What Fast Food is Carnivore Friendly?

October 26, 2025 •

4 min read

According to a 2024 survey, over 70% of people on a restrictive diet, like the carnivore diet, find eating out to be their biggest challenge. Fortunately, there are viable fast food options that are carnivore friendly if you know how to order correctly. This guide provides the best choices for those moments when you're on the road or in a hurry.

Quick Summary

This guide covers the best fast food restaurants for those following a carnivore diet, including specific orders and customization strategies. It details what to look for and what to avoid, ensuring compliance while eating on the go.

Key Points

Wendy's is a Top Pick: Order multiple plain beef patties with bacon and cheese, holding the bun and sauces, for a simple, compliant meal.
In-N-Out's 'Flying Dutchman': This secret menu item—two patties with cheese—is a ready-made, carnivore-friendly option.
Use Burrito Bowls at Chipotle: Create a carnivore meal with your choice of meat, cheese, and sour cream, omitting all other toppings.
Focus on 100% Beef: When ordering burgers at places like McDonald's, opt for Quarter Pounder patties to minimize the risk of fillers.
Order Plain and Bunless: The most important rule is to ask for plain, un-sauced meat with no bun to avoid hidden carbs and additives.
Beware of Fillers and Oils: Always question the ingredients and cooking methods, as some patties have fillers and most restaurants use non-compliant vegetable oils.

Navigating Fast Food on a Carnivore Diet

The carnivore diet, which consists exclusively of animal products like meat, eggs, and certain dairy, presents unique challenges when eating away from home. Standard fast food offerings are often packed with non-compliant ingredients, including buns, sauces, vegetable oils, and fillers. However, with a few strategic adjustments, you can find satisfying and compliant meals at many popular chains. The key is to focus on simple, high-quality proteins and to be explicit with your ordering requests.

The Best Restaurant Chains for Carnivores

Certain fast food establishments are more accommodating to the carnivore lifestyle than others, thanks to their menu items and ingredient transparency. Burger joints that use 100% beef patties are often the easiest to work with. Here's a look at some of the top contenders:

Wendy's: Known for its square, "never-frozen" beef patties, Wendy's is a great choice. You can order multiple plain patties with cheese and bacon, holding the bun and any sauces. The quality of their beef is generally considered higher than many competitors.
Five Guys: This chain is exceptionally accommodating for carnivore dieters. You can order a double bacon cheeseburger and ask for it in a bowl instead of a bun. Their burgers are cooked in peanut oil, which some carnivores may prefer over vegetable oils used elsewhere.
In-N-Out Burger: A regional favorite, In-N-Out offers a "secret menu" item called the "Flying Dutchman," which is simply two beef patties with cheese in between. This is a perfect, bun-free option for those on the diet.
Chipotle: While primarily known for Mexican food, Chipotle offers a great option with their burrito bowl. By ordering a bowl with just steak, chicken, carnitas, or barbacoa, along with cheese and sour cream, you can create a filling and compliant meal.
McDonald's: Though not the highest quality, McDonald's is a ubiquitous option in a pinch. You can order multiple Quarter Pounder patties, which are listed as 100% beef, and ask for them plain with no bun or condiments. Ordering from the "a la carte" menu can also save money.
Culver's: This midwestern chain is a reliable option, allowing you to order burger patties a la carte. They are known for their fresh beef and will readily accommodate special requests.

Comparison Table: Fast Food for Carnivores


Feature	Wendy's	Five Guys	In-N-Out Burger	Chipotle	McDonald's
Best for Burger Lovers?	Yes, known for quality beef patties.	Yes, high customization and fresh ingredients.	Yes, the popular 'Flying Dutchman' is ideal.	Not a burger joint, but offers meat options.	Yes, widely available and affordable plain patties.
Customization Ease	High. Staff is accustomed to special requests.	Very high. Easy to order bunless options in a bowl.	High, with widely known secret menu items.	High, using the burrito bowl as a base.	Moderate. Can be done via kiosk or counter.
Meat Quality	Generally good, "never-frozen" beef.	High, using fresh ground beef.	High, known for fresh, never-frozen beef.	Good, uses whole muscle meat.	Moderate. 100% beef for Quarter Pounders.
Typical Carnivore Order	Multiple plain patties with cheese/bacon.	Double bacon cheeseburger in a bowl.	'Flying Dutchman' (2 patties with cheese).	Bowl with meat, cheese, and sour cream.	Multiple plain Quarter Pounder patties.
Risk of Non-Compliance	Low, if ordering plain and avoiding dressings.	Low, simple ordering process.	Low, simple order of meat and cheese.	Moderate, risk of sauces/salsas.	Moderate, risk of fillers in some patties.

How to Order Like a Pro

To ensure your fast food meal remains carnivore friendly, follow these simple rules:

"No Bun, Please": This is the most crucial request. Most restaurants can serve your burger patties in a container or wrapped in lettuce.
"Plain, Please": Ask for no seasoning beyond salt. This helps avoid hidden ingredients, like sugars and starches, sometimes added to seasoning blends.
"Hold the Sauce": All condiments and sauces are typically off-limits. They often contain sugar, vegetable oils, and other non-carnivore ingredients.
Specify Cheese: Be mindful of cheese. While some carnivores include dairy, many fast-food cheeses are highly processed with extra ingredients. Some sources suggest avoiding American cheese in favor of natural cheddar.
Watch the Oils: Most fast-food restaurants cook their meat in vegetable oils, which can be a concern for strict carnivores. While difficult to avoid completely, some chains like Five Guys use peanut oil, which some find more acceptable.
Avoid Sides: French fries, onion rings, and other sides are strictly prohibited. These are high-carb and often cooked in non-compliant oils.

Potential Pitfalls and Considerations

Even with careful ordering, some compromises might be necessary when eating fast food on a carnivore diet. First, the meat quality is rarely as high as what you'd prepare at home. Fast food chains prioritize cost and convenience, not premium, grass-fed products. Secondly, some smaller, cheaper burger patties may contain fillers, so focusing on larger, 100% beef patties is often safer. Lastly, be aware of cross-contamination risks from cooking surfaces, though this is often an acceptable compromise for many when traveling.

Conclusion

While fast food is not the ideal cornerstone of a carnivore diet, it can be a convenient lifesaver when you're in a bind. By understanding which restaurants offer the most adaptable menus and mastering the art of the special order, you can stick to your dietary principles even on the busiest days. Sticking to simple, plain meat, eggs, and cheese from compliant sources is always the safest bet. Remember that proper planning, such as packing your own snacks, is the best way to avoid relying on less-than-ideal options.

For more information on the carnivore diet and food lists, check out sources like WebMD.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, most fast-food fried chicken is not carnivore-friendly because the breading contains grains, flours, and other non-compliant ingredients. You may be able to find grilled chicken options, but be sure to ask about marinades and seasonings, which can also contain sugar or other additives.

Yes, many fast-food restaurants offer plain eggs and sausage patties for breakfast. Ordering these items without a bun or other extras is a simple and compliant choice. Be mindful of potential additives or cooking oils.

When ordering, specify "no bun," "plain with just salt," and "hold the sauce." For burgers, ask for extra patties to increase your protein and fat intake.

Many processed cheeses, including most American cheese slices, contain extra ingredients and oils that strict carnivores try to avoid. Natural cheeses like cheddar or Swiss are often preferred, but availability varies by restaurant.

Generally, yes, but with caution. Most breakfast bacon and sausage is compliant. However, some may contain sugar or flavorings. Check for the simplest, least-processed options available and ask for ingredient information if possible.

It is very difficult to completely avoid vegetable oils at most fast-food places. You can ask if they use animal fats for cooking, but this is rare. For most people, the compromise is to accept the cooking oils in a pinch, while prioritizing grass-fed or animal-fat-cooked meat at home.

The best strategy is to plan ahead by packing compliant snacks like beef jerky, pork rinds, or hard-boiled eggs. Rely on fast food only as a last resort, and stick to the plainest, most customizable options.