The restaurant logging formula (simple and fast)
- Item(s): what you ordered
- Size: small/medium/large, or any menu size
- Mods: “no mayo”, “extra cheese”, “sauce on the side”
- Extras: chips, bread, dessert, drinks
- How much you ate: “ate half”, “shared”, “left fries”
Copy-paste restaurant prompt
Estimate calories and macros (protein, carbs, fat). Restaurant: [name or cuisine] Items: [what I ordered] Size: [size] Modifications: [no mayo, extra cheese, sauce on side] Extras: [chips, bread, dessert, drinks] How much I ate: [all / half / shared] Output: 1) Total calories + macros 2) Assumptions you made 3) Low/typical/high range if uncertain
New to the workflow? Start here: ChatGPT calorie tracker.
Examples
Bowl-style meal
Restaurant: fast-casual bowl place Items: chicken bowl with rice + beans Size: regular Modifications: extra guac Extras: chips + salsa How much I ate: all
Guac and chips are often the main calorie swing, not the chicken.
Sushi
Restaurant: sushi Items: 2 rolls (spicy tuna + salmon avocado) Size: standard rolls Modifications: none Extras: miso soup, 1 tbsp soy sauce How much I ate: all
Special sauces and tempura change macros fast. Call them out.
Burger + fries
Restaurant: burger place Items: cheeseburger + fries Size: medium fries Modifications: no mayo Extras: ketchup, diet soda How much I ate: ate about 2/3 of fries
“How much I ate” matters. Say it explicitly.
Restaurant accuracy: what’s realistic
Restaurants vary a lot and many items include hidden fats. You can improve reliability by calling out sauces and cooking methods and using ranges. For the deeper breakdown: accuracy expectations.
Want this without manual copy-paste?
TrueCal is designed for conversational logging. You describe the meal, it estimates calories and macros, and it keeps the log organized so you can track trends. Learn more on how it works or check pricing.