IHOP noted its menu does offer healthier choices.

"At IHOP, our menu is all about choice and giving our guests a full range of items to choose from that fits their lifestyle," spokesman Craig Hoffman said.

"In addition to offering indulgent classic favorites like country fried steak, our menu also features a complete selection of 'Simple & Fit' items, all of which are under 600 calories and include at least one item in every category," he said. "These also include our recently introduced 'Simple & Fit' whole wheat waffles, pancakes and crepes as well as our new proprietary blend of Quaker Oatmeal."

Rick Hendrie, senior vice president of marketing for Uno's, says the chain is doing its best to make sure people have choices.

"There is no question that particular item is indulgent," he said. "But with every single section on the menu, we have items that are also nutritious and delicious, so that you always have a choice.

"We've really worked hard to make sure that choice is everywhere," he said. "In addition, every single one of our restaurants has a nutrition kiosk which is in the lobby, and all the information about our items, every single one, all the nutritional information about allergens, is available and transparent."

Several restaurants questioned the numbers, telling CNN they had different totals.

"The results included in the CSPI study were significantly higher than our findings," said Maureen Locus, spokeswoman for Brinker International, the parent company of Chili's and Maggiano's.

"While menu item ingredient information is based on standardized product recipes, variations in nutritional content may occur due to in-restaurant preparation, portion size variances and guest customization of menu items, among other factors."

CSPI says it got the nutritional information from company websites.

"Customers choose to dine out for many occasions -- whether it's a lunch outside the office or a special occasion, such as a birthday dinner," said Joy Dubost, director of nutrition and healthy living for the National Restaurant Association, in a statement.

"With this in mind, restaurants provide an array of menu options including a growing selection of healthful menu options. In fact, the National Restaurant Association's 2013 Restaurant Industry Forecast shows that over 85 percent of adults say there are more healthy options at restaurants than there were two years ago."

The average adult should consume about 2,000 calories a day, according to the Food and Drug Administration. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends keeping sodium intake between 2,300 to 1,500 milligrams per day for most people, preferably at the lower end of that scale.

Chain restaurant menus will soon be required to post calorie counts on their menus. FDA spokeswoman Shelly Burgess said the agency is in the process of finalizing regulations for nutrition labeling requirements, but don't have an estimated date for when the final regulations will be issued. The National Restaurant Association advocated for the move, Dubost said.

Hurley's advice in the meantime? "When you're dining out, skip the appetizers and dessert. You're better off just passing them by -- and as far as your entree goes, either split it with somebody or pack up half and take it for lunch tomorrow."