The best protein deal at Dairy Queen is a regular order of cheese curds: 24 grams for about $3.99. For the most protein in one item, the triple Backyard Bacon Ranch Stackburger has 50 grams. For the most protein per calorie, a double Original Cheeseburger wins.
Protein and calories come from Dairy Queen’s U.S. nutrition information (current as of August 26, 2024, per DQ). Prices are the typical U.S. prices on our item pages and vary by store, so your protein per dollar will too.
Most protein per dollar
| Item | Typical price | Protein | Calories | Protein per $1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheese curds (regular) | $3.99 | 24 g | 500 | 6.0 g |
| Backyard Bacon Ranch Stackburger (double) | $9.99 | 38 g | 820 | 3.8 g |
| 2-piece chicken strips | $3.49 | 13 g | 280 | 3.7 g |
| Double Cheeseburger | $7.99 | 29 g | 570 | 3.6 g |
| Chili Cheese Dog | $4.99 | 18 g | 420 | 3.6 g |
| 6-piece Chicken Strip Basket | $13.49 | 48 g | 1,300 | 3.6 g |
| 4-piece Chicken Strip Basket | $9.99 | 35 g | 1,020 | 3.5 g |
| Two Cheese Deluxe Stackburger (double) | $8.29 | 29 g | 620 | 3.5 g |
| FlameThrower Stackburger (triple) | $13.49 | 46 g | 910 | 3.4 g |
| FlameThrower Stackburger (double) | $10.87 | 34 g | 720 | 3.1 g |
| Hot dog | $3.99 | 12 g | 330 | 3.0 g |
| Original Cheeseburger (single) | $6.39 | 17 g | 370 | 2.7 g |
Cheese curds are in a league of their own at about 6 grams per dollar. After that, burgers, baskets and hot dogs land between about 2.7 and 3.8 grams per dollar. Chicken strip baskets look expensive, but the price includes fries and Texas toast.
Most protein per calorie
| Item | Protein | Calories | Protein per 100 cal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Double Cheeseburger | 29 g | 570 | 5.1 g |
| FlameThrower Stackburger (triple) | 46 g | 910 | 5.1 g |
| Cheese curds (regular) | 24 g | 500 | 4.8 g |
| FlameThrower Stackburger (double) | 34 g | 720 | 4.7 g |
| Two Cheese Deluxe Stackburger (double) | 29 g | 620 | 4.7 g |
| 2-piece chicken strips | 13 g | 280 | 4.6 g |
Doubles and triples do best here, because each extra patty adds more protein than calories. Fried sides and treats rank lowest.
Most protein in one item
| Item | Protein | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Backyard Bacon Ranch Stackburger (triple) | 50 g | 1,020 |
| Large cheese curds | 49 g | 1,000 |
| 6-piece Honey BBQ Chicken Strip Basket | 49 g | 1,480 |
| 6-piece Chicken Strip Basket | 48 g | 1,300 |
| FlameThrower Stackburger (triple) | 46 g | 910 |
| Two Cheese Deluxe Stackburger (triple) | 41 g | 820 |
| Original Cheeseburger (triple) | 40 g | 760 |
Easy 30-gram-plus orders
- Cheese curds + 2-piece chicken strips: 37 grams of protein and 780 calories for about $7.48.
- Backyard Bacon Ranch Stackburger (double): 38 grams for about $9.99.
- 6-piece Chicken Strip Basket: 48 grams, with fries and toast, for about $13.49.
- Two Chili Cheese Dogs: 36 grams and 850 calories for about $9.98.
At stores that put 2-piece chicken strips on the 2 for $5 menu, two orders give you 26 grams of protein for $5, about 5.2 grams per dollar.
What about Blizzards and shakes?
A small Blizzard has 11 to 16 grams of protein, and a small chocolate shake has 13 grams. That sounds like a lot, but each comes with 530 to 750 calories and 67 to 89 grams of sugar. Treat them as dessert, not a protein source. Our DQ sugar guide ranks every Blizzard by sugar.
For the lowest-calorie meals, see our DQ calories guide. For the cheapest orders overall, see the cheapest things to order at DQ.
Frequently asked questions
Looking for a specific item? See the full Dairy Queen menu with prices for every Blizzard, burger, basket and cake.
Sources: Dairy Queen U.S. nutrition and allergen information, in-store menu boards and the DQ app. Prices are typical U.S. prices and vary by location. Last checked October 2026.