Most Protein-Efficient Fast Food in Australia
Every main and light meal item, rated by Protein Efficiency Index (PEI) — grams of protein per 100 calories, rated 1 to 5 — rather than raw protein grams, so this surfaces dishes that are filling relative to their calorie cost, which isn't always the same list as the highest raw-protein items.
Different from "Highest Protein Fast Food": that guide finds the most protein in one order regardless of size; this one finds the best protein return per calorie, which tends to favour leaner, smaller items over the biggest burgers and buckets.
Ranked by protein per 100 calories (protein density / PEI), highest first.
What is PEI?
The Protein Efficiency Index rates how much protein an item gives you relative to its calories — grams of protein per 100 calories, rated 1 to 5. A higher score means more protein for fewer calories, which is a different question from “how much protein does this have in total” — a huge burger can have a lot of protein and still score low here if it also has a lot of calories from bread, cheese and sauce.
Formula: protein (g) ÷ calories (kcal) × 100 — e.g. an item with 30g protein and 300 calories works out to 10g per 100 kcal, PEI 5.
What a high score is useful for: spotting genuinely filling, protein-dense food rather than just food that happens to be low calorie or happens to have a lot of protein because the portion is large.
What it doesn't tell you:PEI isn't an overall healthiness score — it says nothing about sodium, fibre, saturated fat, sugar or serving size. A small, very lean item can score PEI 5 and still be high in sodium; a large mixed meal can score lower here while still being a perfectly reasonable choice. Use it alongside the other columns, not instead of them.
Showing 20 of 52 matching items.
| # | Item | Restaurant | Calories | Protein (g) | Carbs (g) | Fat (g) | Sodium (mg) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 PERi-PERi Grilled Tenders Per 160g | Nando's Tenders & Ribs | 220 | 40 | 1 | 7 | 949 | |
| 2 | Quarter Chicken Per 179g | Oporto Flame Grilled Chicken | 300 | 42 | 3 | 13 | 975 | |
| 3 | Chicken Avocado (Large) Per 360g | Soul Origin Salads | 244 | 31 | 9 | 8 | 1,630 | |
| 4 | Quarter Chicken Per 163g | Red Rooster Roast Chicken | 280 | 35 | 9 | 11 | 1,085 | |
| 5 | Chicken Caesar (Large) Per 365g | Soul Origin Salads | 404 | 46 | 18 | 16 | 2,040 | |
| 6 | Chicken Caesar HALAL (Large) Per 365g | Soul Origin Salads | 385 | 42 | 18 | 15 | 1,780 | |
| 7 | Grilled Chicken Bare Per 175g | Betty's Burgers Burgers | 290 | 32 | 7 | 15 | 1,071 | |
| 8 | Poached Chicken Breast | Roll'd Gỏi (Viet Salad) | 306 | 33 | 8 | 10 | 587 | |
| 9 | Teriyaki Chicken Salad | Sushi Hub Sashimi & Salad | 235 | 25 | 19 | 6 | — | |
| 10 | Chicken Chorizo (Large) Per 360g | Soul Origin Salads | 315 | 33 | 9 | 16 | 2,070 | |
| 11 | Chicken, Avo, Bacon Bowl Per 250g | Betty's Burgers Bowls | 398 | 41 | 1 | 28 | 952 | |
| 12 | Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders (3 Pieces) Per 120g | Carl's Jr Chicken | 250 | 25 | 11 | 12 | 740 | |
| 13 | Salmon Sashimi | Sushi Hub Sashimi & Salad | 237 | 24 | 10 | 11 | — | |
| 14 | BBQ Chicken Ribs Per 128g | Nando's Tenders & Ribs | 297 | 30 | 4 | 18 | 922 | |
| 15 | Pork & Prawn | Roll'd Gỏi (Viet Salad) | 319 | 32 | 7 | 14 | 880 | |
| 16 | HotBird (Traditional Bun) | Grill'd Chicken | 425 | 42 | 26 | 15 | 624 | |
| 17 | Chicken Strips (Large) Per 447g | Subway Salads | 403 | 38 | 10 | 23 | 905 | |
| 18 | Caesar's Palace (Traditional Bun) | Grill'd Chicken | 586 | 55 | 24 | 29 | 543 | |
| 19 | The Honey'd Hen | Grill'd Salads | 447 | 41 | 23 | 21 | 605 | |
| 20 | Superpower Salad | Grill'd Salads | 459 | 42 | 22 | 22 | 529 |
Other guides
Figures come from each brand's own published nutrition data, sourced serving-by-serving and linked back to the original item. Menus, recipes and pack sizes change over time — always check the official source before relying on a number, and treat this as a starting point for comparison, not medical or dietary advice.