What burger is 2000 calories? Unpacking the nutrition of colossal fast-food meals

October 20, 2025 •

4 min read

According to Guinness World Records, the most calorific commercially available burger contains a staggering 9,982 calories. While few single burgers reach exactly 2,000 calories, combining a large burger with high-fat sides and a sugary drink can easily put a fast-food meal into this category.

Quick Summary

Several infamous burgers and many fast-food combo meals can exceed 2,000 calories, representing a full day's energy intake. This article examines specific menu items and meals that cross this threshold, detailing their nutritional components and potential health effects.

Key Points

The 2000-Calorie Burger Quest: Very few single burgers consistently hit exactly 2,000 calories, but limited-edition items like the Burger King Korea 'Yangyang Bahwa Wahwa' have come very close.
Combos Easily Exceed 2000 Calories: Combining a large burger with fries and a milkshake from chains like Five Guys or Shake Shack is a common way to create a 2,000+ calorie meal.
The Most Calorific Burger: The Heart Attack Grill in Las Vegas holds the Guinness World Record for the most calorific commercially available burger, with its Octuple Bypass Burger containing nearly 10,000 calories.
High Fat and Sodium: High-calorie burgers and combos are loaded with multiple beef patties, generous cheese, bacon, and sauces, resulting in extremely high saturated fat and sodium levels.
Full Day's Calories in One Meal: A 2,000-calorie meal represents the total daily recommended caloric intake for many adults, highlighting the extreme density of these menu items.
Nutritional Imbalance: Despite their high energy, these mega-meals are often poor sources of essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber, contributing to a nutritionally deficient diet.

Standalone Burgers Pushing the 2000-Calorie Mark

While a standard hamburger is far from a 2,000-calorie meal, some restaurants have created oversized, specialty burgers that can either meet or come very close to this number. These monstrous creations are often limited-time offers or challenges designed to push the boundaries of extreme eating.

One historical example is the XXXL Fatburger from Fatburger in Los Angeles, which was reported to be around 2,000 calories. This burger is an example of a single, exceptionally large menu item reaching this milestone, primarily due to its multiple beef patties and ample toppings.

Another significant mention is a limited-time offering from Burger King Korea. In 2023, the chain released a burger with four patties and multiple layers of cheese, which reportedly packed 1,953 calories. This shows that international chains sometimes release items that are far more calorie-dense than their standard US counterparts.

Less extreme, but still notable, is Chili's Boss Burger, which combines five different meats, including bacon, jalapeno sausage, brisket, and a half-pound patty, with cheese and sauce, for a total of 1,690 calories, not including fries. While not quite 2,000 calories on its own, it is a formidable example of a single menu item nearing this level.

Fast-Food Combos That Surpass 2000 Calories

For most fast-food enthusiasts, a 2,000-calorie meal isn't a single burger but a combination of several items. Pairing an already large burger with a large serving of fries and a high-sugar drink or milkshake is a surefire way to exceed daily caloric recommendations in one sitting. The high fat and sugar content from these add-ons drive the calorie count up dramatically.

Examples of 2000+ calorie combos:

Shake Shack: A double Shackburger, with cheese fries and a peanut butter shake, can total around 2,200 calories. The fat from the shake and cheese fries significantly contributes to this total.
Five Guys: A bacon cheeseburger paired with a large order of fries clocks in at an estimated 2,230 calories. Five Guys' generous portions and fries cooked in peanut oil contribute to the high calorie and fat count.
Carl's Jr.: A Superstar cheeseburger with onion rings and a chocolate shake can accumulate over 2,150 calories. The combination of multiple fried items and a high-sugar shake is a common theme in these high-calorie meals.

The Extreme Outlier: The Heart Attack Grill

While 2,000-calorie burgers are exceptionally high, they pale in comparison to the world-record holder served at the Heart Attack Grill in Las Vegas. This hospital-themed restaurant offers the infamous Octuple Bypass Burger, which contains a colossal 9,982 calories. This burger is not just a meal but an extreme eating challenge, featuring eight beef patties and 40 pieces of bacon. It is the most extreme example of high-calorie, commercially available food in existence.

Nutritional Breakdown of Colossal Burgers

The reason these burgers and meals contain so many calories is a combination of ingredients, portion sizes, and preparation methods. Understanding the nutritional makeup reveals why they represent such a significant portion of a person's daily intake.

Fat Content: The primary calorie source in these meals is fat, particularly saturated fat. Multiple beef patties, multiple slices of cheese, and bacon all contribute to a very high saturated fat total, which can exceed the daily recommended limit by 100% or more in one serving.
Sodium: The processed ingredients, cheese, bacon, and sauces found on these burgers, along with salted fries, contain extremely high levels of sodium. A single item can contain nearly a full day's recommended sodium intake.
Refined Carbohydrates: The buns and fried sides are typically made with refined carbohydrates, which offer little nutritional value and can cause blood sugar spikes. These carbs contribute to the overall calorie load without providing sustainable energy.
Lack of Nutrients: These meals are often nutritionally imbalanced, providing minimal fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They are energy-dense but nutrient-poor, a hallmark of many ultra-processed foods.

Comparison of Standard vs. High-Calorie Burgers


Burger Type	Example	Approx. Calories (Burger Only)	Protein	Fat	Sodium
Standard Single Patty	Wendy's Dave's Single	580	32g	16g	N/A
Triple Patty with Cheese	Wendy's Dave's Triple	1,150	70g	81g	1570mg
Heart Attack Grill	Quadruple Bypass Burger	9,982 (Octuple Bypass)	N/A	N/A	N/A
Limited Release	BK Korea 'Yangyang Bahwa'	1,953	109g	N/A	N/A

Conclusion

While a specific, consistently available burger with exactly 2,000 calories is rare, the quest to find one reveals a broader trend of extreme portion sizes and caloric density in the fast-food industry. Several restaurant combo meals and special-edition burgers can easily meet or surpass this number, primarily due to the combination of multiple high-fat ingredients, fried sides, and sugary drinks. Consuming such a meal represents a significant portion of a day's energy needs and is associated with very high levels of saturated fat and sodium. For those curious about the outer limits of burger calories, the Heart Attack Grill remains the definitive example, offering a burger with nearly 10,000 calories that serves as a stark reminder of the potential for over-consumption.

Nutritional Concerns

Weight Gain: Regularly consuming meals of this caloric density can lead to significant weight gain over time, increasing the risk of obesity and related health issues.
Heart Health: The extremely high saturated fat and cholesterol content can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.
High Blood Pressure: Excessive sodium intake from these meals is a major contributor to high blood pressure.
Nutrient Deficiency: Despite their high caloric content, these meals are often low in essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

The Broader Context

The rise of these mega-meals speaks to a culture of excess and spectacle in the food industry. While occasional indulgence may not be harmful, regular consumption of such items can have serious health consequences. Consumers should always be aware of the nutritional information of the foods they eat, even if the numbers are astounding.

Frequently Asked Questions

There is no single, consistently available burger that has exactly 2000 calories. However, historical and limited-edition items have come very close, such as the XXXL Fatburger. Many combo meals from popular fast-food chains can easily exceed this mark.

For standalone burgers, restaurants known for large portion sizes like Fatburger and chains like Burger King (for limited-time offers) have produced items close to 2,000 calories. For the most extreme, the Heart Attack Grill is the notorious provider of the world's most calorific burger.

Combo meals typically push past the 2000-calorie limit by adding high-calorie sides like large fries or onion rings and a sugary drink or milkshake. These components significantly increase the meal's total fat and sugar content.

The primary health risks include weight gain and an increased risk of obesity. The meal's high saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium content can also contribute to heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure, especially with frequent consumption.

Yes, according to Guinness World Records, the Octuple Bypass Burger served at the Heart Attack Grill in Las Vegas has been certified as the most calorific commercially available burger, with nearly 10,000 calories.

Most major fast-food and chain restaurants, especially those in the US, provide nutritional information on their websites and in-store. This allows consumers to check the caloric and nutrient content of menu items before purchasing.

For many adults, a 2000-calorie meal is the equivalent of their entire daily recommended caloric intake. This means eating such a meal in one sitting can provide all the energy needed for a day, often with an overabundance of fat, sodium, and sugar.