Muscle Gain
Best High-Protein Arby's Orders in 2026
The best high-protein Arby's orders in 2026, from Steak Nuggets to the Half Pound Roast Beef, with official calories and protein for each.
The short answer
The best high-protein order at Arby's in 2026 is a Double Roast Beef with 5 Steak Nuggets: about 650 calories and 58 grams of protein, based on Arby's nutrition guide. The Steak Nuggets are a limited-time item. Without them, the Half Pound Roast Beef has 48 grams of protein for 610 calories. Skip the curly fries and shakes, which add calories with little protein.
Arby's is a better protein stop than its curly fries suggest. The roast beef sandwiches are mostly meat, and the bigger sizes add protein faster than they add calories. A Classic Roast Beef has 23 grams of protein for 360 calories; the Half Pound Roast Beef more than doubles the protein for 250 more calories.
The trouble is the extras. A medium order of curly fries adds 410 calories and 5 grams of protein, and a medium Jamocha Shake adds 700. Here's what to order instead, using the numbers in Arby's nutrition and allergen guide (effective September 2026).
What has the most protein at Arby's?#
The Half Pound Chicken Cheesesteak has the most protein at Arby's, with 88 grams, but it's a limited-time item with 1,040 calories. On the regular menu, the Half Pound Beef 'n Cheddar (49 grams) and Half Pound Roast Beef (48 grams) lead. For protein per calorie, the limited-time Steak Nuggets beat everything else on the menu:
| Item | Calories | Protein | Protein per 100 cal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steak Nuggets (9)* | 240 | 36 g | 15.0 g |
| Steak Nuggets (5)* | 140 | 20 g | 14.3 g |
| Chicken Cheesesteak Half Pound* | 1,040 | 88 g | 8.5 g |
| Half Pound Roast Beef | 610 | 48 g | 7.9 g |
| Double Roast Beef | 510 | 38 g | 7.5 g |
| Chicken Cheesesteak* | 660 | 49 g | 7.4 g |
| Ham & Swiss Melt | 380 | 26 g | 6.8 g |
| Half Pound Beef 'n Cheddar | 740 | 49 g | 6.6 g |
| Classic Roast Beef | 360 | 23 g | 6.4 g |
| Classic French Dip & Swiss/Au Jus | 530 | 34 g | 6.4 g |
| Chicken Tenders (5) | 610 | 39 g | 6.4 g |
| Double Beef 'n Cheddar | 630 | 39 g | 6.2 g |
| Angus Cheesesteak Half Pound | 1,110 | 66 g | 5.9 g |
| Turkey Ranch & Bacon Sandwich | 800 | 46 g | 5.8 g |
| Reuben | 680 | 37 g | 5.4 g |
| Chicken Bacon Swiss | 650 | 35 g | 5.4 g |
*Listed under limited-time offers in Arby's nutrition guide. Nutrition from Arby's Nutrition & Allergen Information (U.S.), effective September 2026. Dipping sauces are extra. Not every item is at every Arby's; check the app before ordering.
What is the best high-protein meal at Arby's?#
The best high-protein meal at Arby's is a roast beef sandwich with a side of Steak Nuggets in place of fries. These orders are added up from Arby's published item values:
| Order | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| Double Roast Beef + 5 Steak Nuggets* | 650 | 58 g |
| Classic Roast Beef + 5 Steak Nuggets* | 500 | 43 g |
| Ham & Swiss Melt + 5 Steak Nuggets* | 520 | 46 g |
| Half Pound Roast Beef | 610 | 48 g |
| Double Roast Beef + 9 Steak Nuggets* | 750 | 74 g |
| Half Pound Roast Beef + 9 Steak Nuggets* (bulking) | 850 | 84 g |
The Double Roast Beef with 5 Steak Nuggets is the best balance: 58 grams of protein for 650 calories, about 9 grams per 100 calories. Compare that with a Double Roast Beef and medium curly fries: 920 calories and 43 grams. Once the Steak Nuggets leave the menu, the Half Pound Roast Beef on its own is the pick.
Are Arby's Steak Nuggets high in protein?#
Yes. The 9-piece Steak Nuggets have 36 grams of protein for 240 calories, and the 5-piece has 20 grams for 140 calories. That's about 15 grams of protein per 100 calories, the best ratio at Arby's and close to grilled chicken territory.
Arby's lists them under limited-time offers, so they won't be around forever. Dipping sauce adds calories: the Horsey Ranch Dipping Sauce is 120 calories, while Arby's Sauce is 15 calories a packet and Horsey Sauce is 60.
Which Arby's roast beef sandwich has the best protein per calorie?#
The Half Pound Roast Beef has the best protein per calorie of Arby's roast beef sandwiches, at about 7.9 grams per 100 calories. The carbs barely change as you size up (37 to 38 grams), so each step adds mostly meat:
- Classic Roast Beef: 360 calories, 23 grams of protein, 970 mg of sodium.
- Double Roast Beef: 510 calories, 38 grams, 1,610 mg.
- Half Pound Roast Beef: 610 calories, 48 grams, 2,040 mg.
Beef 'n Cheddar versions cost more for the same protein. The Half Pound Beef 'n Cheddar is 740 calories for 49 grams, 130 more calories than the plain Half Pound Roast Beef for one extra gram. Watch the sodium too: the Half Pound Roast Beef is close to the FDA's 2,300 mg daily limit on its own. For another roast beef option, our best high-protein Jersey Mike's orders show how a sub shop compares.
Is Arby's chicken high in protein?#
Arby's chicken is decent for protein but not as efficient as the roast beef, because all of it is breaded. The 5-piece Chicken Tenders have 39 grams of protein for 610 calories, and the 3-piece have 23 grams for 370. The Crispy Chicken sandwich is 530 calories with 24 grams.
Arby's nutrition guide doesn't list a grilled chicken item. The limited-time Chicken Cheesesteak (660 calories, 49 grams) is the best chicken pick while it's available. For tenders, Buffalo Dipping Sauce adds only 10 calories, versus 130 for Honey Mustard and 100 for Ranch, but it carries 720 mg of sodium.
What is the best high-protein breakfast at Arby's?#
The Ham, Egg & Cheese Sourdough is the best high-protein breakfast at Arby's, with 26 grams of protein for 460 calories. The Sausage, Egg & Cheese Sourdough has less protein (24 grams) for 630 calories.
Lighter options give up some protein. The Ham, Egg & Cheese Croissant is 410 calories with 21 grams, and the Ham, Egg & Cheese Wrap is 400 calories with 20 grams. Arby's notes that breakfast isn't available at every location. For more morning options, see our ranking of the best high-protein fast food breakfasts.
What should you skip at Arby's when you want protein?#
Skip the fries, shakes and fried sides. They add a lot of calories and little protein:
- Large Curly Fries: 550 calories, 6 grams of protein.
- Large Jamocha Shake: 980 calories, 22 grams of protein and 136 grams of sugar.
- Mozzarella Sticks (4): 440 calories, 19 grams.
- Spicy Angus Cheesesteak Half Pound: 1,320 calories and 3,950 mg of sodium for 67 grams of protein. The Half Pound Roast Beef gets 48 grams for less than half the calories.
- Double Sausage Gravy Biscuit: 960 calories, 18 grams.
Drinks are the easiest swap. A medium Coca-Cola is 180 calories; a medium Coca-Cola Zero Sugar or Diet Coke is 0. A carton of Shamrock Farms Lowfat White Milk adds 7 grams of protein for 90 calories.
How does Arby's compare to other chains for protein?#
Arby's does well when you stick to the roast beef. The Half Pound Roast Beef works out to about 7.9 grams of protein per 100 calories, better than most burgers. Our guide to high protein fast food compares the top orders across chains.
Protein matters if you lift. A 2018 meta-analysis in the British Journal of Sports Medicine of 49 studies found that protein supplementation increased gains in muscle mass and strength from resistance training, with no further gains in muscle mass beyond a total intake of about 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight a day.
At a local sandwich shop without posted nutrition, Menu Scan AI can help. Snap the menu with your iPhone and it estimates calories, protein, carbs and fat for each dish from the menu descriptions, then labels the best matches for your goal. Treat the results as estimates, not lab values. The app is free to download; its listing says an annual subscription is required for full access, including menu scanning and AI nutrition analysis.
Frequently asked questions#
What is the highest protein item at Arby's?#
The limited-time Chicken Cheesesteak Half Pound has the most protein, at 88 grams for 1,040 calories. On the regular menu, the Half Pound Beef 'n Cheddar (49 grams) and Half Pound Roast Beef (48 grams) lead, according to Arby's nutrition guide.
How much protein is in Arby's Steak Nuggets?#
The 5-piece Steak Nuggets have 20 grams of protein and 140 calories, and the 9-piece have 36 grams and 240 calories. Arby's lists them as a limited-time offer.
How much protein is in an Arby's Classic Roast Beef?#
A Classic Roast Beef has 23 grams of protein and 360 calories. The Double Roast Beef has 38 grams for 510 calories, and the Half Pound Roast Beef has 48 grams for 610.
Does Arby's have grilled chicken?#
Arby's current nutrition guide doesn't list a grilled chicken item. Its chicken sandwiches and tenders are breaded; the 5-piece Chicken Tenders have 39 grams of protein for 610 calories.
What is the healthiest high-protein order at Arby's?#
A Classic Roast Beef with 5 Steak Nuggets is a strong pick while the nuggets are available: about 500 calories, 43 grams of protein and 1,410 mg of sodium. Without the nuggets, the Double Roast Beef has 38 grams for 510 calories.
Sources#
- Arby's: Nutrition, Allergen & Ingredients guides, the official nutrition guide page
- Arby's: Nutrition & Allergen Information, U.S. (PDF), calories, protein and sodium for roast beef, chicken, limited-time items, sides, shakes, breakfast and drinks
- Morton et al., British Journal of Sports Medicine (2018), protein intake and muscle gains from resistance training
- FDA: Sodium in Your Diet, the 2,300 mg daily sodium limit