Runza under 500 calories: 24 orders, ranked
Of the 34 single orders we track at Runza, 24 come in at or under 500 calories — 71%. The most protein in one item under 500 is the Spicy Jack Grilled Chicken Sandwich, 37 g for 450 calories; the most filling by protein and fiber per calorie is the Side Salad without Dressing (1 g protein, 2 g fiber, 20 cal). 21 entrées fit under 500; 8 do not.
Source: Runza nutrition guide (official), November 2025 edition · Data refreshed
- 24 orders under 500
- 37g most protein in one item
- 43g protein in a full meal
- 8 entrées over 500
As of October 2026, 24 of the 34 Runza single orders we track come in at or under 500 calories, and the most protein in a complete Runza meal under 500 is 43 g (A Sweet Berry Chicken Salad without Dressing and a 1% White Milk).
Three complete Runza meals under 500 calories
Under 500, the most-protein meal is built on the Sweet Berry Chicken Salad without Dressing (380 cal), which leaves 120 calories for its sides and drink. One meal-sized entrée, up to two different sides and a drink — the MinMax app's meal and the best under the cap, drink included (water only where no published drink fits; the lightest meal takes a zero-calorie drink, or water). The lightest meal is unchanged from under 400; the others use the extra 100 calories.
Most protein
- Sweet Berry Chicken Salad without Dressing380 cal · 35g
- 1% White Milk100 cal · 8g
480 of 500 cal · 43 g protein
What to say at the counter: “A Sweet Berry Chicken Salad without Dressing and a 1% White Milk — 480 cal, 43 g protein.”
Get it at the nearest Runza →Most filling
- Sweet Berry Chicken Salad without Dressing380 cal · 35g
- 1% White Milk100 cal · 8g
480 of 500 cal · 43 g protein
What to say at the counter: “A Sweet Berry Chicken Salad without Dressing and a 1% White Milk — 480 cal, 43 g protein.”
Get it at the nearest Runza →Lightest
- Chicken Strips (2)250 cal · 18g
- Diet Pepsi (Medium)0 cal · 0g
250 of 500 cal · 18 g protein
What to say at the counter: “2 Chicken Strips and a medium Diet Pepsi — 250 cal, 18 g protein.”
Get it at the nearest Runza →Build your own Runza order under 500 calories → Swap any item, add a side, share the link.
Every Runza order under 500 calories, ranked by protein
Single orders only — no desserts, kids' meals, combos, sauces or toppings — by grams of protein, then calories. The median order under 500 is 340 calories and 21 of the 24 are entrées. Figures as Runza published them, rounded to whole numbers (how we check them).
| # | Item | Calories | Protein | Protein / 100 cal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spicy Jack Grilled Chicken Sandwich | 450 | 37g | 8.2g |
| 2 | Chicken Strips (4) | 500 | 36g | 7.2g |
| 3 | Sweet Berry Chicken Salad without Dressing | 380 | 35g | 9.2g |
| 4 | Smothered Grilled Chicken Sandwich | 390 | 34g | 8.7g |
| 5 | BBQ Grilled Chicken Sandwich | 360 | 33g | 9.2g |
| 6 | Classic Grilled Chicken Sandwich | 330 | 32g | 9.7g |
| 7 | Deluxe Grilled Chicken Sandwich | 330 | 32g | 9.7g |
| 8 | Buffalo Grilled Chicken Sandwich | 340 | 32g | 9.4g |
| 9 | 1/4 lb. Bacon Cheeseburger | 440 | 28g | 6.4g |
| 10 | 1/4 lb. Swiss Cheese Mushroom Burger | 450 | 27g | 6.0g |
| 11 | 1/4 lb. Cheeseburger | 400 | 26g | 6.5g |
| 12 | 1/4 lb. Hamburger | 340 | 24g | 7.1g |
| 13 | Southwest Chicken Salad with Salsa without Dressing | 400 | 24g | 6.0g |
| 14 | Original Runza Sandwich | 490 | 19g | 3.9g |
| 15 | Chicken Strips (2) | 250 | 18g | 7.2g |
| 16 | Jr. Cheeseburger | 300 | 18g | 6.0g |
| 17 | Jr. Swiss Mushroom Burger | 310 | 18g | 5.8g |
| 18 | Ranch Jr. Chicken Wrap | 320 | 14g | 4.4g |
| 19 | Buffalo Jr. Chicken Wrap | 330 | 14g | 4.2g |
| 20 | Mini Original Runza Sandwich | 260 | 10g | 3.8g |
| 21 | BLT Jr. Wrap | 260 | 9g | 3.5g |
| 22 | French Fries (Regular) | 475 | 6g | 1.3g |
| 23 | French Fries (Small) | 265 | 3g | 1.1g |
| 24 | Side Salad without Dressing | 20 | 1g | 5.0g |
What 500 calories buys at Runza
Going from 400 to 500 calories adds 6 orders: 1/4 lb. Bacon Cheeseburger (440), 1/4 lb. Swiss Cheese Mushroom Burger (450), Spicy Jack Grilled Chicken Sandwich (450), French Fries (Regular) (475), Original Runza Sandwich (490) and Chicken Strips (4) (500).
What doesn't fit under 500
8 of 29 Runza entrées are over 500 calories; the lightest of them, the Cheeseburger Runza Sandwich, misses by 5 calories at 505. With more room, see Runza under 600. Tighter budget: Runza under 400. Closest misses: Cheeseburger Runza Sandwich (505), 1/4 lb. Spicy Jack Burger (510), Cheese Runza Sandwich (550), Swiss Cheese Mushroom Runza Sandwich (570) and Popcorn Chicken (Regular) (600).
Eat at Runza without blowing your cap
MinMax finds the best Runza meal under your calorie goal — at the location nearest you — and lets you swap items to hit your protein. Free on iPhone.
Download MinMax — free What the app doesMore at Runza
- Runza calories & nutrition (80 items listed)
- Runza under 400 calories (18 orders)
- Runza under 600 calories (29 orders)
- High-protein Runza orders (15 items)
- Runza calorie calculator (build an order under your cap)
Under 500 calories at other chains
The same cap at 3 Burgers chains, or the cross-chain pillar: fast food under 500 calories.