In its nearly 70 year history in Canada, A&W has cemented itself as a fast food institution as iconic as Tim Hortons and McDonald’s. Since Canada’s first drive-in location opened in Winnipeg in 1956, the burger chain’s retro-inspired concept has endured, with stores popping up from coast to coast. Today, A&W Canada is known for its Canadian grass-fed burgers, signature onion rings, and of course, the famous root beer served in a frosted mug.
Given its popularity with Canadians — A&W Canada is the leading Canadian-owned fast food franchise, with more than 1,000 locations and counting — and tried and true menu staples that have remained popular for generations, Yahoo Canada asked a dietitian to weigh in on which menu items they’d recommend, and which ones to skip.
What to know about fast food — and how to order healthy at A&W
“If you can, it’s always best to try to limit your fast food intake as much as possible and eat at home,” says Lyndsay Lang, a registered dietitian who shares recipes and food reviews on TikTok. “But I understand that there’s going to be times where you eat fast food.”
Lang tells clients that all foods can fit into a healthy diet, within moderation of course.
“There’s still room for indulging here and there,” she says, “but there are definitely ways we can make healthier choices at fast food chains.”
If you’re looking for healthier options at A&W — or any fast food chain — Lang recommends focusing on your main dish and skipping out on the sides.
“The sides will give us added calories and fats that we maybe don’t necessarily need,” she says.
Second, always go for water or a low-calorie, low-sugar drink. Third, if there’s ever an option for grilled chicken, choose that over deep fried. And finally, ask for any sauces and dressings on the side so you can control how much is on the meal.
Checking out the nutritional facts online or in-person is a great way to find out what’s in your meal. Read on to see what Lang would skip or try at A&W, based on available nutrition information.
A&W is an iconic fast food chain in Canada — but not all its offerings are made equal. (Photo by Roberto Machado Noa/LightRocket via Getty Images)
4 things a dietitian would order at A&W
Mama Burger
When it comes to beef options at A&W, Lang says she would go for the Mama Burger, which features a grass-fed beef patty topped with pickles, onions, ketchup, mustard and Teen Sauce.
“There’s just one patty and there’s no added cheese or bacon or anything like that,” she says.
“It’s still a burger, so it’s still higher in sodium and unhealthy fats, but when it comes to calories, there’s about 400 calories, making it one of the lighter options compared to all the other burgers,” she adds. With 20 grams of protein and 870 mg of sodium, it’s a solid beef option at the chain.
Spicy Habanero Chicken Burger
If you fancy a chicken burger, Lang says opt for the Spicy Habanero Chicken Burger — topped with lettuce and tomato — even though it is breaded and fried.
“At the moment, A&W doesn’t seem to have any grilled chicken options,” she said. While this burger is a little high in sodium, coming in at 870 mg per serving, it’s still one of the lowest sodium chicken options on the menu.
“If you need to watch your salt intake, it may not be the greatest option,” however. The saturated fat, which is considered unhealthy fat, Lang says, is actually much lower than the beef burgers.
“Chicken-wise, this might be the best option,” she says.
Cheese and Egger
This simple yet effective breakfast option features a fresh egg and a layer of cheddar cheese served on your choice of bun.
“Breakfast-wise, I would choose the egg and cheese sandwich,” Lang advises. “It’s definitely a much lighter option compared to sandwiches that have bacon or sausage on them.”
Diners can choose between an English Muffin or a sesame seed bun, but Lang suggests going for the English muffin. This sandwich has 520 mg of sodium, 360 calories and 14 grams of protein.
A&W Root Beer Zero Sugar
While many dietitians say to stick with water whenever possible, Lang says to stay realistic.
“It’s hard going to A&W and not getting the root beer,” she acknowledges.
With this in mind, Lang says the A&W root beer with zero sugar is a fine option, noting you still get the restaurant’s famous taste “without the added sugar or adding extra calories to your meal.”
“There’s a lot of myths and misinformation regarding artificial sweeteners,” she says. “But they’re actually completely safe to consume.”
“The average person would need to consume about 12 cans of diet soda to even reach the acceptable daily intake [for aspartame],” Lang adds, referencing a study from the American Cancer Society. “One drink here and there really isn’t too much to worry about.”
4 things a dietitian would skip at A&W
Double Mozza Burger
“There’s a double patty, there’s mozzarella cheese, and there’s bacon, so there’s three different sources of fat going on,” Lang cautions about this indulgent burger, which has 950 mg of sodium and 800 calories.
But the real thing to note here is the saturated fat, which clocks in at 19 grams. American Heart Association guidelines suggest consuming 13 grams or less of saturated fat per day, based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
“It’s very high in saturated fat, which is our unhealthy fat, and too much of that can lead to high cholesterol,” Lang says. “A beef patty is going to be higher in those unhealthy fats, but if you’re adding the cheese and bacon on top of that, it’s just that extra that isn’t really needed.”
Onion rings
A&W Canada’s onion rings are made daily from fresh onions, which is admirable in a fast-paced fast food landscape. However, Lang would skip them due to the calorie and sodium count.
“Onion rings add an additional 520 calories to your meal,” she explains. “And your meal might already be on the higher side.”
If you’re itching for a side but trying to watch your sodium intake, French fries might be a better choice — onion rings have nearly double the sodium. One serving of onion rings has 630 mg of sodium, whereas the fries have 320 mg and 340 calories.
A&W onion rings are iconic, but you might want to skip them if you’re conscious of calories consumed. (Photo by Roberto Machado Noa/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Grandpa Burger
Three beef patties make this iconic burger one to skip for Lang.
“Even though there’s no cheese or bacon on it, with three beef patties, that’s triple the fat and sodium,” she says.
This burger has 21 grams of saturated fat, and 1,000 mg of sodium — however, it also has an impressive 53 grams of protein!
“There’s definitely other options where you can get one or maybe two patties for less calories and fat, but are still quite filling,” Lang continues.
Shakes
Some A&W Canada locations serve shakes, including flavours like Mango Passionfruit, Mixed Berry with Acai, Strawberry and Root Beer. These all have high sugar contents, with the “regular” sizes having 71 grams, 69 grams, 65 grams and 89 grams, respectively.
“Obviously that’s a lot of extra sugar that really isn’t needed in these meals,” Lang says. “It’s definitely better to go with the root beer zero or just stick with water.”
The bottom line
Overall, when it comes to eating out at A&W Canada, Lang suggests making smart swaps whenever possible, including opting for smaller burgers that aren’t loaded with extra patties, cheese or bacon, and choosing water or other zero sugar drink options. And of course, it’s all about striking a healthy balance.
“Everything’s OK in moderation, unless you have specific health issues,” Lang says.
While there’s nothing wrong with stopping by the drive-thru at A&W Canada once in a while — or any fast food restaurant for that matter — knowing nutritional information can help you decide which options work best for your diet or health concerns.
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