Traditional fast food places are normally seen as unhealthy, but is that still true in 2025? Plenty of fast food chains have adapted, now offering nutritious options that fuel your body and keep you feeling great. From protein-packed bowls to veggie-loaded wraps, we’ve rounded up 15 of the healthiest fast food chains to try in 2025.
Sweetgreen
Sweetgreen is all about building happier, healthier communities using real food. They not only serve nutritional fare but also promote a healthier food ecosystem by cooking meals from scratch and sourcing from friendly suppliers. Bowls and salads are their main focus, with most options containing ample protein, low carbs, and healthy fats (unlike the saturated or trans fat found in traditional fast food).
Wendy’s
Wendy’s might serve fresh, never-frozen beef, but that isn’t enough if you want a truly healthier option. Their four unique, fresh-made salads are by far a better choice, containing low saturated fats and offering tasty greens with plenty of protein. If you’re not into salads, the grilled chicken wrap is an alternative, paired with apple slices as a side or a regular black coffee if you need some caffeine.
El Pollo Loco
El Pollo Loco takes traditional high-quality Sinaloan-style grilled chicken to the next level. Most of their menu consists of healthy bowls, chicken-centered meals, burritos, and tacos. Each meal is customizable and may include rice, avocado, black beans, pinto beans, and fresh vegetables. You can even substitute less healthy options for more nutritious ones in your meals.
Chipotle Mexican Grill
Chipotle has made great progress in recent years to improve their menu by removing many unnatural preservatives and using fresher ingredients. Their assortment of meats, fresh veggies, beans, and guacamole is just some of the healthy options they offer. All that’s left is to create your meal and add what best accommodates your dietary needs.
Modern Market Eatery
Modern Market Eatery focuses on using simple recipes combined with fresh produce to create naturally delicious meals. The menu consists of pizzas, salads, sandwiches, bowls, and even soups, with each item made from scratch. Their sides rank among the healthiest options, not just compared to other chains on this list but even when stacked against traditional restaurants.
Starbucks
Starbucks is one of the largest fast food chains in the world; their claim to fame is their sugary, calorie-dense coffees. Their drink menu also features healthy alternatives like brewed tea, regular cold brew, and iced americano. You can even pick up nutrient-rich meals like lunch sandwiches, protein boxes, or breakfast wraps.
Panda Express
Panda Express delves deep into Chinese-American–inspired cuisine, placing great importance on freshly prepared vegetables combined with calorie-smart proteins and carbs. They offer fantastic bowls and plates, but their most notable option is the Wok Smart dishes, which promise delicious flavor with no more than 300 calories and at least 8g of protein.
Lenny’s Grill & Subs
Lenny’s never skips on two things: quality and quantity. Dishes are hand-crafted with freshly sliced meats and cheeses, paired with bread baked in-house daily to ensure freshness. The menu primarily revolves around hearty subs and nutritious salads, with options to satisfy both vegetarians and meat lovers alike.
Noodles & Company
Noodles & Company takes inspiration from global dishes and transforms them into unique and healthy noodle creations. Although they mainly serve noodles, their menu is full of low-carb, vegetarian, and vegan options. You might also want to check out their salads, which are lower in calories than most of their noodle dishes.
Panera Bread
Panera Bread uses its history as a bakery to serve customers freshly baked goods every day, combining these with quality ingredients to make sandwiches, salads, and soups. Their sandwiches are low-calorie and perfect for a quick pick-up, and their salads can fill you up—just don’t go overboard with the sauce, as it can add unnecessary calories.
CAVA
The Mediterranean diet is known for being one of the healthiest in the world, which CAVA cleverly uses to showcase its focus on healthy meals. Their main dishes are bowls, salads, and pitas, featuring common ingredients like roasted vegetables, grilled chicken, feta, and cabbage slaw. CAVA’s vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options are especially good if you’re looking for low-calorie, nutrient-rich meals.
Taco Bell
Taco Bell might not be the healthiest chain on this list, but their menu does offer many low-calorie options. You can replace some of the unhealthy sauces with healthier alternatives like beans, rice, or diced tomatoes. If you’re not in the mood for a taco or a burrito, you can always opt for a chicken or a veggie bowl—just remember that the bowls do have more calories than the tacos.
Au Bon Pain
Au Bon Pain creates dishes centered around their most important ingredient: freshly baked bread. Their sandwiches and breakfast menu feature various healthy, whole-wheat options with fresh vegetables, meats, and cheeses. They also offer salads and soups, but salads remain the healthier option since they’re low-calorie and packed with nutrients.
Chick-fil-A
Chick-fil-A is known for its chicken sandwich, a simple yet delicious dish. That said, their healthiest version replaces the fried chicken with grilled chicken, significantly lowering the calorie count. They also offer other healthy options like grilled nuggets and salads. Some of their sides, such as the fruit cup or kale crunch, are just as nutritious.
Subway
Subway has a large selection of subs with various ingredients that you can add to make your meal healthier. You can opt for a whole-grain bread sub instead of a refined grain version, which will dramatically reduce calorie count and boost nutrients. It also helps to choose a sub with more veggies, less processed meat, and to watch your sauce intake, as sauces often contain excess fat and sugars.
