When following a ketogenic diet, fast food options may seem limited. However, there are still many keto-friendly choices available at most fast food restaurants. The key is knowing what to order and how to customize your meal. With a little planning ahead, you can eat keto while still enjoying the convenience of fast food.
Guidelines for Eating Keto at Fast Food Restaurants
Here are some general guidelines to follow for eating low carb at fast food places:
- Avoid breads, buns, tortillas, biscuits, pancakes, waffles, and other high-carb bakery items.
- Skip sugary drinks like soda, fruit juice, milkshakes, and sweet tea. Opt for unsweetened iced tea, coffee, or water instead.
- Be mindful of condiments like ketchup, barbecue sauce, and honey mustard which can add unnecessary carbs.
- Choose grilled chicken, beef patties, or other meats without breaded coatings.
- Add extra veggies like lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, and avocado when possible.
- Avoid French fries, hash browns, and other starchy sides. Opt for a side salad or veggies instead.
- Ask for any sandwiches to be wrapped in lettuce instead of a bun.
- Feel free to add extra cheese, bacon, avocado, and other keto-friendly toppings.
Keeping these tips in mind can help you navigate fast food keto-style. Now let’s look at what specific meal options are available at some popular chains.
Keto Fast Food Options by Restaurant
McDonald’s
Here are some of the best keto choices at McDonald’s:
- Bacon Egg & Cheese McMuffin – Hold the muffin
- Sausage Burrito – Scrape out the insides and skip the tortilla
- Bacon Ranch Salad with grilled chicken
- Artisan Grilled Chicken Sandwich – No bun
- Quarter Pounder with Cheese – No bun, extra pickles
Wendy’s
When eating keto at Wendy’s, go for items like:
- Baconator – No bun
- Grilled chicken sandwich – No bun
- Jr. Cheeseburger – No bun
- Power Mediterranean Chicken Salad
- Chili – Skip crackers on the side
Subway
Build a keto-friendly sub at Subway by trying:
- Meatball Marinara – No bread, double veggies
- Rotisserie Chicken Salad
- Veggie Delite Salad
- Steak and Cheese Salad
- Tuna Salad – No bread
Chipotle
Chipotle is an easy spot for low carb with options like:
- Burrito bowl – No rice or beans
- Salad bowl with meat
- Keto Salad with steak or chicken
- Soft taco – No tortilla, just fillings
Chick-fil-A
Chick-fil-A has various keto menu items such as:
- Grilled nuggets
- Grilled chicken sandwich – No bun
- Grilled chicken club – No bread
- Grilled chicken salad
- Side salad with ranch dressing
Tips for Customizing Your Fast Food Order
In addition to choosing low-carb menu items, you can also customize your order to make it more keto-friendly. Here are some tips:
- Ask for no bun, no tortilla, or no bread on sandwiches, burgers, and wraps. Get it wrapped in lettuce instead.
- Order a side salad instead of fries or skip the side dish altogether.
- Add extra veggies like lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions, and avocado.
- Choose full-fat dressings like ranch, blue cheese, or vinaigrette.
- Ask for butter or extra cheese instead of sugary sauces.
- Request no ketchup, barbecue sauce, or other high-sugar condiments.
- Opt for water, unsweetened iced tea, or black coffee for your drink.
Letting your server know you are avoiding carbs or sugar is also helpful. Many fast food employees are happy to accommodate special requests.
Sample Keto Fast Food Meals
To give you an idea of how to put this all together, here are a few sample keto fast food meal ideas:
Keto McDonald’s Order
- Bacon McDouble – No bun, extra lettuce and cheese
- Side salad with ranch dressing
- Iced coffee
Keto Wendy’s Order
- Junior bacon cheeseburger – No bun, add mayo, onion, and tomato
- Small chili
- Diet lemonade
Keto Subway Order
- Meatball marinara salad – No croutons, extra spinach
- Buffalo chicken salad – No croutons, blue cheese dressing
- Iced tea
Keto Taco Bell Order
- Power bowl – No rice, black beans, extra meat
- Crunchy taco – Remove shell, just eat innards
- Side of guacamole
- Baja Blast Zero
Low-Carb Fast Food Desserts
Finding keto-friendly desserts at fast food places can be tricky. But here are a few lower carb sweet treats you can occasionally enjoy:
- Wendy’s – Small vanilla Frosty
- McDonald’s – Cone with no ice cream, just hot fudge
- Starbucks – Coffee Frappuccino with heavy cream instead of milk, no whipped cream or syrup
- Carls Jr. – Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake
- Jack in the Box – Mini Chocolate Overload Cake
Just be mindful of portion sizes with these desserts as the carbs can add up quickly.
Best Keto Fast Food Chains
Overall some fast food chains that offer better keto options include:
- Five Guys – Lettuce wrap burgers
- In-N-Out – Protein style burgers
- Chipotle – Salad and burrito bowls
- Jimmy John’s – Unwich lettuce-wrapped sandwiches
- Wingstop – Wings with dry rubs
- Jersey Mike’s – Sub in a tub
These spots make it easier to skip the buns, tortillas, and sugary condiments. You’ll have an easier time staying low carb.
Meal Prep Tips for Eating Keto at Fast Food Restaurants
Planning ahead can really help you stick to keto when dining out. Here are some meal prep ideas:
- Pack keto-friendly snacks like nuts, beef jerky, and cheese.
- Bring your own condiments like olive oil, hot sauce, and sugar-free ketchup.
- Make and freeze batches of keto bread or buns to use instead.
- Whip up some low-carb dressing and store it in a small container.
- Pre-portion salad toppings like bacon bits, avocado, hardboiled eggs.
Having healthy backups ready means you’ll be less likely to cave for something off-plan. A little prep goes a long way!
Common Mistakes to Avoid
It’s easy to slip up when navigating keto options at fast food spots. Be sure to avoid these common mistakes:
- Not checking nutrition info and carb counts
- Eating breaded or fried items that seem keto but aren’t
- Choosing meal items that are too high in protein and low in fat
- Going overboard on treats even if they claim to be low-carb
- Drinking sugary sodas and milkshakes
- Overdoing unhealthy added fats like mayo and heavy cream
Pay attention to labels, stick to whole foods as much as possible, watch portions of treats, and emphasize healthy fats from avocado, olive oil, nuts, and seeds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is fast food keto friendly?
Many fast food items are too high in carbs for keto. But with some simple swaps like no bun, and customization like extra veggies instead of fries, you can make fast food work for keto. Planning ahead helps make it easier.
What should I avoid at fast food places on keto?
Avoid these common fast food items on keto:
- Buns, breads, biscuits, pancakes
- Sugary drinks
- Fries, tater tots, hash browns
- Thick dipping sauces
- Breaded proteins like chicken nuggets
- Beans, rice, potatoes
Can I eat burgers and sandwiches without buns on keto?
Yes, you can eat fast food burgers, sandwiches, and subs without the bread or bun on keto. Some tips:
- Order it in a lettuce wrap or lettuce bun
- Eat it with a fork and knife
- Ask for it over salad greens instead of bread
- Place it between two lettuce leaves
Just skip the high-carb bun and enjoy the burger or sandwich fillings. Add extra veggies for crunch too.
What are some keto fast food breakfast options?
Some keto-friendly fast food breakfast choices include:
- Breakfast sandwich or wrap without bread
- Eggs, bacon, sausage
- Omelet or scrambled eggs with veggies
- Coffee with heavy cream
Avoid pancakes, waffles, cereals, muffins, granola bars, and fruit juices. Stick to low-carb meats, eggs, and dairy for breakfast.
Conclusion
It is possible to eat keto at fast food restaurants with some simple modifications. Skip the buns, breads, sugary sauces, and starchy sides. Build your meal from low-carb ingredients like lettuce, veggies, cheese, avocado, and grilled meat or chicken. Planning ahead with meal prep helps ensure keto success when dining out. Use the tips in this guide to order and customize fast food meals so you can stick to your keto diet on-the-go.
