
 
 The 9 Worst Chain Restaurant Meals of the Year 
 
 By Jayne Hurley and Bonnie Liebman 
 
 
 
 It’s not easy to win an Xtreme Eating award. For starters, most restaurant meals pack around 1,000 calories, so anything in that neighborhood is a yawner. To stand out in the crowd, you’ve got to hit around 2,000 calories—an entire day’s worth of food—even if it’s just dessert. 
 
 But our winners have what it takes...a total disregard for the obesity epidemic and the coming diabetes tsunami. Of course, you can’t blame restaurants for that. That would be so unfair. 
 
 Download the article here. 
 
 The information for this article was compiled by Paige Einstein. 
 
 IHOP's Omelot 
 
 “Take a trip south of the border one bite at a time!” suggests the IHOP (1,564 locations) website. 
 
 Its Chorizo Fiesta Omelette, which is “loaded with spicy chorizo sausage, roasted peppers, onions & pepper jack cheese, then topped with a citrus chili sauce & sour cream and served with a fresh grilled serrano pepper...will have you saying ‘excelente!’” 
 
 “Ay, caramba!” is more like it. A 1,300-calorie sausage omelette alone would strike many as a tad on the heavy side. But this one comes with three buttermilk pancakes (or hash browns, toast, or fruit; but this is IHOP, after all). Remember when three pancakes alone was a big breakfast? 
 
 Add four tablespoons of syrup, and you shuffle out with a day’s calories (1,990), plus a bonus 42 grams of saturated fat, 4,840 milligrams of sodium, and 1,035 mg of cholesterol (two to three days’ worth of each). And don’t forget the passel of white flour and the 12-or-so teaspoons of added (refined) sugar—the kind that doesn’t occur naturally in fruit and milk. It’s your lucky day! 
 
 You might as well have ordered a McDonald’s Big Breakfast (scrambled eggs, hash browns, biscuit, and sausage) with three Sausage McMuffins and five packets of grape jam on the side. 
 
 Time for a siesta. 
 
 Pit Belly 
 
 As Dickey’s Barbecue Pit (416 locations) “continues to expand from coast to coast, customers are wooed by the home-style flavor and family friendly atmosphere,” says the chain’s website. And nothing woos like the 3 Meat Plate. 
 
 “Can’t decide?” asks Dickey’s. “This is the perfect plate to have everything you’re craving!” 
 
 We craved the Polish sausage, pork ribs, and beef brisket (saving the pulled pork, barbecue honey ham, spicy cheddar sausage, and turkey or chicken breast for next time). 
 
 For our two sides, we went with fried onion tanglers and mac & cheese (passing up sides like the chips, fries, barbecue beans, green beans with bacon, baked potato casserole, coleslaw, fried okra, and potato salad). And along with the free roll, pickles, and onions, we tossed in a Big Yellow Cup of Miss Ollie Dickey’s Famous Southern Sweet Tea. (It’s “only” 32 oz., but don’t worry: refills are free.) 
 
 Then we noticed the sign: “Help Yourself to Some ICE CREAM! Cold Creamy Delicious And It’s Free!” Yup. At Dickey’s, you can have free soft-serve while you wait for your order, for dessert, or whenever you feel the urge. Need a palate cleanser mid-meal? Have a cone! Take one for the road! Is this a great country or what? 
 
 With just a half cup of ice cream in a cone (and no refills), your meal comes to roughly 2,500 calories, 49 grams of sat fat and 4,700 mg of sodium (2½ to 3 days’ worth of each), plus 29 teaspoons of (mostly added) sugar. It’s like having three Big Macs with five Vanilla Cones. 
 
 What’s for dessert? 
 
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 Crime Rib 
 
 “No matter your path, a delicious destination awaits,” says the Outback Steakhouse (767 locations) menu. If your destination is the Herb Roasted Prime Rib dinner, you may want to walk home...the long way. 
 
 The 16 oz. prime rib alone delivers 1,400 calories to your rib area. For sides, let’s say you get the dressed baked potato and the classic blue cheese wedge (it’s a “premium side salad,” so it’ll cost you a buck), and that you eat just half the loaf of bread and use just a light schmear of butter. 
 
 The tab: 2,400 calories, 71 grams of sat fat (3½ days’ worth), and enough sodium (3,560 mg) for today and tomorrow. It’s like eating three Outback 10 oz. Ribeye steaks with three sides of garlic mashed potatoes. How do people survive on just one? 
 
 Pastaway 
 
 “Parmesan crusted chicken served over pasta with mushrooms, peppers and onions in a spicy New Orleans sauce” doesn’t sound excessive. Then again, you’re at The Cheesecake Factory (167 locations), which has a knack for turning its patrons into walking (make that sitting) fat-cell factories. 
 
 The Louisiana Chicken Pasta, which weighs an impressive 1½ pounds, comes topped with four slices of heavily breaded chicken (in case you didn’t get enough white flour in the mound of pasta). Add the New Orleans sauce (butter and heavy cream), and your plate is up to 2,370 calories (more than a day’s worth), plus 80 grams of saturated fat (a four-day supply) and 2,370 milligrams of sodium (1½ days’ worth). For those numbers, you could have had two Fettuccine Alfredos plus two breadsticks at Olive Garden. Bottoms up! 
 
 Blast Off 
 
 “All meals should be topped off with dessert: it’s the SONIC way,” suggests “America’s Drive-In” (3,522 locations). Take the Pineapple Upside Down Master Blast. 
 
 “SONIC’s real, vanilla ice cream perfectly mixed with pineapple, salted caramel & pie crust pieces” comes in a 32 oz. cup topped with several inches of whipped cream. 
 
 That’s for a large, which fires 2,020 calories at your midsection, and 61 grams (three days’ worth) of sat fat and 4½ grams (two days’ worth) of trans fat (from the pie crust) at your arteries. And it comes with some 29 teaspoons of added sugar. 
 
 One Master Blast has the calories of roughly four Dairy Queen Banana Splits. Sonic offers “heaping helpings of fun,” says its website. Wouldn’t the equivalent of one banana split be enough fun? 
 
 Red Alert 
 
 For our Create Your Own Combination at Red Lobster (679 locations), we picked three shrimp dishes (Parrot Isle Jumbo Coconut, Walt’s Favorite, and Linguine Alfredo). With french fries as our side, Caesar as our salad, and just one Cheddar Bay Biscuit (such willpower!), our total came to 2,710 calories, 37 grams (two days’ worth) of sat fat, and 6,530 mg (a four-day supply) of sodium. 
 
 It’s like eating an 8-piece bucket of KFC Original Recipe chicken with four sides of mashed potatoes with gravy, four pieces of corn on the cob, and eight packets of “buttery spread.” 
 
 And since we were at Red Lobster, we had to order the chain’s namesake drink. So we added a 24 oz. Traditional Lobsterita (with its 890 calories and 860 mg of sodium). Ahoy, matey! Make room for 3,600 calories under that (newly expanded) belt. 
 
 Pick & Lose 
 
 “One Person, Two Dishes, Tons of Choices.” That’s the deal with the 2 For $12 Pick & Choose menu at Uno Pizzeria & Grill (131 locations), which lets you choose from five salads, four pastas, and three pizzas. Oh boy! 
 
 We started with the Baked Ziti & Sausage Pasta (“ziti and sausage in a tomato cream sauce topped with mozzarella and baked in a deep dish pan”). That’s 720 calories (a third of a day’s worth), which is high-but-reasonable... for an entire meal. 
 
 Then we added a Chicago Classic Deep Dish Pizza (“a small plate version of our famous Chicago Classic Deep Dish with sausage, mozzarella, chunky tomato sauce and romano”). Yes, it’s small next to Uno’s 1½-pound, 2,300-calorie individual Chicago Classic. But 1,470 calories is small? Really? 
 
 Add ’em up and you get 2,190 calories, 49 grams of saturated fat (2½ days’ worth), 5,420 mg of sodium (a 3½-day supply), and white flour galore. It’s like eating three Pizza Hut Pepperoni Lover’s Personal Pan Pizzas. Our advice: think of Uno as No-no. 
 
 Warm Crapple 
 
 Who gets a dessert other than cheesecake at The Cheesecake Factory? Maybe someone who’s trying to avoid overdoing it. The Warm Apple Crisp looks nice. 
 
 Sigh. Between the apples, “delicious crispy nutty topping,” two scoops of ice cream, small mountain of whipped cream, and caramel sauce, you’re looking at 1,740 calories—more than any cheesecake on the menu. And don’t forget the bonus 48 grams (2½ days’ worth) of saturated fat and 32 teaspoons of sugar (much of it added). 
 
 For the same calories, you could (shudder) eat two slices of The Cheesecake Factory’s Original Cheesecake. 
 
 Why Stop at 7? 
 
 “It’s 7 Steakburgers and 7 slices of American cheese—a one pounder!” says Steak ‘n Shake (513 locations). 
 
 Yes, the 7X7 Steakburger ‘n Fries (available from midnight to 6 a.m. on the “Up All Night” menu) squeezes seven beef patties between its buns. The 1,330 calories in the burger make the 240 calories in the small side of fries seem puny. But what’s puny about the plate’s 47 grams of sat fat and 4,570 mg of sodium? 
 
 If that’s not enough to keep you “up all night,” why not add a shake? With the 960-calorie Chocolate Fudge Brownie Milkshake (“What’s not to love?”), you hit 2,530 calories, plus 68 grams of sat fat and 5,060 mg of sodium (about 3½ days’ worth of each) and 26 teaspoons of sugar. 
 
 It’s like polishing off four 9 oz. Outback sirloin steaks, each topped with two halfcup scoops of Breyers Chocolate Ice Cream. 
 
 We can’t wait until Steak ‘n Shake comes out with its 8X8 Steakburger ‘n Fries. Or its 9X9. ||||| A new report by the Center for Science in the Public Interest has identified the unhealthiest restaurant meals in America. 
 
 For the center's annual "Xtreme Eating" list, its nutrition experts reviewed menus at 200 restaurant chains in the US to find the meals heaviest in calories, saturated fat, sodium, and sugar. 
 
 Restaurants that made the list include The Cheesecake Factory, Outback Steakhouse, and Red Lobster. 
 
 Here's the list, ranked lowest to highest by calories. 
 
 9. The Cheesecake Factory: Warm Apple Crisp (1,740 calories) 
 
 Center for Science in the Public Interest This decadent dessert has whipped cream, caramel sauce, apple crumble, and two scoops of ice cream. It has 48 grams of saturated fat and 32 teaspoons of sugar. 
 
 8. IHOP: Chorizo Fiesta Omelette. (1,990 calories) 
 
 Center for Science in the Public Interest The egg dish is "loaded with spicy chorizo sausage, roasted peppers, onions, and pepper jack cheese, then topped with a citrus chili sauce and sour cream," according to the report. It also comes with three buttermilk pancakes. 
 
 When you account for four tablespoons of syrup on the pancakes, the calories come to 1,990, with 42 grams of saturated fat, 4,840 milligrams of sodium, and 1,035 milligrams of cholesterol. 
 
 7. Sonic: Pineapple Upside Down Master Blast (2,020 calories) 
 
 Center for Science in the Public Interest This drinkable dessert comes with vanilla ice cream, pineapple, salted caramel, and pie-crust pieces. A large contains 2,020 calories, with 61 grams of saturated fat and 29 teaspoons of added sugar. 
 
 6. Uno Pizzeria & Grill: The "2 For $12 Pick & Choose" menu (2,300 calories) 
 
 Center for Science in the Public Interest Uno's "2 for $12" deal lets customers choose from five salads, four pastas, and three pizzas. Combining the Baked Ziti & Sausage Pasta and a small Chicago Classic Deep Dish Pizza results in 2,300 calories, 49 grams of saturated fat, and 5,420 milligrams of sodium. 
 
 5. The Cheesecake Factory: Louisiana Chicken Pasta (2,370 calories) 
 
 Center for Science in the Public Interest This dish weights 1 1/2 pounds and comes with "heavily breaded" chicken, according to the report. 
 
 "Add the New Orleans sauce (butter and heavy cream), and your plate is up to 2,370 calories (more than a day's worth), plus 80 grams of saturated fat (a four-day supply) and 2,370 milligrams of sodium (1 1/2 days' worth). For those numbers, you could have had two Fettuccine Alfredos plus two breadsticks at Olive Garden." 
 
 4. Outback Steakhouse: Herb Roasted Prime Rib (2,400 calories) 
 
 Center for Science in the Public Interest The 16-ounce prime rib that comes with this dish contains 1,400 calories. Sides of a dressed baked potato and wedge salad bring the meal to 2,400 calories, 71 grams of saturated fat, and 3,560 milligrams of sodium. 
 
 3. Dickey's Barbecue Pit: 3 Meat Plate (2,500 calories) 
 
 Center for Science in the Public Interest This meal comes with three meats and two sides. Combining the Polish sausage, pork ribs, beef brisket, fried onion tanglers, and macaroni and cheese results in 2,500 calories. 
 
 2. Steak 'n Shake: 7x7 Steakburger 'n Fries with a chocolate fudge brownie milkshake (2,530 calories) 
 
 Center for Science in the Public Interest The 7x7 Steakburger is massive. It contains a whopping seven beef patties for a total of 1,330 calories. A small order of fries and chocolate fudge brownie milkshake brings the meal to a total of 2,530 calories. The meal also has 68 grams of saturated fat, 5,060 milligrams of sodium, and 26 teaspoons of sugar. 
 
 1. Red Lobster: Create Your Own Combination meal (2,710 calories) 
 
 Center for Science in the Public Interest Picking three shrimp dishes — Parrot Isle Jumbo Coconut Shrimp, Walt's Favorite Shrimp, and Shrimp Linguine Alfredo — to go with the Caesar salad, fries, and a cheddar biscuit that are part of this meal brings the total calorie count to 2,710. Adding a Lobsterita, the chain's 890-calorie margarita, brings the total to 3,600 calories. 
 
 "It's like eating an eight-piece bucket of KFC Original Recipe chicken with four sides of mashed potatoes with gravy, four pieces of corn on the cob, and eight packets of 'buttery spread,'" the report says. 
 
 Red Lobster says there are plenty of healthier options to choose from on the Create Your Own Combination menu, such as the wood-grilled salmon and garlic grilled shrimp. 
 
 "The Create Your Own Combination lets guests choose two or three preparations from a list of nine to create a dish that meets their individual tastes and dietary preferences," the company said in a statement. "In fact, there are more than 500 possible combinations guests can create as part of Create Your Own. CSPI's Xtreme Eating Awards hone in on just one atypical combination and as a result inaccurately portrays the nature of this menu item." ||||| Starting in 1996, Alexa Internet has been donating their crawl data to the Internet Archive. Flowing in every day, these data are added to the Wayback Machine after an embargo period. ||||| Starting in 1996, Alexa Internet has been donating their crawl data to the Internet Archive. Flowing in every day, these data are added to the Wayback Machine after an embargo period.
– Jayne Hurley and Bonnie Liebman of the Center for Science in the Public Interest note it's not easy to win top "honors" in the category of "Xtreme Eating." But never fear: The winners of their "Worst Chain Restaurant Meals of the Year" "have what it takes," they write: "a total disregard for the obesity epidemic and the coming diabetes tsunami." To wit, the top three: Red Lobster nabs the top spot with its "Create Your Own Combination" dinner, combining three shrimp dishes, fries, a Caesar salad, and a Cheddar Bay Biscuit for a gut-expanding total of 2,710 calories and 37 grams (two days' worth) of saturated fat. Or, if you need another chain comparison for context, Hurley and Liebman say "it’s like eating an 8-piece bucket of KFC Original Recipe chicken with four sides of mashed potatoes with gravy, four pieces of corn on the cob, and eight packets of 'buttery spread.'" Not far behind: Steak 'n Shake's 7x7 Steakburger 'n Fries, which, as the name suggests, is seven of the restaurant's signature Steakburgers smushed together with seven slices of American cheese. Add a small order of fries and a chocolate fudge brownie milkshake and you're talking 2,530 calories and 68 grams of saturated fat. It's only available (probably for good reason) on the restaurant's "Up All Night" menu, served between midnight and 6am. Any dish featuring more than two meats is probably going to rank poorly, and that's exactly what put Dickey's Barbecue Pit into third place. Its 3 Meat Plate (for those who "can't decide") boasted Polish sausage, pork ribs, and beef brisket for the report's testers, as well as fried onion "tanglers," mac and cheese, some Southern-style sweet tea, and a half-cup of ice cream (free for anyone waiting while their meal is prepared), and came in at 2,500 calories and 49 grams of saturated fat. Check out Business Insider for a quick recap (or the complete, gluttonous list from the center) of more dishes that made the top nine.