Does McDonald's Have Any Keto Friendly Options? Your Guide to Low-Carb Ordering

October 6, 2025 •

2 min read

While many fast-food options are notoriously high in carbohydrates, a surprising number of modified menu items exist for those following a ketogenic diet. This leads many to wonder, does McDonald's have any keto friendly options? By learning which items to modify and what to avoid, you can successfully navigate the menu and enjoy a meal at the golden arches without derailing your diet.

Quick Summary

Yes, with smart modifications, you can find keto-friendly items at McDonald's, primarily by removing buns, bread, and sugary condiments. Options include bunless burgers, customized breakfast sandwiches, and side salads with specific dressings.

Key Points

Modify Burgers: Order any burger, such as a Big Mac or Quarter Pounder, without the bun and ketchup to significantly reduce carb count.
Customize Breakfast Sandwiches: Remove the English muffin from an Egg McMuffin or the biscuit from a Bacon, Egg & Cheese sandwich to make it keto-compliant.
Beware of Sauces: Many condiments are loaded with hidden sugar; stick to keto-approved options like mustard, mayonnaise, and spicy buffalo sauce.
Choose Low-Carb Beverages: Opt for unsweetened iced tea, black coffee, or diet soda instead of sugary drinks and milkshakes.
Focus on Protein and Fat: Increase the fat and protein content of your modified meals by adding extra cheese, bacon, or a second beef patty.
Practice 'Dirty Keto' in Moderation: While convenient, modified fast food is not a replacement for a clean, whole-foods-based diet and should be consumed sparingly.

Navigating a Keto Diet at McDonald's

The ketogenic diet emphasizes high fat, moderate protein, and very low carbohydrate intake, typically restricting daily net carbs to 50 grams or less. While fast food doesn't align perfectly with a whole-foods keto approach, sometimes a quick drive-thru meal is necessary. The key is knowing how to make smart substitutions and modifications to align the standard menu offerings with your low-carb goals. At McDonald's, this means skipping the most carbohydrate-dense ingredients: the buns, biscuits, fries, and sugary sauces.

Keto-Friendly Breakfast Options

Several McDonald's breakfast items can be made keto by removing the bread. For specific breakfast options, you can consult {Link: Women's Health https://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/a29566809/mcdonalds-keto/} or {Link: Ketogenic.com https://ketogenic.com/keto-mcdonalds-guide-what-to-order-at-fast-food-restaurants/}.

Keto-Friendly Lunch and Dinner Options

For lunch and dinner, focus on bunless burgers and customized salads. McDonald's beef patties are low-carb; just ask for no bun and no ketchup. Details on specific bunless burger options and how to order can be found on {Link: Women's Health https://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/a29566809/mcdonalds-keto/} or {Link: Ketogenic.com https://ketogenic.com/keto-mcdonalds-guide-what-to-order-at-fast-food-restaurants/}.

Keto-Approved Condiments and Drinks

Avoid sugary sauces and opt for low-carb condiments and beverages. Information on best and worst condiment and drink choices for keto at McDonald's is available on {Link: Women's Health https://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/a29566809/mcdonalds-keto/} or {Link: Ketogenic.com https://ketogenic.com/keto-mcdonalds-guide-what-to-order-at-fast-food-restaurants/}.

Comparison Table: Modified Keto vs. Regular McDonald's Items

Modifying McDonald's items significantly lowers carb counts. A comparison table detailing carb counts for standard vs. modified items like Big Mac, Double Cheeseburger, Sausage McMuffin with Egg, Quarter Pounder with Cheese, and McDouble can be reviewed on {Link: Women's Health https://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/a29566809/mcdonalds-keto/} or {Link: Ketogenic.com https://ketogenic.com/keto-mcdonalds-guide-what-to-order-at-fast-food-restaurants/}.

A Word of Caution: The 'Dirty Keto' Approach

Eating modified fast food is often called "dirty keto" because processed foods, even without carbs, may lack the nutrients of whole foods. While convenient occasionally, it's not a substitute for a clean, whole-foods keto diet and should be used sparingly. Additional details on the 'dirty keto' approach can be found on {Link: Women's Health https://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/a29566609/mcdonalds-keto/} or {Link: Ketogenic.com https://ketogenic.com/keto-mcdonalds-guide-what-to-order-at-fast-food-restaurants/}.

Conclusion

McDonald's can offer keto-friendly options with strategic modifications. By removing buns, breading, and sugary sauces, you can create low-carb meals from popular items like bunless burgers and customized breakfast sandwiches. While not ideal for a consistent whole-foods diet, it's a practical choice when needed. For precise nutritional details, check the official McDonald's nutrition calculator.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, you can have a Big Mac on the keto diet if you order it without the bun. Be mindful that the special sauce has a small carb count, so some prefer to omit it or use a keto-approved alternative like mustard.

Keto-friendly breakfast options include the Sausage McMuffin with Egg (no muffin), Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit (no biscuit), and the Big Breakfast platter (no biscuit and hash browns). These can be eaten with a fork or knife.

No, Chicken McNuggets are not keto-friendly because they are coated in a breading that is high in carbs. You should avoid all breaded and fried items on the menu.

Safe, low-carb sauces include mustard, mayonnaise, Spicy Buffalo Sauce, and Creamy Ranch Sauce. You should avoid high-sugar sauces like ketchup, barbecue sauce, and honey mustard.

Simply order any burger and specify 'no bun.' Many locations will serve the meat and toppings in a plastic container with utensils, or you can ask for a lettuce wrap if available.

A plain hamburger patty with pickles, onions, and mustard has about 1g of net carbs. A Double Cheeseburger without the bun and ketchup is around 4g net carbs.

Yes, diet sodas like Diet Coke or Coke Zero contain zero carbs and are generally considered acceptable on a ketogenic diet. Unsweetened black coffee and iced tea are also good options.