You have to admit, fast food and a keto diet don’t exactly go hand in hand. We all know that a homemade meal is going to be better for you, but I’m a firm believer in doing the best you can in every circumstance. And sometimes, life just happens. Whether you need keto friendly fast food because you’re on the road, you have a crazy schedule, or you need the best keto fast food options for a different circumstance, that’s what this low carb keto fast food guide is for. If eating keto fast food helps you stay on track, go for it. Before we jump in head first into eating fast food on keto, be aware that most likely you won’t find clean keto fast food options. Even if you avoid the obvious carb culprits such as buns or breaded items, many fast food places add not-so-nice ingredients like wheat, sugar, starch, corn syrup and artificial preservatives even to seemingly safe items, like chicken or beef. If you are trying to follow a strict, clean keto diet, then keto fast food will be tough to come by. But sometimes that’s okay – you do what you have to do! The key is to be informed when choosing to eat fast food on keto.
What Fast Food Can I Eat On A Keto Diet?
With reasonable expectations and this low carb fast food guide, you can find suitable fast food for keto. This is exactly why I’ve compiled this keto fast food list. I want to make it easy for you to make informed choices. I’ll cover the most popular low carb fast food options, as well as some general tips. So, what fast food is keto friendly? In general, the best keto fast food choices fall into these main categories: For a general list of what to eat in a keto diet, check out the low carb & keto food list – there’s a printable version you can get there, too.
Tips For How To Eat Keto Fast Food
I have the best keto friendly fast food suggestions for 30 different fast food restaurants below, but first want to share some general tips that often apply no matter where you go. The good news is, you can find cheap keto fast food at almost any place by using these guidelines.
Order meat (without breading), cheese and vegetables. These are the main staples of keto and you can find them even at fast food joints… even if it means some modifications. Plus, meat, cheese and veggies are almost always safe because you can see what you are getting, unlike sauces that almost always have carbs lurking. Check ingredients and nutrition info online. This is the first thing I do when I know I’ll be eating out! Even though I have a pretty good idea of what keto approved fast food will be like (main categories above!), sometimes you’d be surprised where they add unnecessary carbs. Most restaurant websites have nutrition info posted these days, so you can look it up to know for sure. Skip the bun, even if that option is not on the menu. Some fast food places seem to have no keto meals available, but you can always ask for no bun on any sandwich. They’ll usually put it into a little box or bowl that you can eat with a fork, though you can try asking for a lettuce wrap as well. Avoid fried foods. Fried means breaded, and breaded means carbs. If an item includes a fried item, such as breaded chicken, ask to replace it with grilled instead. Ask for “carb free” extras. The best fast food for keto is often a bit heavy on the meat, or might not quite be enough food if you get a bunless sandwich. So, ask for some of these extras to go along with your meal – they won’t add many carbs and often won’t cost you anything! Lettuce Tomatoes Cucumbers Banana peppers or jalapeños Olives Pickles Spinach Sour cream Oil & vinegar Mayonnaise Consider bringing your own condiments. Although a few condiments, such as mayo, are fine to have, many fast food dressings and sauces are filled with sugar. If you have the opportunity to make your own, it will give you more options, such as keto ketchup, barbecue sauce, and more. (More on this below!) Always check your order before leaving. Even though low carb eating is becoming more popular, it’s fairly common that they can forget to leave off the bun or give you fried chicken instead of grilled. Better to double check!
Fast Food To Avoid For Keto
Some of these are obvious and some not so much, but here is a general list of fast food items to avoid for a low carb diet:
Anything breaded or fried – Chicken, fish, mozzarella sticks, etc. Bread of any kind – Including buns, wraps, toast, croutons, etc. (Order these items without the bread or bun instead.) Potatoes – French fries, tater tots, hash browns, chips, etc. Most side dishes – Most other fast food sides are high in carbs as well, such as corn, rice, beans, onion rings, etc. Desserts – Unfortunately I have yet to find keto sweets at any fast food chain. Sweet dressings & sauces – If it’s even slightly sweet, it has sugar added. Creamy or thick soups – These are almost always thickened with flour.
The Best Keto Fast Food Breakfast Options
Ordering keto friendly breakfast fast food is pretty simple and falls into two main categories: TIP: If you’re choosing between “bacon, egg and cheese” and “sausage, egg and cheese”, opt for the latter. You’ll get more meat and more food, as the bacon portions tend to be very small. Even though there isn’t a ton of variety in low carb fast food breakfast options (they aren’t going to have keto pancakes or chaffles – maybe someday!), there’s always something you can get.
Keto Lunch At Fast Food Joints
Keto fast food lunch ideas are really the same as what you’d get for dinner. As mentioned above, at most places you’ll want to get a bunless burger or wrap, a salad, or chicken without breading. I’ll go over some gotchas for salads and condiments, as these apply to most places. For bunless burgers, wraps, and other options, it tends to be more restaurant-specific, so check the list of low carb fast food restaurants below.
Keto Fast Food Salad Options
Low carb fast food salads are relatively easy to come by, even if you have to swap the dressing or pick off some ingredients. You can get keto friendly salads with low carb ingredients such as lettuce (or any other greens), tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, onions (in moderation), cheese, bacon, avocado, guacamole, grilled chicken, hard boiled eggs, nuts or seeds (without sugar), etc. However, be careful because many fast food salads have added carbs. Salad ingredients to avoid on keto include:
Fried or breaded chicken Beans Corn Croutons Candied nuts All fruit except berries
You can either ask them to omit these ingredients or remove them yourself. Salad dressings are probably the most challenging part. Your safest best for dressing is oil and vinegar. The next best options are fatty dressing such as plain ranch, Caesar, or blue cheese, but even these can have starches added. My preference for salad dressings for my keto fast food meals? I bring my own! They keep really well so I always have some in my fridge anyway and it’s easy to grab with me even if I’m going out last-minute. Some keto salad dressings to try:
Keto Ranch Dressing – The most popular one on the blog! Readers tell me it tastes like their favorite name brand bottled stuff. Keto Caesar Dressing Keto Poppy Seed Dressing – This is sweet without any sugar. Blue Cheese Dressing – Coming soon! Creamy Balsamic Dressing
Low Carb Condiments For Bunless Sandwiches
Just like dressings, most condiments are filled with sugar. If you order keto fast food options, you don’t want to undo all that with a sweet condiment! TIP: Mayonnaise and mustard are your main safe bet condiments at fast food chains. The mayo is still not a “clean” ingredient, but the carb count is safe. But for the best keto fast food experience, if you have the opportunity to bring along your own sugar-free condiments, I highly recommend it! Here are a few easy recipes:
Sugar-Free Ketchup Sugar-free Barbecue Sauce Keto “Honey” Mustard from The Easy Keto Cookbook – This tastes like Chick-Fil-A, in my humble opinion.
Keto Friendly Fast Food Restaurants
Now, the most important question: what are the best keto fast food options at the most popular chains? I polled my Facebook support group to find out which restaurant menus you want me to cover, and finally, here they are. I hope you find this list of low carb fast food restaurants helpful! If there are other major ones I missed and you need keto fast food ideas for those, let me know in the comments below. Disclaimer: These brands and their logos are trademarked. This keto fast food guide is my interpretation of how to order low carb at fast food restaurants, but is not to be construed as an endorsement by these companies. There is no affiliation between myself and these brands. Trademark remains the property of its owner and is used here only to describe the product. Carb counts below are approximate. Some restaurants have info readily available, and some required estimating based on ingredients.
Arby’s
A sandwich shop at heart, Arby’s specializes in roast beef, chicken and other deli style meat sandwiches. Most sandwiches can be ordered ‘lettuce wrapped’ or ‘bunless’, which arrives in a bowl. Making Arby’s keto friendly is doable!
Stay Keto At Arby’s With:
Lettuce Wrapped Reuben – 6g net carbs Bunless Loaded Italian – 7g net carbs Chopped Side Salad – 3g net carbs
Things To Avoid:
All chicken entrees are fried chicken (including the salad), beer sandwiches, all sides, and sweets.
Burger King
Burgers, sandwiches, and breakfast can be ordered ‘bunless’ and will be served on a tray. Grilled chicken sandwiches are available, but all other items listed as ‘chicken’ are breaded. Salads are not a good option here unless you modify them, as 2/3 contain breaded chicken and croutons. Burger King does have a handy “Customize Ingredients” feature that lets you remove ingredients you don’t want (such as bun and ketchup) to see what the total carb count would be. This makes creating Burger King keto orders a lot easier.
Stay Keto At Burger King With:
Bunless Bacon King Jr. – 4g net carbs Garden Side Salad (the only gluten-free salad on the menu) – 3g net carbs Bunless Grilled Chicken Caesar Sandwich – 4g net carbs Breakfast Sandwiches (no bread) – 1g to 3g net carbs
Things To Avoid:
All sides, buns, tacos, breaded items, and sweets.
Burgerville
At this West Coast chain, all burgers and breakfasts can be ordered ‘bunless.’ The Deluxe Chicken sandwich is the only chicken offering you can order grilled; all other chicken and most fish offerings are breaded. Salads are a great option here – all except the smokey blue cheese salad fit the ‘low carb bill.’
Stay Keto At Burgerville With:
Bunless No. 6 Burger – 4g net carbs Bunless Deluxe Chicken sandwich (order it grilled) – 9g net carbs Wild Smoked Salmon and Hazelnut Salad – 7g net carbs
Things To Avoid:
Most fish and chicken, the vegetarian burger, sides, smokey blue cheese salad (contains apples and dried cranberries), and sweets.
Carl’s Jr / Hardee’s
These West Coast / East Coast sister locations have similar menus with great keto fast food options. They both offer a novelty ‘Low Carb It’ menu item, however, you can order most burgers or breakfast sandwiches with lettuce wrapped or bunless options. Chicken is almost all breaded on the menu, but there is a grilled option on some menu items. The Carl’s Jr and Hardee’s websites also have a ‘Customize’ option where you can view carb counts when removing options you don’t want (like the bun).
Stay Keto At Carl’s Jr / Hardee’s With:
Bunless Monster Biscuit – 2g net carbs Lettuce Wrapped 1/3 lb. Thickburger – 8g net carbs Low Carb It Charbroiled Chicken Club Sandwich – 3g net carbs
Things To Avoid:
All sides (except the side salad), most chicken products (breaded), taco, burritos, and sweets.
Checker’s / Rally’s
A Mid-West and East Coast staple, Checker’s offers an old school window walk-up and drive-thru dining, including several decent keto fast food options. Burgers here can be ordered lettuce wrapped and hot dogs can be bunless. Bone-in wings are also a great option, if you get Plain, Angry Buffalo, or Garlic Parmesan. The others contain sugars (honey) and wheat.
Stay Keto At Checker’s / Rally’s:
Bone-in Wings – Plain, Angry Buffalo, or Garlic Parmesan – 3g net carbs Lettuce Wrapped Baconzilla – 2g net carbs Bunless Chili Cheese Dog – 9g net carbs
Things To Avoid:
All chicken and fish sandwiches, chicken tenders, boneless wings, fries, onion tanglers, and sweets.
Chick-Fil-A
A fast food joint with a cult like following, Chick-Fil-A has very few low carb options. Even so, ordering Chick-Fil-A keto style is possible. Sandwiches can be ordered lettuce wrapped or bunless, and there is a grilled chicken nugget option available.
Stay Keto At Chick-Fil-A With:
Lettuce Wrapped Grilled Chicken Club Sandwich – 2g net carbs Grilled Nuggets (8 ct.) with Buffalo Sauce and Garlic Herb Ranch – 3g net carbs Cobb Salad with Grilled Chicken (no corn) – 10g net carbs Chicken, Egg, and Cheese Bagel (no bagel) – 7g net carbs
Things To Avoid:
Breaded chicken items, the spicy southwest salad, the market salad (unless you pick off all the fruit), all sides (excluding the side salad), all sauces (except buffalo and garlic herb ranch) and sweets.
Chipotle
Thanks to Chipotle’s “build your own” philosophy, there are several easy keto friendly fast food options here. Their website has a handy ordering guide that give nutrition facts on each menu item, so you can tweak your low carb Chipotle meal to fit your daily macros. There is a keto salad bowl option, but it rings in at a high-ish 15 carbs… which may be better managed if you build your own bowl. Use the guacamole sparingly – the portion size and added red onions make it somewhat high in carbs (8g) all on its own. On the plus side, Chipotle uses pretty clean ingredients and try to avoid artificial stuff, which makes it one of the best keto fast food choices in my eyes.
Stay Keto At Chipotle With:
Burrito Bowl with Chicken, Cheese, Sour Cream, and Green Chili Salsa (no rice or beans) – 7g net carbs Salad Bowl with Chicken, Guacamole, Pico de Gallo, Sour Cream, and Cheese (no rice, beans or dressing) – 6g net carbs
Things To Avoid:
Tortillas, sofritas, rice, beans, corn and honey vinaigrette.
Culver’s
This fast food stop has an expansive menu without many low carb items, but you can find a few low carb fast food options. Burgers and the grilled chicken sandwich can be ordered lettuce wrapped or bunless. Sides include steamed broccoli and a side salad. Salads are a decent option if you remove the croutons.
Stay Keto At Culver’s With:
Lettuce Wrapped Wisconsin Swiss Melt – 6g net carbs Lettuce Wrapped Grilled Reuben Melt – 9g net carbs Cranberry Bacon Bleu Salad with Grilled Chicken (no cranberries) – 3g net carbs Steamed Broccoli – 4g net carbs
Things To Avoid:
All fish and chicken (minus the grilled chicken sandwich), all soups, pot roast (in all forms), pork tenderloin sandwich, chopped steak, all sauces (minus blue cheese and ranch), most sides (minus steamed broccoli and side salad), and sweets.
Dairy Queen
Known for its ice cream treats, Dairy Queen has pretty limited fast food for keto. Lettuce wrapped or bunless burgers and sandwiches are the best option here. You can also order a bunless chili cheese hot dog. Dairy Queen has two acceptable salad options.
Stay Keto At Dairy Queen With:
Lettuce Wrapped 1/3 lb. Double with Cheese – 3g net carbs Bunless Chili Cheese Dog – 4g net carbs Chicken BLT Salad with Grilled Chicken – 9g net carbs
Things To Avoid:
“Crispy chicken” anything, chicken tenders, all sides, and sweets.
Del Taco
Another Mexican food stop. While it is possible to eat at Del Taco while staying low carb, it is not for the faint of heart. It requires a lot of requests and possibly throwing out some elements on your own (like a hard shell corn tortilla) if they cannot accommodate. The easiest options are the salads – order them without beans or tortilla chips, and you have a decent fast food meal option you can eat on keto. Other favorable items include lettuce wrapped or bunless burgers and Fresca Bowls without beans and rice (request a double portion of meat and vegetables instead).
Stay Keto At Del Taco With:
Chicken Bacon Avocado Salad (no tortilla chips) – 3g net carbs Fresca Bowl (no beans or rice) – 5g net carbs
Things To Avoid:
Platos, soft taco shells, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, all sides, and sweets.
Five Guys
Five Guys is a diner-style burger and hot dog stop where literally everything is customizable, making it a great fast food keto menu. You choose between a regular hamburger, cheeseburger, bacon burger, or hot dog. Burgers can be ordered with one patty or two, but they are thin, so opt for two since you’ll be skipping the bun! From there, all other toppings are customizable, even the amounts. Ordering Five Guys keto style is really easy – lettuce wrapped or bunless bowl versions are available for both hot dogs and burgers. And (bonus!), they use mostly clean, unprocessed ingredients. Five Guys also has a free snack available while you wait – boiled peanuts! Peanuts are hotly debated in keto circles as to whether they are keto friendly or not, but chances are that if you’re ordering fast food, a small handful of peanuts is fine, too. Just don’t go overboard.
Stay Keto At Five Guys With:
Lettuce Wrapped Bacon Cheeseburger (with pickles, mayo, mustard, and grilled mushrooms) – 4g net carbs Bunless Bacon Dog (with mustard and onions) – 3g net carbs Peanuts (in moderation) – 5g net carbs (1/4 cup)
Things To Avoid:
Grilled cheese, French fries, milkshakes, and BBQ sauce.
Freddie’s
Steak burgers, hot dogs, and frozen custard are this fast food restaurant’s claim to fame. Steak burgers can be ordered lettuce wrapped and hot dogs bunless.
Stay Keto At Freddie’s With:
Lettuce Wrapped Double Steak Burger, California Style – 7g net carbs Bunless Chicago Dog (with a side of all beef chili) – 15g net carbs
Things To Avoid:
Veggie burger, crispy chicken sandwich, all sides (minus the all beef chili), and sweets.
Freshii
Freshii has a clean food, sustainable company vibe. Their menu is customizable so it can accommodate several different dietary lifestyles. The menu is primarily setup for low-fat, high carb, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t keto friendly fast food options to be found. Opt to remove the wrap, grains, and corn from most menu items, and you have a decent low carb fast food meal.
Stay Keto At Freshii With:
Green Eggs & Kale – 10g net carbs Fiesta Salad (no beans or corn) – 9g net carbs Mediterranean Bowl (no quinoa, extra greens) – 7g net carbs Hard Boiled Eggs – 2g net carbs
Things To Avoid:
Soups, smoothies, juices, frozen yogurt, and all snacks (minus the hard boiled eggs).
In-N-Out
Born in the West coast, In-N-Out was California’s first drive-thru hamburger place. They are known for cutting their own fries on premises and their “secret menu” items. Burgers can be ordered lettuce wrapped (they call it ‘protein style’) or bunless.
Stay Keto At In-N-Out With:
Protein Style Double Double – 8g net carbs Bunless Hamburger – 8g net carbs
Things To Avoid:
Fries and shakes.
Jack In The Box
A nationwide staple, Jack In The Box offers a wide variety of menu items from breakfast to “late night” meals. Ordering Jack In The Box Keto style is simple: burgers here can be ordered lettuce wrapped or bunless. Salads are also great choice, as they are appropriately sized for a full meal, and all except the side salad contain grilled chicken for protein.
Stay Keto At Jack In The Box With:
Bunless Double Jack Cheeseburger with a Side Salad – 6g net carbs Bunless Sausage Sandwich – 2g net carbs Chicken Club Salad with Grilled Chicken – 6g net carbs
Things To Avoid:
Breaded chicken items, teriyaki bowl, all sides, hashbrowns, pancakes, shakes and desserts.
Jimmy John’s
A classic sub sandwich shop with an awesome keto offering: The Unwich. The Unwich is the in-house term for a lettuce wrapped sub. Their website states that all Unwich sandwiches are 10 carbs or less, making them one of the best keto fast food meals.
Stay Keto At Jimmy John’s With:
Jimmy Cubano Unwich – 4g net carbs Ultimate Porker Unwich – 3g net carbs Beach Club Unwich – 6g net carbs
Things To Avoid:
Chips, cookies, and bread on sandwiches.
McDonald’s
Probably the most nationally recognized chain, McDonald’s is a staple of American fast food culture. Keto McDonald’s orders are easier than you might think. Burgers and sandwiches can ordered lettuce wrapped or bunless. Plus, there are two grilled salad options available, one of which must be ordered special (without corn, beans and tortilla chips) to keep it low carb.
Stay Keto At McDonald’s With:
Bunless Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese – 9g net carbs Bunless Big Mac (order with caution – the sauce contains sugar) – 6g net carbs Bunless Egg McMuffin with a Side Salad – 5g net carbs Bacon Ranch Grilled Chicken Salad – 5g net carbs
Things To Avoid:
Pancakes, hash browns, yogurt parfait, oatmeal, fried onion strings, breaded chicken, bakery items, specialty coffee drinks (minus the Americano and premium roast coffee), sides, and sweets.
Panera Bread
This ‘quick service’ style restaurant has taken the world by storm in recent years. Its inviting atmosphere encourages patrons to sit down and relax, not just drive through on the way home. Many of the menu items at Panera Bread can be made without the bread, creating several keto diet fast food options. Ordering keto at Panera mostly means breadless sandwiches or salads.
Stay Keto At Panera Bread With:
Roasted Turkey & Avocado BLT Sandwich (no bread) – 2g net carbs Napa Almond Chicken Salad Sandwich (no bread) – 6g net carbs Green Goddess Cobb Salad with Chicken (no pickled onions) – 11g net carbs
Things To Avoid:
Mac and cheese, soups, bowl meals, pasta meals, and bakery items.
Q’doba
This Mexican fast food restaurant has a fully customizable menu, making it easy to find great keto friendly fast food options here. Order tacos without the shell, or from their selection of “lifestyle bowls”.
Stay Keto At Q’Doba With:
Lifestyle Bowl – Smoked Brisket Keto Bowl – 12g net carbs Taco Salad with Chicken in a Bowl (no corn or beans) – 8g net carbs
Things To Avoid:
Soups, corn, beans, rice, tortillas, and sweets.
Shake Shack
An East Coast born burger stop that has expanded to serve breakfast, frozen custard, beer and wine, and even specialty dog treats. Burgers and hot dogs can be served bunless here, which is where you will find your keto fast food list for this place.
Stay Keto At Shake Shack With:
Bunless SmokeShack – 4g net carbs Bunless Chicken Dog – 4g net carbs
Things To Avoid:
Fries, frozen custard, and beer.
Sonic
Known for its quirky commercials and car hop parking, Sonic has quite a cult following. All burgers, sandwiches, burritos, and hot dogs can be ordered bunless, so there are quite a few options to choose from.
Stay Keto At Sonic With:
Bunless Super Sonic Bacon Double Cheeseburger – 5g net carbs Ultimate Meat and Cheese Burrito (no tortilla) – 3g net carbs Bunless Footlong Chili Cheese Coney (the chili has no beans, yay!) – 7g net carbs
Things To Avoid:
All sides, Cinnasnacks, French toast, breaded chicken, specialty drinks and desserts.
Starbucks
This Seattle-based coffee shop has taken the world by storm. From fancy frappuccinos to standard black coffee, Starbucks can do it all. They have even added some keto friendly fast food snack items to their menu in recent years. Things like egg bites are great (occasional) foods to treat yourself to on your next Starbucks stop. The cold case includes a few great options like meat and cheese plates, string cheese, packets of nuts, hard boiled eggs, and avocado spread. The drink menu is very customizable to make Starbucks keto friendly, too. Be sure to ask your barista which sugar-free flavored syrups they have on hand (usually vanilla and cinnamon dolce) and go from there. For a full guide, see more ideas for how to order keto at Starbucks here.
Stay Keto At Starbucks With:
Bacon Gruyere Sous Vide Egg Bites – 9g net carbs Salami & Monterey Jack Snack Tray – 0g net carbs Grande Americano (sugar-free vanilla syrup and splash of heavy whipping cream, this one is my go-to!) – 2g net carbs Tall Caffe Misto (no steamed milk, sub with half heavy whipping cream, half water steamed) – 3g net carbs Grande Hot Coffee or Iced Coffee (no sweetener, with a shot of heavy whipping cream) – 0g net carbs Grande Keto London Fog* (Earl Grey tea, sugar-free vanilla syrup, heavy whipping cream) – 3g net carbs Grande Keto Pink Drink* (unsweetened passion tango tea, sugar-free vanilla syrup, heavy whipping cream) 1g net carbs Venti Keto White Drink* (unsweetened peach tea, sugar-free vanilla syrup, heavy whipping cream) 3g net carbs
*These last 3 are not official Starbucks drinks, so you cannot ask for them by name. You must remember the ingredients and create your own drink each time.
Things To Avoid:
The bakery case, yogurt, smoothies, juices, Frappuccinos, flavored syrups (minus sugar-free), anything with dairy milk, almond milk, or coconut milk (theirs has added sugar).
Steak N Shake
Another “quick service” style restaurant with a soda shop feel. The burgers on the menu are steakburgers, so you are getting a nice quality meat for your dollar – one of the best low carb fast food options for burgers. They can be served bunless or lettuce wrapped.
Stay Keto At Steak N Shake With:
Bunless Bacon ‘N Cheese Double – 3g net carbs Sausage, Egg n’ Cheese Breakfast Bowl (no hash browns) – 4.5g net carbs Grilled Chicken Salad – 3g net carbs
Things To Avoid:
Fries, crispy fried onions, breaded chicken, chili mac, and milkshakes.
Subway
A nationwide staple, Subway is a sandwich shop that encourages you to pick your own toppings. This makes building your keto chopped salads pretty easy. While you can always make Subway keto by getting a salad, sandwiches are not always an option. Ask your server if they have unchopped lettuce to make a sandwich wrap with, otherwise you are stuck with a salad.
Stay Keto At Subway With:
Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad – 9g net carbs Steak and Cheese Salad – 9g net carbs
Things To Avoid:
Falafel, meatballs, BBQ anything.
Taco Bell
A popular and budget friendly Mexican fast food stop. Keto at Taco Bell is a bit mixed because sometimes they’ll let you customize the menu and sometimes not. Some items arrive on site pre-made, so be prepared with a Plan B in the event that what you want can’t be accommodated. Power bowls are a great low carb option (remember to request no beans or rice).
Stay Keto At Taco Bell With:
Power Menu Bowl (extra chicken, no beans, no rice) – 6g net carbs Create Your Own Meal by Ordering Each Element as a Side – 1 side beef, 1 side lettuce, 1 side guacamole, 1 side cheese, 1 side sour cream, 1 side pico de gallo. Combine into 1 container. – 7g net carbs
Things To Avoid:
Beans (all kinds), rice, corn, tortillas (wheat and corn), potatoes, all sides and sweets.
Taco John’s
Taco John’s offers a standard fare of tacos, burritos, and nachos. With such a small menu (and plenty of items that include starches like beans and potatoes), you’ll have to get a little creative. Your best bet for keto fast food at Taco John’s would be to order tacos or salads, and simply discard any shells.
Stay Keto At Taco John’s With:
Taco Salad (discard shell or request no shell) – 7g net carbs Junior Breakfast Burrito (discard tortilla) – 5g net carbs
Things To Avoid:
Crunchy items like fried chicken or chips, beans, and all desserts.
Wendy’s
This chain offers a variety of burgers, chicken, and salads, so you can easily order keto at Wendy’s. This chain will also accommodate a wide variety of requests. Popular low carb Wendy’s customization options include sandwiches as lettuce wraps (or get them in a dish to eat with a fork and knife), or getting sauces on the side.
Stay Keto At Wendy’s With:
Lettuce Wrapped Baconator (no ketchup) – 5g net carbs Lettuce Wrapped Son of Baconator (no ketchup) – 4g net carbs Bunless Asiago Ranch Grilled Chicken Club – 3g net carbs Southwest Avocado Salad – 10g net carbs
Things To Avoid:
Chili, fries, fried chicken, and most sauces (including cheese sauce).
Whataburger
This iconic burger chain in many southern US states offers custom burgers with huge patties, fries, chicken, and patty melts. Whataburger offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner options, so you can find keto friendly fast food options no matter the time of day. You can order sandwiches without the bun and get them in a tray to enjoy with a fork and knife, plus tempting sauces and toppings like jalapeño ranch or fire roasted mushrooms for an extra charge.
Stay Keto At Whataburger With:
Biscuit Sandwich (no biscuit) – 0g net carbs Whataburger Patty Melt (request it served in a salad container with no bun) – 2g net carbs Grilled Chicken Melt (request it served in a salad container with no bun) – 3g net carbs Bunless Avocado Bacon Burger – 5g net carbs
Things To Avoid:
Fried chicken items or the apple cranberry salad.
White Castle
White Castle specializes in sliders you can order by the bagful – and not much else. With such a small menu and fried side dishes, you’ll likely be better off at a different fast food chain. If you must eat at White Castle, opt for no buns and no breaded items whatsoever.
Stay Keto At White Castle With:
Bunless Cheese Slider or Savory Grilled Chicken Slider – 2g net carbs
Things To Avoid:
Buns, breaded items, and fried side dishes.
Zaxby’s
If you’re looking for chicken, look for Zaxby’s. This chain offers a plethora of chicken and chicken salads, so you can easily piece together a keto friendly fast food meal. Zaxby’s also shares extensive nutrition info on their website.
Stay Keto At Zaxby’s With:
Chicken Salad Sandwich (no bun) – 6g net carbs 5 Traditional Wings (Plain) with side of Celery and Ranch – 3g net carbs 5 Traditional Wings (Tongue Torch) with side of Celery and Ranch – 5g net carbs Grilled House Zalad with Ranch, Caesar, or Blue Cheese Dressing (no fried onions or Texas toast) – 8g net carbs
Things To Avoid:
Breaded chicken, fries, “zappetizers,” and most sauces.
How To Make Your Own Keto Fast Food
Choosing the best keto fast food options can be a bit like walking through a minefield at first, but you can see from the list above that it’s totally doable! Still, to get truly clean ingredients and better control, make your own low carb fast food meals at home instead. They aren’t quite as quick, but many can be made ahead so that they are fast when you need them. Here are some top-rated homemade keto fast food ideas to try:
Keto Chicken Nuggets Juicy Burgers – Put these on keto burger buns in my Easy Keto Cookbook. Easy Taco Salad Keto French Fries Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings Big Mac Salad – Like a Big Mac in salad form! Cauliflower Tots Keto Soft Pretzels Fathead Keto Pizza Keto Broccoli Cheese Soup – Just like Panera! Chipotle Copycat Barbacoa Almond Flour Tortillas – To make burritos or tacos.
