Compare the orders you would actually buy. A lower number for an entrée alone is not a fair comparison with an entrée, side and drink. Keep the included items next to the nutrition values.
FDA’s menu guide explains that meals with choices may show multiple calorie values or ranges. A range does not identify your exact combination by itself.
How the apparent winner can change
These invented orders demonstrate a comparison problem; they are not restaurant data.
| Component | Order A | Order B |
|---|---|---|
| Entrée | 420 calories | 510 calories |
| Chosen side | 180 calories | 80 calories |
| Chosen drink | 120 calories | 0 calories |
| Complete order | 720 calories | 590 calories |
Entrée A is 90 calories lower than entrée B. But complete order A is 130 calories higher than complete order B. Neither calculation is wrong; they answer different questions.
A five-line comparison worksheet
- Menu region: use the same country’s menu for each source.
- Size: identify six-inch versus footlong, regular versus large, or one versus two pieces.
- Included items: list sides, sauce, dressing, toppings and drinks.
- Preparation: check standard versus modified orders and how substitutions were verified.
- Nutrition coverage: retain unknown fields instead of filling them with zero.
For a dish intended for sharing, state whether the figure describes the whole dish or your estimated share. Do not divide a layered or uneven dish into exact equal nutrition portions unless that assumption is reasonable and visible.
Use the result that answers your question
Whole-order calories describe the energy in the listed combination. Protein per 100 calories describes a ratio. Protein grams describe an amount. A meal can lead on one measure and trail on another, so keep both the absolute values and the comparison basis visible.
Compare tracked orders side by side. Use the source link to verify current portions and modifications; a hypothetical subtraction is not an official customized order.
Try the checklist with two Canadian complete orders
Scroll across for the full comparison.
| Food and listed portion | kcal | Protein (g) | Carbs (g) | Fat (g) | Fiber (g) | Sodium (mg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hot dog with bun + snack fries Canada · 1 hot dog with bun + 1 snack fries order | 910 | 28 | 100 | 45 | 7 | 1,420 |
| Hot dog with bun + regular fries Canada · 1 hot dog with bun + 1 regular fries order | 1,320 | 33 | 150 | 66 | 12 | 1,455 |
Both orders include one hot dog with its bun. Changing snack fries to regular fries moves the total from 910 to 1,320 kcal and from 28 to 33 g protein: 410 kcal and 5 g protein more. A drink, dip or unnamed condiment is not included. The same hot dog plus an unspecified “fries” entry would leave the serving unresolved.
These totals are calculated from the Canadian guide’s named portions; the restaurant did not publish these exact combined rows. Add a supported drink separately, or keep its calories and other nutrients unknown rather than announcing a complete combo total.
Sources and serving limits
- New York Fries source · edition 2026-08-20; record checked 2026-10-13.
Sources and scope
These sources support the measurement explanations. Hypothetical label examples remain labelled; real food comparisons identify their own country, serving and source edition. Availability and recipes can change.
Build the order you mean.
Add exact listed foods, sides, drinks or packets. Known subtotals stay separate from unknown component values.