Following a keto diet does not mean you have to avoid every drive-through or fast-food restaurant. Although cooking at home gives you the most control over your ingredients, there are times when you need something quick, convenient, and low in carbs.
Thankfully, many popular fast-food restaurants allow you to remove bread, tortillas, rice, beans, croutons, and sugary sauces. With a few simple changes, you can turn an ordinary menu item into a much better keto fast food option.
This keto fast food guide shares some of the best low-carb fast food orders for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You will also find high-protein choices, budget-friendly ideas, and helpful tips for avoiding hidden carbs.
Restaurant menus, ingredients, and preparation methods can change. Always check the restaurant's current nutrition calculator before ordering, especially when tracking carbohydrates closely or managing a medical condition.
This guide has been updated to reflect current restaurant menus and ordering options. Since ingredients and menu items can change, always confirm the latest nutrition information with the restaurant before ordering.
What Fast Food Can You Eat on Keto?
The easiest keto-friendly fast food meals usually begin with meat, eggs, cheese, or grilled chicken. From there, remove the bread and avoid high-carb sides and sauces.
Some of the simplest low-carb fast food choices include:
- Burgers served without the bun
- Breakfast sandwiches without biscuits, muffins, or croissants
- Grilled chicken without breading
- Salad bowls without croutons or sweet dressings
- Burrito bowls without rice, beans, corn, or tortillas
- Sandwich fillings served in lettuce wraps or bowls
- Traditional bone-in wings with a low-carb sauce or dry rub
- Unsweetened coffee or tea
The goal is not necessarily to find a restaurant advertising a special keto menu. Instead, look for meals that can be easily customized to reduce the carbohydrates.
Wanting quick and convenient ways to eat keto is totally possible as long as you keep certain things in mind.
A keto diet is high in fat, low in carbs, and moderate in protein. The good news is that while most fast foods tend to be on the higher end of carbs, there are plenty of low-carb keto-friendly options to choose from.
The question is, how can someone doing a low-carb diet avoid potential pitfalls when dining out? I'm going to share my fast food keto options when dining out and will give you the confidence to choose wisely.
How to Order Low-Carb Fast Food
A few simple ordering habits can make almost any fast-food menu easier to navigate.
Ask for burgers and sandwiches without the bun. Some restaurants offer a lettuce wrap, while others may serve the meat and toppings in a bowl or container with a fork.
Choose grilled or unbreaded meat whenever possible. Crispy chicken, breaded tenders, boneless wings, and fried chicken sandwiches usually contain flour or starch.
Skip fries, biscuits, hash browns, rice, beans, tortilla chips, noodles, and breaded onion rings.
Ask for ketchup, barbecue sauce, teriyaki sauce, honey mustard, and sweet dressings to be left off. Mustard, mayonnaise, ranch, blue cheese, oil, and vinegar are often lower-carb choices, but recipes vary by restaurant.
Order sauces and dressings on the side. This allows you to control how much you use.
Choose water, sparkling water, unsweetened tea, plain coffee, or a zero-sugar beverage instead of regular soda, lemonade, sweet tea, or blended coffee drinks.
Most importantly, explain exactly what you want removed. Asking for a cheeseburger without the bun, ketchup, or fries is usually clearer than simply requesting a keto burger.
1. McDonald's Quarter Pounder With Cheese Without the Bun
Order a Quarter Pounder with Cheese without the bun and ketchup. You can keep the beef patty, cheese, pickles, onions, and mustard.
For a more filling meal, order a Double Quarter Pounder without the bun. Skip the fries and pair it with water, unsweetened iced tea, or another sugar-free beverage.
2. McDonald's Sausage McMuffin With Egg Without the Muffin
For a low-carb fast-food breakfast, order a Sausage McMuffin with Egg and ask for it without the English muffin.
You will be left with sausage, egg, and cheese. Avoid the hash browns and sweetened coffee drinks.
This is one of the easiest breakfast sandwiches to convert into a keto meal because the high-carb portion is simple to remove.
3. Wendy's Dave's Single Without the Bun
Order Dave's Single without the bun and ketchup. Keep the beef patty, cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions, mustard, and mayonnaise according to your personal carb allowance.
You can also order a Baconator without the bun when you want a larger, higher-protein fast food meal.
4. Wendy's Breakfast Baconator Without the Bun
The Breakfast Baconator can be ordered without its bun for a filling keto fast-food breakfast.
It includes sausage, egg, cheese, bacon, and cheese sauce. Since cheese sauces may contain small amounts of starch, check the restaurant's current nutrition information or leave the sauce off when you need to keep carbs especially low.
5. Burger King Whopper Without the Bun
Ask for a Whopper without the bun and ketchup. The remaining beef patty, lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions, and mayonnaise make a convenient low-carb meal.
For fewer carbohydrates, you can also limit the onions and tomatoes.
6. Burger King Croissan'wich Without the Croissant
For breakfast, order a Bacon, Egg and Cheese Croissan'wich or Sausage, Egg and Cheese Croissan'wich without the croissant.
You will be left with the egg, cheese, and breakfast meat. Skip the hash browns and pair it with black coffee or unsweetened tea.
7. Chick-fil-A Grilled Nuggets
Chick-fil-A Grilled Nuggets are among the easiest keto fast food options because there is no bun to remove and the nuggets are not coated in the traditional crispy breading.
Pair the grilled nuggets with a side salad after removing any crispy toppings. Choose a lower-carb dipping sauce and check the current nutrition information since sauce recipes can change.
8. Chick-fil-A Grilled Chicken Sandwich Without the Bun
Order the Grilled Chicken Sandwich without the bun or honey-roasted barbecue sauce.
You can keep the lettuce and tomato or ask for the grilled chicken filet by itself. Add cheese, bacon, mayonnaise, or mustard if desired.
9. Chipotle Chicken Keto Salad Bowl
Order a Chipotle chicken salad bowl. Start with salad greens and add chicken, cheese, sour cream, guacamole, and a salsa that fits your macros.
Skip the rice, beans, roasted chili-corn salsa, tortilla, and tortilla chips. You can add fajita vegetables if they fit within your daily carbohydrate allowance.
10. Chipotle Steak, Carnitas, or Barbacoa Bowl
Another satisfying choice is a bowl with steak, carnitas, or barbacoa served over lettuce.
Add cheese, sour cream, guacamole, and fresh tomato salsa. Leave off the rice, beans, corn salsa, and tortilla.
For a high-protein low-carb fast food meal, request extra meat.
11. Taco Bell Cantina Chicken Bowl Without Rice or Beans
The Cantina Chicken Bowl can be made lower in carbs by removing the seasoned rice and black beans.
Keep the slow-roasted chicken, lettuce, cabbage, pico de gallo, guacamole, cheese, and sour cream.
You may also want to limit the sauce or request it on the side so you can control the amount.
12. Subway Protein Bowl
Choose a Subway Protein Bowl with steak, chicken, turkey, tuna, or another protein available at your location.
Fill it with lettuce, spinach, cucumbers, peppers, cheese, olives, and pickles.
Avoid sweet onion sauce, honey mustard, teriyaki sauce, and other sugar-heavy choices. Oil, vinegar, mayonnaise, or another lower-carb dressing may be a better option.
13. Jimmy John's Unwich
Jimmy John's allows many sandwiches to be ordered as an Unwich, replacing the bread with a lettuce wrap.
Try a turkey, roast beef, ham, or meat-and-cheese combination as an Unwich.
Avoid sweet sauces and consider leaving off the tomato or onion when you need to reduce the carbohydrates further.
14. Five Guys Lettuce-Wrapped Cheeseburger
Order a cheeseburger in a lettuce wrap.
Add bacon, cheese, mushrooms, pickles, jalapeños, mustard, or mayonnaise according to your preferences.
Skip the ketchup, barbecue sauce, fries, and milkshakes.
15. Five Guys Burger Bowl
A burger bowl is a good choice when you do not want to manage a messy lettuce wrap.
Order one or two burger patties in a bowl with cheese, bacon, grilled mushrooms, pickles, lettuce, mustard, and mayonnaise.
Since Five Guys offers a wide selection of toppings, you can easily build a filling meal without adding bread.
16. In-N-Out Burger Protein Style
Ask for a hamburger, cheeseburger, or Double-Double Protein Style. This replaces the bun with lettuce.
The standard spread and onions add some carbohydrates, so order it without spread or with a smaller amount when you want the lowest-carb version.
17. Jersey Mike's Sub in a Tub
Jersey Mike's offers many of its subs in a tub, giving you the meat, cheese, and vegetables without the bread.
A turkey and provolone tub is a simple place to start. You can also order roast beef, ham, or a cheesesteak-style tub, depending on your preferences.
Use oil and vinegar instead of sweet sauces.
18. QDOBA Create Your Own Low-Carb Bowl
Build a QDOBA bowl with lettuce, grilled chicken or steak, cheese, sour cream, guacamole, pico de gallo, and queso if it fits within your carbohydrate goal.
Leave out the rice, beans, tortilla strips, chips, and sweet sauces.
19. Arby's Classic Roast Beef Without the Bun
Order the Classic Roast Beef without its bun and ask for the meat to be served in a bowl or container.
Leave off Arby's Sauce and other sweet sauces.
Add cheese only after checking the carbohydrate content of the cheese sauce since some sauces may contain starch.
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20. Sonic Plain Cheeseburger Without the Bun
Order a Plain Sonic Cheeseburger without the bun.
Add mustard, pickles, jalapeños, bacon, or mayonnaise if desired.
The plain version makes customization easier because it begins with a beef patty and American cheese.
21. Panera Caesar Salad With Chicken Without Croutons
Order the Caesar Salad with Chicken and ask for no croutons.
You can also request the dressing on the side so you can control the amount.
Do not add the baguette, chips, or another high-carb side.
22. Starbucks Bacon and Gruyère Egg Bites
Starbucks Bacon and Gruyère Egg Bites are a convenient low-carb breakfast or snack when you are away from home.
Pair them with plain brewed coffee, cold brew, or unsweetened tea.
Be careful with flavored syrups, sweet cream, milk-heavy drinks, and blended beverages since they can add a surprising amount of sugar.
23. Shake Shack ShackBurger Lettuce Wrap
Order a single or double ShackBurger in a lettuce wrap instead of the potato bun.
You can leave off the ShackSauce when you need to reduce the carbohydrates further or ask for the sauce on the side.
Skip the fries and milkshake.
24. Buffalo Wild Wings Traditional Wings With a Dry Rub
Choose traditional bone-in wings rather than boneless wings, which are typically breaded.
Select a dry rub or a lower-carb sauce after reviewing the restaurant's current nutrition information.
Avoid sugary barbecue, honey-based, Asian-style, and sweet chili sauces. Choose celery with ranch or blue cheese instead of fries.
25. Popeyes Blackened Tenders
When available, Popeyes Blackened Tenders are a better low-carb choice than the restaurant's hand-breaded chicken.
Order them without biscuits, fries, or sweet dipping sauces.
Ranch may be an option, but check the current nutrition information before ordering.
Best Low-Carb Breakfast Fast Food Options
Breakfast can be one of the easiest fast-food meals to make keto-friendly because eggs, cheese, sausage, and bacon are already common menu ingredients.
Some of the best choices include:
- Wendy's Breakfast Baconator without the bun
- McDonald's Sausage McMuffin with Egg without the muffin
- Burger King Bacon, Egg and Cheese Croissan'wich without the croissant
- Starbucks Bacon and Gruyère Egg Bites
- A restaurant omelet without toast, potatoes, or pancakes
Biscuits, muffins, croissants, tortillas, pancakes, hash browns, and sweetened coffee drinks provide most of the carbohydrates in a typical fast-food breakfast.
Best High-Protein Low-Carb Fast Food Options
When you need a more satisfying meal, begin with a generous serving of meat and remove the high-carb extras.
Good high-protein low-carb fast food choices include:
- A double burger served without the bun
- Chick-fil-A Grilled Nuggets
- A Chipotle salad with double chicken or steak
- A Five Guys burger bowl with two patties
- A Jimmy John's roast beef Unwich
- Traditional bone-in wings with a dry rub
- An Arby's roast beef order without the bun
Keep in mind that high-protein does not automatically mean low-carb. Breaded chicken, boneless wings, protein bars, sweet marinades, and glazed meats may still contain a surprising amount of sugar or starch.
Cheap Keto Fast Food Options
You do not necessarily need to order the largest or most expensive meal to eat low-carb.
Try these budget-friendly strategies:
- Order a value-menu cheeseburger without the bun
- Choose one breakfast sandwich without the bread
- Order burger patties or breakfast meat à la carte
- Choose a smaller order of grilled nuggets
- Add an extra burger patty instead of purchasing fries and a drink
- Skip the combo and order only the entrée
- Carry water so you do not need to purchase a beverage
Prices vary considerably by restaurant and location, so the least expensive choice may be different in your area.
Is There Any Fast Food With No Carbs?
Truly zero-carb fast food can be difficult to guarantee because seasonings, cheese, sauces, marinades, and preparation methods may add small amounts of carbohydrates.
The closest no-carb fast food options are usually:
- Plain hamburger patties
- Plain roast beef
- Bacon
- Eggs
- Unbreaded chicken
- Plain cheese
- Unsweetened coffee or tea
Ask for the meat without sauces, bread, vegetables, or seasoning blends when you need a nearly carb-free fast-food order.
Even then, verify the restaurant's current ingredient information because recipes and preparation methods vary.
Fast Food Ingredients to Avoid on Keto
Watch for these common sources of hidden carbohydrates:
- Buns, biscuits, muffins, croissants, and wraps
- Breaded chicken and boneless wings
- Rice, beans, corn, potatoes, and noodles
- Tortillas, chips, and taco shells
- Croutons and crispy salad toppings
- Ketchup and barbecue sauce
- Honey mustard and sweet chili sauce
- Teriyaki sauce
- Candied nuts and dried fruit
- Sweetened salad dressings
- Regular soda, lemonade, sweet tea, and milkshakes
- Flavored coffee syrups and sweet cream
A meal can look low-carb until the sauces, toppings, sides, and drinks are included. This is why ordering each part intentionally matters.
What About Dessert?
When everyone else is ordering dessert, ask whether the restaurant can bring you a small bowl of whipped cream. Some places may even provide it at no additional charge.
Fresh berries can also be a good choice when available. A small serving of berries topped with whipped cream may be enough to satisfy your craving without ordering a sugar-filled dessert.
Plain whipped cream is generally low in carbs, keep the portion small if you are closely tracking your carbohydrates.
Staying Keto When Fast Food Is Your Only Option
Sometimes a fast-food restaurant is your only practical option, especially when traveling or managing a busy day. That does not mean you have to give up on your low-carb goals.
Planning ahead can make the decision much easier. I created a helpful infographic that highlights some of the best keto fast food options so you can quickly choose a meal that is more likely to fit your macros.
Checking the nutrition information before ordering can also help you avoid hidden carbohydrates in buns, breading, sauces, dressings, and drinks.
Eating away from home does not have to become a reason to abandon your low-carb plan. There are usually simple substitutions you can make, and more restaurants now allow customers to customize meals by removing bread, rice, potatoes, and sugary sauces.
As more people request low-carb options, restaurants have responded with greater flexibility. Although fast food may not always be ideal, it is encouraging to see how much easier it has become to find a keto-friendly meal while traveling or eating on the go.
Are Bunless Fast Food Orders Gluten-Free?
Removing the bun reduces carbohydrates and removes the most obvious source of gluten, but it does not guarantee that the meal is gluten-free.
Restaurant kitchens may use shared cooking surfaces, utensils, preparation areas, and fryers. Sauces, seasonings, marinades, cheese sauces, and processed meats may also contain wheat or be exposed to cross-contact.
Anyone with celiac disease or a serious wheat allergy should review the restaurant's current allergen guide and speak with restaurant staff before ordering.
Frequently Asked Questions About Keto Fast Food
A bunless cheeseburger without ketchup is usually one of the simplest choices.
Grilled chicken, a protein bowl, traditional wings, or a breakfast sandwich without the bread can also work well.
A customized fast-food meal may fit into a ketogenic eating plan when its carbohydrate content remains within your individual daily limit.
Check the entire meal, including sauces, sides, toppings, and drinks.
No. Croutons, tortilla strips, corn, beans, dried fruit, candied nuts, and sweet dressings can quickly increase the carb count.
Customize the salad and request the dressing on the side.
Mustard, mayonnaise, ranch, blue cheese, oil, and vinegar are often lower in carbohydrates.
However, recipes vary between restaurants, so check the nutrition information before assuming a sauce is sugar-free.
Water, sparkling water, plain coffee, cold brew without sweetener, and unsweetened iced tea are the simplest choices.
A zero-sugar soda may also fit within your carb allowance if you choose to include it.
Fast food can be helpful during busy days, but making your favorite meals at home gives you much more control over the ingredients.
This is a good opportunity to enjoy homemade versions such as:
- Keto chicken burgers
- Keto fried chicken tenders
- Oopsie bread
- Keto grab-and-go breakfast recipes
- Hearty keto salads
You can make bunless burgers, chicken tenders, breakfast sandwiches, salads, and protein bowls at home without hidden sugars or unnecessary starches.
Final Thoughts on Eating Keto at Fast-Food Restaurants
Eating keto while traveling or managing a busy schedule is possible. The key is knowing how to simplify your order.
Begin with meat, eggs, cheese, or grilled chicken. Remove the bread, rice, potatoes, beans, and tortillas. Watch sauces and dressings carefully, and check the restaurant's most recent nutrition information whenever possible.
One unexpected meal does not have to interrupt all the progress you have made. Choose the best option available, enjoy your meal, and return to your usual home-cooked keto foods at the next opportunity.
I hope these tips will assist you. If you are needing support, remember to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.
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I pray these keto cookbooks will help make keto a delicious breeze for you.
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Knowing firsthand the benefits of this decision we have created a closed Christian group that is using the keto diet to transform their lives.
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Kirt D Tisdale says
Great tips...thanks for sharing!
fittoservegroup says
Glad to assist Kirt!
lowcarbelaine says
What a great blog post! I am following a low carb, sugar-free diet and I have noticed so many positive physical changes in me since I stopped eating and drinking carbs. I have a similar blog @ lowcarbelaine.com and hope you will stop by sometime to check me out. I am on my own journey to become a better me.
fittoservegroup says
Hi Elaine, thanks for stopping by and commenting. Will definitely check out your blog. ?
Donna Torres says
Please contact me.
Hilda Solares says
Hi Donna, you can email me at [email protected] Here to support you any way I can.