Highest Calorie Fast Foods

Each day, one out of every four Americans eats fast food. At fast food restaurants, the average calorie consumption for a meal ranges from 800 to 1,200 calories, according to a 2009 study published in "Obesity." This statistic means that the burger and fries you ate for lunch were likely half of your daily calorie needs. If you are concerned about your weight and caloric intake, it is important to know the highest calorie fast food choices before ordering.

Quiznos

Tuna by itself is considered a healthy food high in the essential omega-3 fatty acids, but a tuna melt at Quiznos may provide all of your caloric needs for the day. A large tuna melt with cheese and dressing provides 1,520 calories, 101 g of total fat and 2,020 mg of sodium, according to the Quiznos nutritional information. If you are concerned about your caloric intake, Quiznos offers a number of sandwiches with 500 calories or less, including the small Honey Bourbon Chicken, small Roast Beef and Cheddar, and a small turkey and ham.

Chipotle Mexican Grill

Rice, chicken and beans sounds like a good lunch meal, but the Chipotle Chicken Burrito is considered one of the 10 worst foods by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, or CSPI. One serving with cheese, sour cream and salsa provides 970 calories, 18 g of saturated fat and 2,200 mg of sodium. To lighten up the meal, CSPI suggests you omit the cheese and sour cream to decrease the caloric content to 750 and saturated fat to 13 g.

Nathan's Famous

Nathan's Famous chicken tender platter is a high-calorie fast food item with 1,245 calories, 90 g of fat and 1,352 mg of sodium. Fish may sound like a better option, but the Arthur Treacher's Seafood Sampler is even higher with 1,964 calories, 122 g of fat and 2,892 mg of sodium, according to the Nathan's Famous nutritional information. A hot dog may be a better choice at Nathan's. Nathan's chili dog has only 400 calories, 23 g of fat and 1,000 mg of sodium, or for even fewer calories try Nathan's corn dog on a stick with 380 calories, 16 g of fat and 970 mg of sodium.

Hardee's

Hardee's started serving thickburgers in 2003, according to the Hardee's website. Thickburgers contain 100 percent Angus beef and come in various sizes. The 2/3 pound Monster Thickburger is the largest and the one with the most calories, with 1,320 calories, 95 g of fat and 3,020 mg of sodium. If you need a hamburger from Hardee's and want to limit your caloric intake, stay away from the Thickburgers and instead choose the regular hamburger with 310 calories, 15 g of fat and 500 mg of sodium.