What this tool does
Eating out is where logs go to die. You paste the menu (or the three dishes you are deciding between) and a goal. The model ranks options, guesses macros, and names the usual traps: creamy sauces, fried breading, “side” rice that is a second meal. It is still a guess unless the chain published numbers.
How it works
Dish names are parsed as meals. If you paste published kcal from the chain PDF, those beat a model guess — say so in the paste. Goal “lose” prefers leaner proteins and visible vegetables; “gain” will not scold the burrito. Shared apps and bottomless chips belong in the paste if they will hit the table.
How to interpret the result
A grilled fish that arrives swimming in butter is not the grilled fish on the page. Ask for sauce on the side when the estimate matters. If two dishes are 200 kcal apart on paper and you will enjoy one far more, pick that one and adjust the next meal — not your entire personality.
Example
Menu paste includes a 780 kcal published burrito bowl and a “healthy salad” with no number. Goal lose. The useful pick may be the bowl without the tortilla chips and half the rice, or the salad only after you add the dressing and cheese back in — a Caesar can beat the bowl. The estimate-restaurant guide is the longer method.
Common mistakes
- Pasting only the salad name and skipping dressing, nuts, and fried toppings.
- Ignoring the bread basket you will eat before the entrée.
- Trusting “low fat” on a menu as a calorie number.
- Ordering the high-protein item and a cocktail you did not paste.
When this estimate may be off
- Independent kitchens with no recipe and heavy cook’s discretion.
- Buffets where portions are unbounded.
- Tasting menus with off-menu butters.
- You need allergen or religious certification — ask the restaurant.