How to Eat Out at Fast Food Restaurants when Doing Keto

Ordering Keto-Friendly Items

Look for a keto menu to find options you can choose. Because keto diets are becoming more popular, some fast-food chains have added sections on their menus that list keto-friendly items you can order. Check out the menu and look for a list of items that are safe for keto diets and order your food from them for a convenient option. For instance, Chipotle offers “Keto Bowls,” which are keto-friendly burrito bowls. You could also try asking one of the restaurant staff if they know which items on the menu are safe for a keto diet. Look for non-starchy carbohydrates like green, leafy veggies, celery, cucumber, bell peppers, and sprouts. You could also split a higher carb dish with a friend. After all, it's okay to enjoy food you haven't had in a while—you want your metabolism to be flexible.

Choose lettuce-wrapped burgers and sandwiches. Some fast-food restaurants offer a lettuce-wrapped version of their sandwiches that swaps out the bun or bread for lettuce. Check the menu to see if it’s an option for a simple way to cut down on a major source of carbs in most fast-food meals. Restaurants like Five Guys, Hardees, Carl’s Jr., and In-n-Out Burger offer lettuce-wrapped burgers and sandwiches. If you choose a lettuce-wrapped chicken sandwich, make sure the chicken is grilled instead of crispy or fried.

Go with grilled chicken for lots of protein and flavor. Grilled chicken nuggets or a grilled chicken sandwich without bread or a bun is always a safe keto option. Chicken is loaded with flavor and protein, so if you see grilled chicken as an option, go for it! Try a chicken, bacon, ranch sandwich without the bun for a delicious keto option. Watch out for breaded chicken, which does have carbs and isn’t keto-friendly.

Try a chopped or club salad without sweet dressings. Many fast-food places offer salads loaded with meats like chicken, bacon, ham, and turkey as well as other proteins like egg or steak. A tasty chopped salad is a great keto option, but watch out for salad dressings that might contain sugar such as honey mustard or a sweet vinaigrette. Go with high-fat, tasty salad dressings like ranch or light and simple dressings like Italian or balsamic vinaigrette. Watch out for croutons as well!

Enjoy eggs, bacon, sausage, and cheese for breakfast. Bacon, eggs, cheese, and sausage are all keto-friendly and are breakfast menu options at many fast-food restaurants. If you’re looking for a keto-friendly breakfast, go with one or all of these and hold off on the high-carb sides like hashbrowns and biscuits. Some fast-food chains offer breakfast platters with eggs, sausage, and bacon. Just watch out for the pancakes! You don’t have to have eggs and bacon just for breakfast. Some fast-food chains offer breakfast items all day long.

Add carb-free toppings like ranch, mustard, or cheese for extra flavor. Enjoy tasty high-fat dressings like ranch and mayo to enhance the flavor of your keto-friendly fast food options. If a condiment doesn’t have sugar, it won’t break your keto diet. Additionally, toppings like cheese and avocado are safe for your keto diet as well. If you’re looking for healthier fast food toppings, go with salsa and avocado instead of ranch and mayo.

Stay away from sugar-sweetened drinks. Sodas, milkshakes, and sweetened teas are chock full of sugars that will break your keto diet. Avoid ordering a sweet beverage with your meal. Stick with safe bets like water, unsweetened tea, or coffee. Watch out for coffee drinks that are loaded with sugar as well.

Avoiding High-Carb Ingredients

Remove the bread or bun from a burger or sandwich. The bread and buns at fast-food restaurants are major culprits in the carb counts of their meals, so try to avoid them. If your food comes with a bun or bread, remove it to drastically reduce the number of carbs and make the food more keto-friendly. For instance, you can take the bun off of a burger, and if there aren’t any high-carb condiments or toppings, then it’s keto. Keep an eye out for breading on a chicken or fish sandwich as well, which is loaded with carbs. Ask the server if the restaurant can make a sandwich into a salad. This way, you're taking away the bread and replacing it with good, non-starchy carbohydrates.

Hold off on high-carb and sugary toppings and sauces. Watch out for condiments like ketchup, honey mustard, and barbecue sauce, all of which contain sugar aren’t kosher for your keto diet. Also, keep an eye out for toppings like breaded onions or relish, which do contain carbs. Remove the high-carb items or order your meal without them. If you’re unsure about a topping or condiment, look for the nutrition information. If there are sugar or carbs, it isn’t keto-friendly.

Ditch the rice and beans when you order burrito bowls. Many fast-food restaurants, like Taco Bell and Chipotle, offer burrito bowls, which are a great choice because they don’t have bread or tortillas, which are loaded with carbs. However, beans and rice both contain carbs and aren’t in line with a keto diet, so make sure they aren’t added to your meal. Add tasty condiments like salsa, cheese, and avocado to really jazz up a burrito bowl. Some spicy sauces are totally fine on a keto diet, just make sure they don’t have any sugar!

Swap out sweet dressings, fruit, and high-carb ingredients in salads. While salads are generally a safe bet when you’re ordering keto-friendly fast food, watch out for sneaky sources of carbs such as sweet dressings and dried fruit. Added ingredients like breaded chicken can drive up the carb count as well, so order grilled versions instead. Go with ranch, Caesar, or balsamic vinaigrette dressings to keep it keto. Cheese is keto-friendly as well, so feel free to enjoy some on your salad.

Choosing Popular Keto-Friendly Meals

Go with a Keto Bowl from Chipotle for tasty Mexican cuisine. Chipotle actually has a keto-specific menu that includes their “Keto Bowls.” They’re loaded with tasty proteins and veggies and don’t have any rice, beans, or other sources of carbs. Just be careful not to add any sauces that contain sugar.

Do the Quarter Pounder without a bun at McDonalds. McDonalds offers a few items that you can make keto-friendly, but their Quarter Pounder burger is large enough to fill you up, even without a bun. Try it with or without cheese for a quick and tasty keto meal. Try subbing the fries for something like fruit or a side salad.

Try the Bacon King without a bun from Burger King. The Bacon King from burger king is a giant burger with bacon piled up on top. If you order it without a bun and don’t put ketchup on it, it’s a great keto option.

Get the Double Baconator from Wendy’s. The Double Baconator is a double-stacked burger from Wendy’s loaded with bacon and cheese. It’s delicious and filling, and if you order it without a bun or ketchup, it’s keto!

Order The Cuban or Bacon Turkey Bravo with greens from Panera Bread. While the bread from Panera Bread is a no-go for a keto diet, the other delicious ingredients aren’t. Try The Cuban or the Bacon Turkey Bravo, but order it on a bed of greens instead of a bun. Bam! You’ve got a tasty keto-friendly salad. Avoid putting any sauces that may contain sugar. Check the ingredients to be sure.

Swap out the rice and beans in Taco Bell’s Power Bowls. Taco Bell has a Power Bowl menu with a few options you can choose from. Order them without rice and beans and they’re keto-friendly.

Use a salad dressing without sugar on Subway’s salads. Subway has a pretty solid salad menu that allows you to choose what ingredients you want to add to your meal. Put together a tasty salad bowl with proteins and veggies, but choose a keto-friendly dressing that doesn’t have sugar.