The short answer
- A typical McDonald's meal is lighter: 520 calories against 540.
- Subway gives more protein in a typical meal: 29g against 21g.
- McDonald's is lower in sodium: 1,100mg against 1,410mg.
- Per calorie, Subway is the leaner menu: 5.5g of protein per 100 calories against 4.2g.
These are medians across the complete meals in our data, not a judgement on any single order. What you pick matters more than where you go, so the tables below show the best and worst of each.
The menus side by side
| Across all meals | Subway | McDonald's |
|---|---|---|
| Meals compared | 129 | 51 |
| Typical calories | 540 | 520 |
| Typical protein | 29g | 21g |
| Protein per 100 cal | 5.5g | 4.2g |
| Typical sodium | 1,410mg | 1,100mg |
| Meals at 500 cal or less | 53 of 129 | 24 of 51 |
| Meals with 30g+ protein | 63 of 129 | 11 of 51 |
Green marks the better figure in each row: fewer calories, less sodium, more protein.
Highest-protein orders
Subway
| Order | Protein | Cal | Sodium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Double chicken footlong | 82g | 730 | 1,550mg |
| 5 Meat Italian Wrap | 65g | 1000 | 3,350mg |
| 5 Meat Italian Protein Bowl | 65g | 930 | 3,110mg |
| Steak & Bacon Wrap | 58g | 880 | 2,100mg |
| Chicken & Bacon Ranch Wrap | 55g | 840 | 1,990mg |
McDonald's
| Order | Protein | Cal | Sodium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese + small fries | 51g | 970 | 1,550mg |
| McCrispy Strips + Ranch Snack Wrap | 48g | 800 | 2,290mg |
| Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese | 48g | 740 | 1,360mg |
| McDouble + McChicken | 36g | 780 | 1,480mg |
| Big Breakfast with Hotcakes | 36g | 1340 | 2,070mg |
Lightest meals
Subway
| Order | Cal | Protein | Sodium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6" Veggie Delite (Fresh Fit) | 220 | 10g | 360mg |
| 6" Oven Roasted Turkey (Fresh Fit) | 270 | 20g | 810mg |
| Veggie, avocado | 275 | 10g | 485mg |
| 6" Black Forest Ham (Fresh Fit) | 280 | 19g | 850mg |
| 6" Grilled Chicken (Fresh Fit) | 300 | 26g | 570mg |
McDonald's
| Order | Cal | Protein | Sodium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hamburger | 250 | 12g | 510mg |
| Bagel (plain) | 270 | 9g | 550mg |
| Cheeseburger | 300 | 15g | 720mg |
| Egg McMuffin | 310 | 17g | 770mg |
| Sausage Burrito | 310 | 13g | 800mg |
Check your own order
Build the exact meal you would order in the Subway calculator and the McDonald's calculator, or let the macro finder search both for orders that fit your calories and protein.
Frequently asked questions
Is Subway or McDonald's lower in calories?
A typical McDonald's meal is lighter: 520 calories against 540. "Typical" means the median of the complete meals in our data: 129 at Subway and 51 at McDonald's.
Which has more protein, Subway or McDonald's?
Subway gives more protein in a typical meal: 29g against 21g. The single highest-protein order is Double chicken footlong at Subway (82g) and Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese + small fries at McDonald's (51g).
What is the lightest meal at Subway and at McDonald's?
At Subway it is 6" Veggie Delite (Fresh Fit) with 220 calories. At McDonald's it is Hamburger with 250 calories.
About this comparison
Figures come from Subway U.S. Nutrition Information (October 2026) and McDonald's official Nutrition Calculator (US), read in the browser. MacroTray is independent and not affiliated with either restaurant. Read our methodology.