Why the Salads Are the Heaviest Light Option
The salad section is the part of the menu most likely to mislead. The Chicken Caesar is 1,100 calories, the Steakhouse Filet Salad 1,340 — heavier than a 12oz Prime Rib.
Here is all eight, and where the genuinely light option actually sits.
All eight, by calories
House Salad 230 at $4.99. Caesar Salad 440 at $4.99. Chicken Critter Salad 690 at $13.49. Grilled Chicken Salad 810 at $13.49. Grilled Salmon Salad 830 at $15.99. Chicken Caesar Salad 1,100 at $13.49. Salmon Caesar Salad 1,110 at $15.99. Steakhouse Filet Salad 1,340 at $16.99.
The two side salads at the top of that list are the only ones under 500 calories, and both are $4.99.
Note that the entrée salad figures include the dressing. Where dressing is separate, it adds between 270 and 480 more.
Where the calories come from
Not the greens. Jack cheese, hard-boiled egg, bacon, croutons and creamy dressing are what build the number, and the leaves contribute almost nothing to offset them.
Caesar is the worst case because the dressing is the dish. A House Salad and a Caesar Salad are both $4.99 side portions, and the Caesar is 440 calories against 230 — nearly double, essentially all of it dressing.
The Steakhouse Filet Salad at 1,340 is a steak dinner served cold: filet strips, bleu cheese crumbles, bacon bits, croutons and creamy bleu cheese dressing.
The genuine oddity
The Chicken Critter Salad, topped with fried tenders, is 690 calories — lighter than the Grilled Chicken Salad at 810.
The reason is portion composition rather than anything about the frying. The Critter Salad has a smaller quantity of greens and loaded toppings relative to the protein, and that more than offsets the batter.
It is a good reminder that "grilled" on a menu describes a cooking method, not a calorie claim.
- Lightest — House Salad, 230 cal, $4.99
- Best value light option — House Salad beats Caesar at the same price
- Heaviest — Steakhouse Filet Salad, 1,340 cal
- Counterintuitive — fried Chicken Critter Salad (690) beats grilled chicken (810)
- Better light choice overall — Herb Crusted Chicken entrée at 260
Frequently asked
Which salad is the lightest?
The House Salad at 230 calories, before dressing. Among entrée salads, the Chicken Critter Salad at 690.
Does the calorie figure include dressing?
For entrée salads, yes. For the side salads, dressing adds 270 to 480 on top.
What should I order instead if I want something light?
Herb Crusted Chicken at 260 calories or a 6oz sirloin at 250, each with two vegetable sides. Both come to well under half the Chicken Caesar.
Keep reading
The Lowest-Calorie Meals on the Menu
A complete steakhouse dinner around 450 calories is genuinely available. It just is not where most people look for it.
Read →
The Healthiest Things You Can Order
Calories are one measure. Protein density, portion control and what you drink matter too — and they point somewhere slightly different.
Read →
The Highest-Calorie Items on the Menu
The heaviest thing on the menu is an appetiser, and it beats every steak on the board.
Read →