Restaurants may be sprinkling their menus with healthier items, but their high-calorie, high-fat options are getting even worse, according to the seventh Xtreme Eating report by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a health advocacy group.
"When we first started these studies [in 2007], we were shocked to see meals with 1,000 calories, but that has become the norm," Paige Einstein, CSPI's Project Coordinator and a registered dietitian, told BuzzFeed News.
To be fair, no reasonable human expects to save calories at an establishment called the Cheesecake Factory. But Einstein said the problem is that many consumers aren't aware of exactly how caloric a meal can become. She expects this will change when new FDA rules, effective this December, require restaurant chains with 20 or more locations to label calories on menus.
CSPI surveyed the menus of more than 200 restaurant chains. Here are some entrées, sides, drinks, and outlandish combos it highlighted for being abysmally high in calories, saturated fat, sodium, and sugar.
10. Red Lobster's Lobsterita (890 calories)
9. IHOP’s Chorizo Fiesta Omelette (1,300 calories)
8. Steak ’n Shake’s 7x7 Steakburger (somehow, only 1,330 calories)
7x7 Steak Burger from Steak 'n Shake! #BiggestBurgerEver
Really, the average human can't put fit a stack of seven burger patties and seven slices of American cheese into his or her mouth, so you might consider the devouring of a 7x7 more of a spectator sport than any practical part of a meal. It's quite an excessive night snack too, being available only from midnight to 6:00 a.m.
7. Outback Steakhouse's 16 oz. Herb Roasted Prime Rib (1,402 calories)
6. Uno's 6" Chicago Classic Deep Dish Pizza (1,470 calories)
5. The Cheesecake Factory's Warm Apple Crisp (1,740 calories)
We've fallen in love. Sure it's with Warm Apple Crisp, but the love is very real!
Apples. You think a dish with apples would be at least healthy-ish, but it's like the Trojan horse of the dessert world. The apple crisp has more than twice the calories of the restaurant's Original Cheesecake (710 calories).
4. Dickey’s Barbecue Pit’s 3 Meat Plate (1,970 calories)
Weekend plans: 3 meat plate #foodporn #delicious
Dickey's three meat plate has up to 1,970 calories, depending on which meats you choose (turkey and chicken have the least calories, the sausage has the most).
CSPI estimates that if an especially hungry customer orders a plate of sausage, pork ribs, and beef brisket, with fried onions and mac and cheese on the side, and also eats the free roll, pickles, onions, a 32-ounce sweet tea, and a small ice cream cone, it all adds up to 2,500 calories.
“We pride ourselves on offering an authentic barbecue experience complete with southern style sides and served with our signature brand of southern hospitality," the company responded in a statement.
3. Sonic's Large Pineapple Upside Down Master Blast (2,020 calories)
2. The Cheesecake Factory's Louisiana Chicken Pasta (2,370 calories)
1. Red Lobster’s “Create Your Own Combination” (up to 2,710 calories)
Eating out should be a pleasure. Just remember:
