McDonald’s is a worldwide icon, and for good reason. For decades, it has been a fast-food staple, charming fans with its retro flavors and unparalleled convenience. Indeed, for the year 2024, it was named the most visited fast-food chain by QSR’s annual report. Even with growing concern over health and nutrition, the golden arches keep pulling in huge crowds because sometimes, nothing gets the job done like a McDonald’s fix.
But all menus are not created equal. While a few manage to slip into an otherwise healthy diet without causing too much damage, a plethora of options pack with them a staggering overload of calories, saturated fats, sugar, and sodium coated in flash advertising and familiar packaging. To help you sidestep nutritional landmines, Eat This, Not That! spoke with top dietitians, who listed the worst offenders based on their calorie load, fat and sodium levels, added sugars, nutritional quality, and how processed the ingredients are.
Here’s a closer look at 14 menu items that experts advise skipping from your next meal.
1. Big Breakfast with Hotcakes
This breakfast platter may be the ultimate comfort food, but it’s really a nutritional red flag. With scrambled eggs, sausage patty, hash browns, pancakes, and a biscuit, it can taste like an all-out brunch. Unfortunately, it’s also a calorie bomb.
You’re looking at 1,340 calories, 158 grams of carbohydrates, 63 grams of fat (24 grams of that saturated), 0.5 grams trans fat, and 2,070 milligrams of sodium. There’s also 48 grams of sugar 41 of which are added. Registered dietitian Bess Berger doesn’t sugarcoat her opinion, calling this breakfast a “blood sugar bomb” that delivers far more energy than most people need in a single meal.
2. McFlurry with M&M’s (16 oz)
Craving something sweet? The McFlurry looks like the ultimate sin, but its nutritional history is something else altogether. With a whopping 930 calories and 33 grams of total fat (including nearly 20 grams saturated and 1.4 grams trans fat), it rivals full meals in fat and calorie load.
Most unsettling is its sugar content 123 grams per serving. That’s well over twice the daily recommended amount. Berger warns that so much sugar can cause metabolic disturbances, weight gain, and other chronic conditions. It’s a dessert, but it’s like a diet landmine.
3. Grand Mac
A bigger version of the iconic Big Mac, the Grand Mac features additional beef, more sauce, and a bigger bun. But that extra flavor has a cost. This burger carries a price tag of 860 calories, 52 grams of fat (18 grams saturated and 2 grams trans fat), 1470 milligrams of sodium, and 140 milligrams of cholesterol.
Berger cites that “its big portion size is a contributor to excess calorie and sodium intake.” Because the amount of sodium is reaching a full day’s worth, this sandwich will surely overwhelm your body in one sitting.
4. 20-Piece Chicken McNuggets
Nuggets are apt to get a health halo simply because they are made with chicken, but this large portion dispels that. A 20-piece serving contains 830 calories, 46 grams of fat (8 grams saturated fat), 0.4 grams trans fat, 51 grams of carbohydrates, and 1490 milligrams of sodium almost equaling your whole day’s worth of salt before dipping sauces even enter the picture.
Berger describes it as a “loose and calorie bomb with minimal nutrients,” a wake-up call that battered meat covered in preservatives is not exactly a nutritional choice.
5. Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese
These aficionados of good old-fashioned burgers will use this one for maximum flavor and filling, but nutritionally it is more expensive than the body bargained for. With 740 calories, 42 grams of fat (19 grams of saturated fat) and 1,360 milligrams of sodium, it pushes the limits as far as heart health and calorie intake is concerned.
Dr. Erik Natkin also says that frequent consumption of such meals can tend to raise cholesterol levels and also increase risk levels for hypertension and cardiovascular disease. The treat may taste good in the moment, but long term it doesn’t do your body any good.
6. McCafé Frappés & Shakes
McDonald’s Frappés and shakes can seem like harmless drinks or just dessert foods, but the majority of them contain a lot of added sugar and excess calories. A large Mocha or Caramel Frappé can contain 650 calories, 94 grams of carbs, and 84 grams of sugar.
The Large Chocolate Shake? Even more dense with 800 calories and 106 grams of sugar. Registered dietitian Violeta Morris warns that these sweetened beverages cause rapid blood sugar surges and then energy crashes. For individuals who have metabolic problems, they’re particularly hazardous.
Even the seasonal Shamrock Shake has 550 calories, 13 grams of fat, and 82 grams of sugar. Dietitian Jesse Feder cautions that it can cause weight gain and chronic disease if consumed regularly.
7. McRib
The cult favorite McRib appears on the menu periodically, often generating a buzz among enthusiasts. But nutritionists and even a few former workers advise that it may not be all it’s cracked up to be. One sandwich contains 520 calories, 28 grams of fat (11 grams saturated), 890 milligrams of sodium, 46 grams of carbohydrates, and 12 grams of sugar.
Berger calls it “a impostor sandwich” made of extremely processed meat draped with sugary barbecue sauce. Deposition by former McDonald’s deliverymen describes the sauce becoming stiff quickly and difficult to eat. Between the suspicious ingredients and careless construction, the McRib is a journey through the past that may not be memorable enough.
8. Big Mac
The Big Mac is a fast-food icon. Undeniably so. But not particularly light cuisine, of course. There are 590 calories, 11 grams of saturated fat, and 1,050 milligrams of sodium in this, which is a heavy enough impact on your daily nutritional limits.
Lisa Richards, the author of The Candida Diet, observes that its high levels of unhealthy fats and salt promote an unbalanced diet. Adding fries and soda just worsens the situation. For a similar experience with less negatives, Richards recommends buying a McDouble with extra lettuce and Big Mac sauce for a “Poor Man’s Big Mac” that saves money and calories.
9. Sausage, Egg & Cheese McGriddle
The McGriddle is marketed as the breakfast ultimate sweet-and-savory pair. But it contains 550 calories, 33 grams of fat, and 1,290 milligrams of sodium more than half of the recommended daily limit of sodium.
Lisa Richards cautions that ground sausage tends to come jam-packed with additives and saturated fats, both of which are a concern for the heart. It might taste deliciously like the ideal breakfast, but where its nutritional worth is concerned, it is far from perfection.
10. Crispy Chicken Sandwich
Hailed as McDonald’s response to the chicken sandwich wars, the menu offering claims crispy, juicy perfection. What employees reveal to be true behind the scenes, though, is that it tends to become dry, hard, and underwhelming.
Although exact nutritional facts vary slightly, it’s still a fried, carb-heavy product with minimal nutrients. From personal experience, the quality is inconsistent, and the taste doesn’t hold up. To get an actually good chicken sandwich, this is not the way to go.
11. Sausage Burrito
This breakfast option seems like a convenient start to the day, but it is not without its drawbacks. With sausage, scrambled eggs, cheese, and tortilla, it’s a toasty, easy-to-carry breakfast that sounds healthy in concept.
However, from ex-employees, ingredients typically come pre-packaged and microwaved, with consistency far from great. Critics deem the tortilla dry and egg mixture too processed, disfiguring the overall personality of this go-or-go food.
12. Soda & Sweet Fountain Drinks
It’s all too easy to neglect the nutritional content of drinks when worrying about food. But sweet tea and soda are often some of the sneakiest culprits in the caloric department. A mini Coke has 150 calories and 42 grams of carbs. Sweet tea is even more of a culprit one past manager leaked that each gallon-sized container contains a full 4-pound bag of sugar.
That is a gallon of sugar per pound. One large sweet tea can fill out your daily sugar allowance. For less sugar and more value, skip the ice and pour your own at home. The drink might taste great but it’s not doing your health any good.
13. The Chicken Legend
This regional favorite markets itself as a more refined chicken sandwich, but customer feedback tells a different story. Food blogger @ItsCharlieVlogs calls it overrated, pointing out that the bread is often dry and the ingredients don’t blend well.
Social media users agree, with many noting that the McCrispy is a better alternative. If you’re looking for a premium chicken experience, the Chicken Legend might not live up to its name.
14. Big Tasty
Big Tasty features premium ingredients like Emmental cheese and special smoky sauce, something that is said to taste like a gourmet burger. Nevertheless, the majority of fans end up being disappointed with the actual taste and texture. Vlogger @ItsCharlieVlogs suggests avoiding it in favor of a Big Mac or even a plain double cheeseburger, which have a tendency to provide more satisfaction for fewer calories and less salt intake.
Final Thoughts
Dining around the McDonald’s menu doesn’t mean giving up your favorites but smart, educated choices. While as much as the convenience and flavor is undeniable, some of the menu items bring significantly more fat, sugar, and salt to the table than your body needs in a sitting. Knowing which foods to skip or enjoy in moderation, however, enables you to indulge while keeping your long-term health goals in check.
