How many calories are in a meal out? Enter the menu number and see where it lands

A meal out is bigger than it looks

A plate in a restaurant is rarely the size you would serve yourself at home. When researchers at the University of Liverpool looked at 13,500 main meals from 27 large UK restaurant chains, the average main came to about 1,030 kcal in full-service restaurants and about 750 kcal in fast-food chains. That was before any starter, drink, dessert or side dish.

For a beginner that can be a surprise: one main course can be roughly a third to a half of a whole day's energy. This guide helps you see where a meal lands for you, using the number printed on the menu.

Where to find the number

Since April 2022, large businesses in England that serve food out (restaurants, cafes, takeaways, pubs and delivery apps with more than 250 staff) must show calories on their menus, along with a note on daily calorie needs. Rules differ by country, and smaller or independent places often show nothing. If there is no number, you can still use the idea: a main course in a chain restaurant is often well over 600 kcal, so treat it as a big meal rather than a light one.

Public health bodies such as the NHS give average guide figures of about 2,000 kcal a day for women and 2,500 for men. They are averages, not targets, so the calculator above lets you change the number.

How reliable is the menu number?

Studies that sent restaurant food to a lab found that printed numbers are a guide, not a measurement. A 2010 Tufts University study found 29 restaurant foods contained about 18% more energy than stated on average. A larger 2011 study in JAMA, with 269 items, found the stated calories were relatively accurate on average, but individual dishes varied widely; about one in five contained more than 100 kcal over the stated amount. The research is mixed, which is why the calculator has an optional cushion. It is not a rule, just a way to see how a result changes.

A meal out is not good or bad. It is a bigger plate than most people expect, so it helps to know roughly where it lands in your day.

What to do with that

If a meal out is a treat, enjoy it. One large meal does not undo a week of eating. If you eat out often, a few small habits can help, with no need to skip the occasion:

• Check the calories before you order, if they are shown. Pick the dish you actually want.
• Add up the extras. Drinks, bread, starters and dessert can add as much as a main.
• Share a side or a dessert, or ask for a smaller portion if that is offered.
• Eat the rest of the day normally. Skipping meals to make room tends to leave you hungry later.

Weight is only one reason to care. Some people watch portions for energy, digestion or blood sugar, and others do not need to track anything at all. This is general information, not medical advice. If you have a medical condition, are pregnant or breastfeeding, have or have had an eating disorder, or take medication (especially for diabetes or blood pressure), talk to a doctor or dietitian before changing how you eat.

Sources

• University of Liverpool: calories in main meals at large UK restaurant chains (BMJ Christmas issue)
• GOV.UK: new calorie labelling rules come into force (April 2022)
• NHS: understanding calories
• Tufts University, Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 2010: restaurant and packaged food calories versus labels
• Report on Urban et al., JAMA 2011: stated and measured calories in restaurant food