I Investigated America’s Unhealthiest Restaurant Meals

PS

Paul Saladino23m · 2026-03-06

Claims Made

72

Claims Supported

57

Support Rate

79%

Support rate

57 of 72 claims supported

57 supported15 partial / not

Claims from this content

44

Well SupportedCheck food labels to ensure all ingredients would be recognizable by a great-grandmother.Well SupportedEating single-ingredient foods, including meat, eggs, and milk, is sufficient for maintaining health.Well SupportedProcessed foods likely increase hunger on a calorie-for-calorie basis, contributing to the failure of calorie-restricted diets.Partially SupportedAmerican bread often contains dough conditioners, preservatives, and folic acid.Partially Supported

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A. Volkovreader

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Bookmarking — the dossier-vs-overview split is the right call. Most of the time I want overview; sometimes I want receipts.

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Would love a "what would change this verdict" RSS feed. Sign me up if it exists.

Eating fewer processed foods leads to better health outcomes.

Partially SupportedIndividuals can transform typical chain restaurant food choices into healthier options with education and intention.

Partially SupportedInforming restaurants about food sensitivities to seed oils and MSG can lead them to cook food in butter.

Partially SupportedIntentional ordering at chain restaurants can lead to obtaining decent food.

Not SupportedFrench fries cooked in sunflower oil contain high levels of acrylamide.

Partially SupportedAdding two extra stacks of IHOP's buttermilk pancakes can add 330 calories, and six additional pancakes can add approximately 1,000 calories, not including syrup.

Partially SupportedMargarine is a highly processed, industrially refined seed oil product, not a type of butter.

Partially SupportedSteak cooked in butter and real eggs are healthier options available at IHOP.

Partially SupportedOver 70% of Americans are obese and overweight, with rising chronic illness rates, primarily due to diet.

Not SupportedIn-N-Out receives a D+ grade due to limited healthy options and cooking practices.

Not SupportedTexas Roadhouse cooks steaks in seed oils and seasons them with seed oils and MSG unless customers specifically request alternatives.

Partially SupportedIntentionally chosen foods from chain restaurants can be a reasonably healthy choice.

Partially SupportedA diet high in seed oils, preservatives, dough conditioners, emulsifiers, and processed sugars can overwhelm the gut microbiome, metabolism, and mitochondria.

Partially SupportedIndividuals with one MTHFR gene SNP can still convert 60% of folic acid without significant effect.

Partially SupportedReal butter made from pasteurized cream and milk is available at IHOP and can be used to cook food.

Partially SupportedSeed oils in processed foods accumulate in cell membranes, potentially hindering mitochondrial function and contributing to insulin resistance and metabolic dysfunction.

Partially SupportedReal butter, specifically grassland whipped butter made from pasteurized cream and milk, is available upon request.

Partially SupportedFast food restaurant secret sauces typically combine ketchup, sugar, and seed oils.

Partially SupportedMost restaurants have butter available and can cook food in it if requested.

Partially SupportedConsumption of processed foods with unrecognizable ingredients contributes to metabolic dysfunction and obesity over the long term.

Not SupportedChain restaurants like Texas Roadhouse often cook food in seed oils unless customers specifically ask for alternatives like real butter.

Partially SupportedAt some chain restaurants, butter may be composed of 75% seed oils and this is not disclosed to customers.

Partially SupportedThe honey butter at Texas Roadhouse contains soybean oil and sugar, and no actual butter.

Partially SupportedHash browns and tater tots cooked in seed oils can impair mitochondrial energy generation, leading to insulin resistance and metabolic dysfunction.

Partially SupportedSyrups served at IHOP are likely pure liquid high fructose corn syrup, which can negatively impact gut flora and rapidly induce insulin resistance.

Partially SupportedThe eggs served at IHOP are premixed with added components but are not artificial.

Partially SupportedConsuming processed sugar can lead to gut dysbiosis, increased lipopolysaccharide (endotoxin) in the blood, metabolic dysfunction, and insulin resistance.

Partially SupportedRestaurant bread products can contain GMO wheat, glyphosate, pesticides, seed oils, sugar, and other additives.

Partially SupportedBread rolls at Texas Roadhouse contain sugar and seed oils and are not simple bread.

Not SupportedWheat used in batters for omelets may be sprayed with glyphosate and pesticides, which should be avoided.

Not SupportedThe rolls served at Texas Roadhouse contain sugar and seed oils, and may be made from GMO wheat sprayed with glyphosate and pesticides.

Partially SupportedConsuming intentionally ordered meals from American chain restaurants could lead to not gaining weight or losing weight over the long term.

Partially SupportedThe long-term effects of ingredients in modern processed foods, such as those in fast food buns, are unknown.

Partially SupportedTexas Roadhouse serves grain-finished steaks that are visibly fatty, as opposed to grass-finished steaks.

Partially SupportedThe Oreo cookie crumble waffle at IHOP contains approximately 980 calories, plus an additional 200-300 calories from syrup, and is made with pancake batter, seed oils, egg mixture, fake eggs, whipped cream, and Oreos with fake cream filling.

Partially SupportedIt is possible to obtain decent food even when eating on the go at chain restaurants by being intentional and careful about food choices.

Partially SupportedFast food shakes containing processed sugar can disrupt gut flora, causing dysbiosis and increasing endotoxin.

Partially SupportedIf an average American eats convenient food from chain restaurants without intentionality, they will consume garbage.

Partially SupportedMeals ordered at chain restaurants are healthier than the average American's food intake.

Partially SupportedA traditional sourdough bun should ideally be made from water, flour, and yeast.