Restaurant meal estimate

Larger chains in England print calories on their menus. Add up what you are thinking of ordering to see the total for the whole meal.

Your details

Your meal out

2,212

kcal, 111% of a 2,000 kcal day

Starter350 kcal
Main850 kcal
Side300 kcal
Dessert450 kcal
2 × Glass of dry white wine (175 ml)262 kcal
Against a 600 kcal main meal guide+1,612 kcal
Largest single part850 kcal
Your dayadd what you ate earlier to see the day so far and what is left

Meals out are for enjoying. Larger chains in England (250 or more staff) print kcal on menus by law, so those numbers are worth using. If you would like it lighter, sharing a dessert or skipping a side changes more than switching mains.

The working

Adding up the menu

We add each part, halve the dessert if you are sharing it, and compare the meal with the NHS daily guide for your sex and with the 600 kcal main meal guide from Public Health England. Drinks often have no menu figure, so you can pick them from a list that uses UK CoFID 2021 values. A 350 kcal starter, 850 kcal main, 300 kcal side, half of a 450 kcal dessert and two 175 ml glasses of dry white wine (131 kcal each) comes to 1,987 kcal, or 99% of a 2,000 kcal day. Skipping the side and one glass would bring it down by 431 kcal.

Your day

Earlier plus the meal

Add what you ate earlier and, if you know it, your own daily number in place of the NHS guide. With 900 kcal earlier and the 1,987 kcal meal above, the day comes to 2,887 kcal, so 887 over a 2,000 kcal day. That is one day: a week evens it out, and there is no need to skip meals tomorrow to make up for it.

The law

Why menus show calories

Since April 2022, cafes, restaurants and takeaways in England with 250 or more employees must show calories on menus, along with the line "adults need around 2,000 kcal a day". Smaller places and the rest of the UK may not, but many chains show them anyway.

Enjoy it

If you would like it lighter

Share a starter or a dessert
Swap chips for a salad or new potatoes, or share the chips
Ask for sauces and dressings on the side
Go for tap water or a diet drink with the meal

Or do none of these. A meal out is a meal out.

Read with care

What this cannot tell you

Portion variationKitchens vary, so the menu figure is an average.
Free extrasBread, butter and refills are often not on the menu.
NutritionCalories say nothing about veg, fibre or salt.

Questions

Common questions

Do all UK restaurants show calories?

No. The rule covers larger businesses in England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have consulted on similar rules, and smaller places often do not show them.

Why does the menu say adults need 2,000 kcal?

It is a simple reference so the numbers make sense. Your own needs may be higher or lower.

How many calories is a typical meal out?

A main alone is often 700 to 1,000 kcal, and three courses with a drink can pass 2,000.

Sources

Last checked 21 October 2026. Spotted something wrong? Tell us and we will fix it.

If food feels hard

If eating, weight or food is on your mind a lot, you are not alone. Your GP can help, and Beat has a free helpline on 0808 801 0677 (England, weekdays 3pm to 8pm).