Man Goes To P.F. Chang’s In New York. Then He Takes A Closer Look At The Fine Print Of The ‘The Great Wall Of Chocolate’: ‘Do Better’

Chain restaurants are home to some pretty calorie-dense foods.

While there are plenty of healthy options out there, a look at the nutritional information for many chains will make the average person balk. For example, did you know that the Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken from Cheesecake Factory has over 2,000 calories? That’s more than what many people should eat in an entire day.

Recently, one man visited P.F. Chang’s and discovered something shocking in its fine print. However, the internet claims that it’s not as bad as it seems on the surface.

What’s Wrong With This Chocolate Cake?

In a video with over 3.2 million views, TikTok user Mike (@thingstoseeinnyc) shows a menu at a P.F. Chang’s location. One of the items on the menu is “The Great Wall of Chocolate.” This is described as “six layers of chocolate cake, chocolate frosting, semi-sweet chocolate chips.”

The problem? The item has 1,940 calories.

“Are you kidding me PF Chang’s???” the TikToker asks in the video’s overlay text. “1940 calories for the Chocolate Cake. This should be illegal. Do better with your recipes!!!”

In the caption, Mike offers his further thoughts.

“Too many calories for a slice of cake,” he summarizes. I know cake is indulgent but come on.  Lighten up your recipes and don’t contribute to excessive calorie consumption. Do better PF Chang’s.”

Is This Too Many Calories?

Looking at the P.F. Chang’s website, the calorie count on the menu appears accurate. The official nutritional information says the item has 1,940 calories, 80 grams of fat, 308 grams of carbohydrates, 20 grams of protein, and 230 grams of sugar.

That said, there’s an important distinction to be made here. On the menu shown in the video, the item is listed under a header called “For The Table.”

Assuming that this dish is going to be shared amongst four people, that means that each person will consume approximately 485 calories. This is still significant, but not nearly as outrageous as the nearly 2,000-calorie menu listing would have you believe.

Is This Normal?

Seeing this menu item, some may wonder how other desserts at chain restaurants stack up.

It may be difficult for some to hear this, but this high calorie count is fairly common in the fast-casual restaurant industry.

For example, a slice of Godiva® Chocolate Cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory has 1,400 calories. The Triple Chocolate Meltdown from Applebee’s has 910 calories. Furthermore, the Molten Chocolate Cake from Chili’s has 1,150 calories.

Whether this calorie count is too high depends on numerous factors—for example, if one is sharing it or eating it themselves and how many calories a person should be consuming in a single day.

Nevertheless, it should be noted that the sugar content of most of these items is significantly higher than what most experts recommend. Even if you just eat a quarter of the Great Wall of Chocolate, you’re still ingesting around 58 grams of sugar. For context, the American Heart Association says that people should consume no more than 25 to 36 grams of added sugar per day.

Commenters Aren’t Convinced

In the comments section, users didn’t seem too worried about the high calorie count.

“It’s for the table so if you had friends it wouldn’t be so bad,” said a user.

“So don’t order it. This is such a non issue,” added another.

“It’s dessert. A treat that people get on occasion. No one wants diet dessert at a restaurant,” wrote a third TikToker.

BroBible reached out to P.F. Chang’s via email and Mike via Instagram direct message.