Flickr/Joelk75

Restaurant rib dinner

The average meal at an average sit-down restaurant chain contains a belt-busting 1,128 calories -- more than half of the Food and Drug Administration's recommended 2,000 calories a day for a healthy adult, according to a study by University of Toronto researchers.

In contrast, the average fast food meal contains 881 calories.

The researchers, who analyzed the posted nutritional content of 685 meals ordered at 19 popular sit-down restaurant chains, found that it wasn't just the dinnertime portions that packed a caloric punch. A typical lunch averaged more than 1,000 calories. (That's a big sandwich.)

In addition: "This was a little surprising, but the volume of food served in many breakfast options is comparable to those served at dinnertime," Mary Scourboutakos, one of the study's authors, told ABC News.

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Lucius Kwok via flickr

A waffle taco in Texas

Coming on the heels of the wild success of the Doritos Tacos Locos, it seems that Taco Bell has decided to just let the stoners completely take over the menu development side of their business, because Brand Eating is reporting that Taco Bell is testing a taco made from a waffle. And -- lucky us -- it appears that the one place this abomination is available is within driving distance.

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UggBoy♥UggGirl || PHOTO || WORLD || TRAVEL/flickr

Egg McMuffin

Duuuuude. You know how you, like, totally need an Egg McMuffin at 3 p.m. on a Wednesday and it's, like, a total bummer that you can't get one? Well that might all be about to change.

In an interview on Friday with CNBC, McDonald's CEO Don Thompson said the company would "consider" serving breakfast. "We have looked at breakfast across the day," he said. "We have it in some markets around the world."

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Courtesy Chipotle

Did you even know that Chipotle serves margaritas? I didn't. But apparently they do, made with Sauza and sour mix.

But, as Nation's Restaurant News reported last week, they'll soon be serving a premium margarita, made with Patrón and fresh juice. At $6.50 to $8 (depending on location -- my guess is L.A. will be on the upper end of that scale), that's not a bad price for a Patrón margarita made with fresh juice.

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Pinterest/Wendy's

Berry almond chicken salad at Wendy's

Recently, Wendy's rolled out flatbread sandwiches and McDonald's added a yolk-less breakfast sandwich to their respective menus. Taco Bell has indicated its desire to shed its junk food persona. Giving alternatives for healthful eating has become a main strategy for fast food restaurants. And the effort seems to be paying off. Nation's Restaurant News reported an improved impression of fast food among the health and fitness-oriented in YouGov's assessment of brand perception.

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McDonald's

Ranch Grilled Chicken McWrap

Poultry is no longer an afterthought at traditionally beef-oriented fast food chains like McDonald's and Burger King, which earlier this year launched, respectively, a chicken wrap and a turkey burger on their menus. For insiders, the new items are just evident of a longtime wave toward beef alternatives.

Whether it's a business offense or defense, Kentucky Fried Chicken will be rolling out boneless fried chicken filets on April 14. KFC's website has a countdown with the tagline "the greatest day in chicken history." (Editor's note: the second greatest day in history being, presumably, when scientists create the entirely boneless chicken.) In recent years, the chain has released the Double Down and the Famous Bowl -- the latter a concoction that Patton Oswalt has called "a failure pile in a sadness bowl."

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Taco Bell

Last year's unleashing of the Doritos Locos Nacho Cheese beef taco was Taco Bell's biggest product launch ever, shaking the earth and forever changing what we mere mortals thought was possible in the fast food game. Turns out, Taco Bell may even win an award for its culinary black magic.

Now, with the rise of the new Taco Bell Doritos Locos Cool Ranch taco, the prophesies have been fulfilled. No longer will humans be made to suffer through infirm, freshly prepared tortillas. No longer will we have to snack and actually eat dinner at separate times. And surely -- SURELY -- this is just the beginning. Here are five other snack and fast food mashups that you can expect to see within the next 18 months.

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Flickr/Uggboy

traditional Egg McMuffin

Conveniently in time for Easter, I guess, the fast food chain McDonald's has announced that it will begin making its Egg McMuffins without the egg yolks. Starting this spring, according to the Associated Press, you'll be able to get your oh-so-healthful breakfast sandwich made that much better for you, i.e. with just the egg whites.

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flickr/tvanhoosear

Shamrock Shake

It's no coincidence that McDonald's, Carl's Jr., and Wendy's have each rolled out a new fish option on their menus around the time of Lent. In time for St. Patrick's Day, participating Micky D locations also offer the Shamrock Shake, a limited-time mint milkshake. Fast food chains are relying more on these limited-time offers, otherwise known as LTO's, around certain holidays as part of a grander marketing strategy, according to the Wall Street Journal.

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Flickr/pointnshoot

A tasty Big Mac

Calories from fast food made up more than 11 percent of the typical American diet from 2007 to 2010, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

However, that's down from 13 percent of daily calories from 2003 to 2006, according to report author Cheryl Fryar.

Fryar told U.S. News and World Report that it's unclear whether this is a trend in the right direction, partly because as people age, they tend to eat less fast food. Adults aged 60 and over consumed the lowest percentage of their daily calories from fast food -- just 6 percent.

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