous amount of sodium—3,160 milligrams, to be exact. FYI, that’s the amount of sodium you’d find in nearly two family-sized bags of potato chips!
Dairy Queen Honey BBQ Sauced & Toasted Chicken Strip Basket
Nutrition (Per 6-piece):
Calories: 1,480
Fat: 61 g (Saturated fat: 11 g)
Sodium: 3,570 mg
Carbs: 186 g (Fiber: 9 g, Sugar: 48 g)
Protein: 48 g
Six pieces of DQ’s honey BBQ-slathered chicken strips pack a whopping 2,750 milligrams of sodium. Regularly eating over a full day’s worth of sodium in one meal can contribute to a higher risk of high blood pressure and heart issues. Not only that, but this chicken basket also packs 12 teaspoons’ worth of sugar.
The Saltiest Fast-Food Item is…the Pizza Hut Buffalo Chicken Melt
Nutrition (Per meal):
Calories: 1,100
Fat: 54 g (Saturated fat: 17 g)
Sodium: 3,820 mg
Carbs: 111 g (Fiber: 6 g, Sugar: 16 g)
Protein: 44 g
Pizza Hut dubs its Melts line as a snack or meal that’s not meant for sharing. But if you down the whole thing by yourself, you’ll consume 66% more sodium than what you should eat in an entire day! So where’s all the sodium coming from? The Thin N’ Crispy pizza crust, buffalo chicken, cheese, and buffalo and ranch dipping sauces.
