Know Before You Go: 10 Chain Restaurant Meals You Should Always Avoid

Avoid: The meat-heavy Ore Cart combo (2,724 calories).

Instead: Opt for a different combo so you can still enjoy options without maxing out on your daily calorie count. The tri-tip and shrimp combo, for example, is 763 calories.

Calories saved: 1,961

Avoid: The No Rules Parmesan Pasta, served with grilled chicken and shrimp (2,227 calories).

Instead: Opt for something on Outback's under 600-calorie menu, like the lobster tail with mixed veggies (520 calories)

Calories saved: 1,707

Avoid: The Gardein Orange Peel Chicken with rice may be on the vegetarian menu, but it still clocks in at a whopping 1,943 calories. The non-vegetarian version isn't that much better, at 1,802 calories (check out a PDF of all of Yardhouse's nutritional information here).

Instead: Go for the cilantro lime shrimp, served with brown rice sundried tomato tabbouleh (557 calories).

Calories saved: 1,386

Avoid: The riblets platter (with honey BBQ sauce), which clocks in at 1,870 calories. You can see a PDF of the chain's nutritional info here.

Instead: Choose something from Applebee's under-600 calorie Have It All menu, like the Steakhouse Bruschetta Sirloin, served with red potatoes and a mushroom cap filled with creamy artichoke dip (530 calories).

Calories saved: 1,340

Avoid: The bacon ranch beef quesadilla (1,800 calories).

Instead: Anything on the restaurant's Lighter Choices menu, like the six-ounce classic sirloin served with steamed broccoli (250 calories). Add a healthy side or appetizer, and you're still on track to save big.

Calories saved: 1,550

Avoid: This fried-filled Jack Daniel's ribs and shrimp combo, which will run you 1,730 calories, and that's before adding sides.

Instead: Go for the Jack Daniel's chicken and shrimp combo (530 calories without sides). No matter what plate you order, choose healthier side options like steamed broccoli (50 calories), ginger-lime slaw (80 calories), or tomato mozzarella salad (110 calories, full nutritional PDF here).

Calories saved: 1,200

Avoid: The creamy Crab Linguini Alfredo (1,610 calories for the full portion).

Instead: If you want pasta, go for a half portion or box up half for later; you can even save a few more calories if you opt for a different pasta altogether: the shrimp liguini alfredo (630 calories for a half portion). Ask for a side of steamed veggies if you want to bulk up your plate.

Calories saved: 980 calories

Avoid: A special night out calls for a special dinner, but even if you do opt for an indulgent meal, avoiding the prime rib and lobster tail Seafood Roundup combo (1,561 calories without sides) is a good idea, especially considering the sides can add about 500 calories to your plate.

Instead: While still a high-calorie option, switching out the prime rib with filet mignon saves calories on a special meal; the lobster and filet mignon Seafood Roundup combination is 970 calories without sides.

Calories saved: 591

Avoid: The Tour of Italy plate, which clocks in at 1,500 calories.

Instead: Go for an option on the restaurant's Lighter Fare menu, like the Lasagna Primavera with Grilled Chicken (470 calories).

Calories saved: 1,030

Avoid: The gargantuan Macho Combo, featuring a pork tamale, chili relleno, chicken, sour cream, enchilada, and taco (1,360 calories without sides).

Instead: Choose the Shrimp Mazatlan Enchiladas (540 calories without sides). When choosing your sides, go for sauteed vegetables instead of rice and beans.

Calories saved: 820