Restaurants
Lowest calorie Carl's Jr. orders
The lightest mains, sides, sauces and drinks at Carl's Jr., sorted by calories, with protein, carbs and fat for each.
Source: FatSecret: Carl's Jr. nutrition.
Carl's Jr. meals, added up
A lighter meal: 260 kcal
The most protein-dense main between 250 and 450 kcal, with a zero-calorie drink.
| Item | kcal | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders - 3 Pieces | 260 | 25 g | 13 g | 13 g |
| Coca-Cola Zero - 24oz | 0 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g |
| Total | 260 | 25 g | 13 g | 13 g |
Lightest mains
Sorted from lightest. The lightest main in the database is the Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders - 3 Pieces at 260 kcal.
| Item | kcal | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders - 3 Pieces | 260 | 25 g | 13 g | 13 g |
| Chicken Stars - 6 Pieces | 270 | 14 g | 19 g | 15 g |
| Double Cheeseburger | 370 | 19 g | 34 g | 21 g |
| Charbroiled BBQ Chicken Sandwich | 440 | 35 g | 48 g | 13 g |
| Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders - 5 Pieces | 440 | 41 g | 21 g | 21 g |
| Spicy Chicken Sandwich | 490 | 14 g | 43 g | 29 g |
| Jalapeno Double Cheeseburger | 510 | 19 g | 32 g | 36 g |
| California Classic Double Cheeseburger | 520 | 19 g | 37 g | 36 g |
| Big Cheeseburger | 540 | 28 g | 56 g | 22 g |
| Chicken Tenders - Kids Meal - 2 Pieces | 540 | 20 g | 56 g | 27 g |
| Chicken Stars - Kids Meal - 4 Pieces | 550 | 13 g | 60 g | 29 g |
| Hamburger - Kids Meal | 620 | 14 g | 79 g | 28 g |
Most protein per calorie
Mains with at least 15 g of protein, ranked by protein per calorie. The Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders - 3 Pieces gives 25 g of protein for 260 kcal.
| Item | kcal | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders - 3 Pieces | 260 | 25 g | 13 g | 13 g |
| Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders - 5 Pieces | 440 | 41 g | 21 g | 21 g |
| Charbroiled BBQ Chicken Sandwich | 440 | 35 g | 48 g | 13 g |
| Charbroiled Chicken Club Sandwich | 690 | 43 g | 45 g | 38 g |
| Steak & Egg Burrito | 530 | 33 g | 41 g | 26 g |
| The Big Carl - Triple | 1,180 | 66 g | 57 g | 77 g |
| Charbroiled Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich | 690 | 38 g | 45 g | 40 g |
| Carl's Jr. El Diablo - Triple | 1,430 | 77 g | 79 g | 78 g |
Lightest breakfast
Breakfast items from 240 kcal.
| Item | kcal | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hash Rounds - Small | 240 | 2 g | 22 g | 15 g |
| Hash Rounds - Medium | 320 | 3 g | 28 g | 19 g |
| Hash Rounds - Large | 450 | 4 g | 40 g | 27 g |
| Steak & Egg Burrito | 530 | 33 g | 41 g | 26 g |
| Grilled Cheese Breakfast Sandwich - Sausage | 640 | 27 g | 43 g | 41 g |
| Sausage, Egg & Cheese Biscuit | 640 | 19 g | 44 g | 42 g |
Sauces and dressings
Per serving. They range from 5 kcal (Spicy Buffalo Dipping Sauce) to 620 kcal (French Toast Dips - 5 pieces).
| Item | kcal | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spicy Buffalo Dipping Sauce | 5 | 0 g | 1 g | 0 g |
| Sweet & Bold BBQ Dipping Sauce | 50 | 0 g | 12 g | 0 g |
| Buttermilk Ranch Dipping Sauce | 110 | 0 g | 2 g | 11 g |
| Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce | 140 | 1 g | 4 g | 14 g |
| Biscuit 'N' Gravy | 500 | 8 g | 53 g | 27 g |
| French Toast Dips - 5 pieces | 620 | 9 g | 106 g | 19 g |
Lightest drinks
Drinks from 0 kcal. The heaviest drink listed, the Cookies & Cream Shake Made with OREO Cookie Pieces, is 730 kcal.
| Item | kcal | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coca-Cola Zero - 24oz | 0 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g |
| Diet Coke - 32oz | 0 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g |
| Diet Dr Pepper - 24oz | 0 | 0 g | 1 g | 0 g |
| Minute Maid Zero Sugar Lemonade - 12oz | 5 | 0 g | 2 g | 0 g |
| Minute Maid Zero Sugar Lemonade - 20oz | 10 | 0 g | 3 g | 0 g |
| Minute Maid Zero Sugar Lemonade - 24oz | 15 | 0 g | 4 g | 0 g |
| Minute Maid Zero Sugar Lemonade - 32oz | 15 | 0 g | 5 g | 0 g |
| Sweetened Iced Tea - 12oz | 80 | 0 g | 20 g | 0 g |
Carl's Jr. calorie traps
- Carl's Jr. El Diablo - Triple: 1,430 kcal. About 72% of a 2,000 kcal day in one item.
- Carl's Jr. El Diablo - Double: 1,180 kcal. About 59% of a 2,000 kcal day in one item.
- The Big Carl - Triple: 1,180 kcal. About 59% of a 2,000 kcal day in one item.
- Famous Star with Cheese - Double: 940 kcal. About 47% of a 2,000 kcal day in one item.
- Carl's Jr. El Diablo - Single: 940 kcal. About 47% of a 2,000 kcal day in one item.
How to order low calorie at Carl's Jr.
- Start with the lightest mains. The Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders - 3 Pieces is 260 kcal, and the table above lists every main from there up.
- For protein, pick by ratio. The Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders - 3 Pieces has 25 g of protein for 260 kcal. High-protein meals keep you full for longer on fewer calories.
- Drink zero-calorie. The Coca-Cola Zero - 24oz is 0 kcal; the Cookies & Cream Shake Made with OREO Cookie Pieces is 730.
- Choose the sauce on purpose. Sauces and dressings run from 5 to 620 kcal per serving.
- Know the heavy hitters. The Carl's Jr. El Diablo - Triple is 1,430 kcal on its own.
About these numbers
The figures come from the FatSecret nutrition database, which lists nutrition information for Carl's Jr. menu items. We checked them on September 24, 2026 and left out any entry whose calories do not add up from its protein, carbs and fat. Menus and recipes change, so check Carl's Jr.’s own nutrition information if a number matters to you.
How much should your meal be?
With a daily target of 1,800 kcal, three 500 kcal meals leave room for a 300 kcal snack. The calorie deficit calculator works out your own target, and the protein calculator shows how much protein to aim for.
Carl's Jr. calorie questions
What is the lowest calorie main at Carl's Jr.?
The Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders - 3 Pieces, at 260 kcal with 25 g of protein, is the lightest main in the FatSecret database. Next are the Chicken Stars - 6 Pieces (270 kcal) and the Double Cheeseburger (370 kcal).
What is the best high-protein, low-calorie order at Carl's Jr.?
The Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders - 3 Pieces: 25 g of protein for 260 kcal. The Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders - 5 Pieces is next with 41 g for 440 kcal.
What is the lowest calorie breakfast at Carl's Jr.?
The Hash Rounds - Small, at 240 kcal with 2 g of protein.
What is the lowest calorie drink at Carl's Jr.?
The Coca-Cola Zero - 24oz, at 0 kcal. Avoid the Cookies & Cream Shake Made with OREO Cookie Pieces if you are counting: it is 730 kcal.
What is the highest calorie item at Carl's Jr.?
The Carl's Jr. El Diablo - Triple, at 1,430 kcal, is the heaviest item in the FatSecret database for Carl's Jr..