Home Worldwide Hits

The Ultimate Guide To In-N-Out Grilled Cheese Calories (2025 Update): 5 Secret Menu Hacks To Customize Your Order

• minute read
Contents

The In-N-Out Grilled Cheese is one of the most famous "secret menu" items in the fast-food world, a beloved staple for vegetarians and anyone looking for a meatless classic. As of the latest available nutritional data in early 2025, a standard In-N-Out Grilled Cheese sandwich contains approximately 380 calories. This number is crucial for anyone tracking their daily intake, but the true story of this sandwich's nutrition lies in its customizable components, which can easily push the calorie count up or down depending on how you order.

The beauty of the In-N-Out experience is customization, and the Grilled Cheese is no exception. Understanding the macronutrient breakdown—specifically the high carbohydrate content from the bun and the fat from the cheese and spread—is the key to mastering your order, whether you are trying to stay low-carb, high-protein, or simply want to indulge in the full, classic experience.

In-N-Out Grilled Cheese: Complete Nutritional Breakdown (2025)

The standard Grilled Cheese from In-N-Out is a simple assembly of two slices of melted American cheese, hand-leafed lettuce, a slice of ripe tomato, and a generous layer of their signature Spread, all served on a freshly toasted bun. Here is the detailed nutritional breakdown for the base sandwich.

  • Total Calories: 380 kcal
  • Total Fat: 21g
  • Saturated Fat: 7g (Estimated)
  • Cholesterol: 30mg (Estimated)
  • Sodium: 660mg (Estimated)
  • Total Carbohydrates: 39g
  • Dietary Fiber: 3g (Estimated)
  • Sugars: 8g (Estimated)
  • Protein: 7g

For those focused on macronutrients, the 380-calorie total is heavily skewed toward carbohydrates and fat. The 39g of Total Carbs accounts for the majority of the calories, primarily due to the toasted white bun. The 21g of Total Fat comes from the American cheese slices and the creamy, mayonnaise-based Spread. The protein content is relatively low at 7g, as it only comes from the cheese and the bun itself, making it a true vegetarian option but not a high-protein meal.

Component Calorie Breakdown: Where Do the Calories Come From?

To truly master your order and understand the nutritional impact of your choices, it helps to know the approximate calorie count of each core ingredient in the Grilled Cheese. This allows for precise customization, especially for low-carb or low-fat diets.

  • Toasted Bun (2 halves): ~150 calories
  • American Cheese (2 Slices): ~140 calories
  • In-N-Out Spread: ~80 calories (for a standard serving)
  • Lettuce, Tomato, and Onion: ~10 calories

By simply adding these core components together (150 + 140 + 80 + 10), you arrive at the standard 380-calorie figure. This breakdown immediately highlights the two biggest calorie and carb culprits: the bun and the spread.

5 Secret Menu Hacks to Customize Your Grilled Cheese Calories

The In-N-Out secret menu is famous for offering modifications that cater to every dietary need, from low-carb keto enthusiasts to those who simply want more flavor. Here are five popular ways to customize your Grilled Cheese and how they affect the final calorie count and macronutrients.

1. The Low-Carb Keto Hack: "Protein Style" Grilled Cheese

This is the most effective way to drastically reduce the carbohydrate and calorie count. By ordering your Grilled Cheese "Protein Style," you are instructing the staff to replace the toasted bun with a hand-leafed lettuce wrap. Since the bun accounts for about 150 calories and 30g of carbs, this simple change makes a huge difference.

  • Estimated Calories: ~230 kcal
  • Impact: Drops the Total Carbs from 39g to less than 10g, making it a viable option for a low-carb or keto lifestyle.
  • How to Order: "Grilled Cheese, Protein Style."

2. The Indulgent Hack: "Animal Style" Grilled Cheese

The "Animal Style" modification is the opposite of the Protein Style, designed to maximize flavor and indulgence. On a Grilled Cheese, "Animal Style" means adding extra Spread and a generous scoop of grilled onions (cooked in mustard on the grill). This significantly increases the fat and calorie count.

  • Estimated Calories: ~490 kcal
  • Impact: The extra spread and grilled onions add approximately 110 calories and a significant boost in fat. This is the highest-calorie version.
  • How to Order: "Grilled Cheese, Animal Style."

3. The Low-Fat Hack: "No Spread" Grilled Cheese

Since the Spread contributes about 80 calories and most of the added fat, removing it is the best way to make the Grilled Cheese a lower-fat option. The sandwich will still have the melted cheese and fresh vegetables, but with a much cleaner flavor profile.

  • Estimated Calories: ~300 kcal
  • Impact: Reduces Total Fat by approximately 8-10g. You can replace the spread with ketchup and mustard for a negligible calorie increase.
  • How to Order: "Grilled Cheese, No Spread, Add Ketchup and Mustard."

4. The Vegan Hack: "Wishburger" (Without Cheese)

While In-N-Out doesn't have a true vegan patty, the "Wishburger" is the term for a vegetarian sandwich without cheese. It's essentially a bun with lettuce, tomato, Spread, and optional grilled onions and pickles. However, the Spread is mayonnaise-based and contains eggs, so you must order it "No Spread" for a truly vegan option.

  • Estimated Calories (No Spread): ~160 kcal
  • Impact: This is the lowest-calorie option, eliminating the 140 calories from the American cheese.
  • How to Order: "Grilled Cheese, No Cheese, No Spread, Add Ketchup/Mustard."

5. The Flavor Hack: Add Chopped Chilies

For a minimal calorie change with a major flavor boost, you can ask for chopped chilies to be added to your Grilled Cheese. These are spicy, pickled yellow peppers that add a tangy heat without adding significant fat or carbohydrates.

  • Estimated Calories: ~385 kcal
  • Impact: Negligible calorie increase (less than 10 kcal), but a huge boost in flavor complexity.
  • How to Order: "Grilled Cheese, Add Chopped Chilies."

The Grilled Cheese vs. Other Vegetarian Options

The Grilled Cheese is often cited as the primary vegetarian option at In-N-Out, but it's not the only one. Comparing its nutritional profile to other meatless choices helps put the 380-calorie figure into perspective for those managing their diet.

The only other main vegetarian item is the French Fries. A standard order of In-N-Out French Fries contains approximately 370 calories, 15g of fat, and 53g of carbohydrates. This means that a Grilled Cheese (380 kcal) and a side of Fries (370 kcal) together total 750 calories, a significant portion of a daily calorie budget.

For a balanced vegetarian meal, the best strategy is to pair a low-carb "Protein Style" Grilled Cheese (~230 kcal) with a half-order of Fries (if available, ~185 kcal) to keep the total meal around 400-450 calories, or simply enjoy the Grilled Cheese on its own. The customization options allow the Grilled Cheese to be a flexible and satisfying choice for nearly any diet, proving why it remains one of the most popular items on the not-so-secret menu.

The Ultimate Guide to In-N-Out Grilled Cheese Calories (2025 Update): 5 Secret Menu Hacks to Customize Your Order
grilled cheese in n out calories
grilled cheese in n out calories

Detail Author:

  • Name : Sigrid Skiles
  • Username : myrl70
  • Email : zhansen@oconnell.com
  • Birthdate : 1997-08-15
  • Address : 6021 Imogene Manor South Mohammed, AK 22487
  • Phone : 279-725-1325
  • Company : McClure, Gislason and Nicolas
  • Job : Coaches and Scout
  • Bio : Id veritatis quis velit facilis. Voluptatem id molestiae dignissimos neque. Excepturi magni dignissimos laboriosam eos ea. Aspernatur non quo quod ut veniam asperiores.

Socials

tiktok:

twitter:

  • url : https://twitter.com/mcdermotte
  • username : mcdermotte
  • bio : Et minus ad quis iste. Debitis velit blanditiis est. Eos cum sed quo. Eos a et accusantium deleniti consequatur dolorem est.
  • followers : 3530
  • following : 2400

instagram:

  • url : https://instagram.com/emmymcdermott
  • username : emmymcdermott
  • bio : Enim ipsam unde repellat at. Voluptatem qui possimus et ex. Et necessitatibus et est fugiat.
  • followers : 1014
  • following : 910

linkedin:

facebook:

Random Posts