What fast food is no carbs? Your guide to eating low-carb on the go

October 9, 2025 •

4 min read

While most traditional fast-food items are laden with carbs from buns, breading, and fries, many places now offer menu modifications for low-carb lifestyles. A prime example is KFC's grilled chicken, which has 0 grams of carbs per piece. With some savvy ordering, you can find satisfying and convenient low-carb options.

Quick Summary

This guide details how to find low-carb and zero-carb fast-food items by focusing on grilled proteins, salads, and customizable bowls. It explains common ordering strategies and lists specific options from popular chains to help you stay on track with your dietary goals while dining out.

Key Points

Customize your order: Ask for items without the bun, tortilla, or breading to eliminate the biggest source of carbs.
Embrace the protein style: Many burger chains offer lettuce wraps instead of buns, providing a satisfying, low-carb alternative.
Go for grilled, not fried: Choose grilled chicken or other proteins over their breaded, fried counterparts to avoid excess carbs.
Customize your bowls: At Mexican places, build a bowl with meat, cheese, veggies, and guacamole, skipping the rice and beans.
Be cautious with condiments: Avoid sugary sauces like ketchup and BBQ sauce, opting for mayonnaise or mustard instead.
Prioritize breakfast proteins: Opt for breakfast sandwiches without the bread or biscuit, focusing on the eggs and meat.
Know the difference: Aim for low-carb meals, as zero-carb fast-food options are rare due to seasonings and ingredients.

Achieving a strictly zero-carb meal at a fast-food restaurant is challenging, as trace amounts of carbohydrates can be found in seasonings, sauces, or even vegetables. The realistic goal for a no-carb or keto-friendly meal is to choose options that minimize or eliminate carbs as much as possible. With a few simple tweaks to your order, you can enjoy a filling meal without derailing your diet.

Customizing Your Order for Success

Most fast-food menus are designed around carb-heavy ingredients. The key to ordering a low-carb meal is to customize existing menu items by removing high-carb elements and opting for protein and fresh vegetables. Here are the core strategies:

The Bunless Burger and Sandwich Approach

This is one of the most common and easiest ways to cut carbs at a fast-food joint. Simply ask for your burger or sandwich to be served without the bun. Many chains will offer a lettuce wrap instead, or you can eat the patty and toppings with a fork.

McDonald's: Order any breakfast sandwich (like an Egg McMuffin) without the English muffin. For a burger, order a Quarter Pounder or Cheeseburger with no bun, ketchup, or cheese to keep carbs minimal.
In-N-Out Burger: Ask for your burger “Protein-Style,” which means it will be wrapped in a lettuce wrap instead of a bun.
Wendy's: Request any of their burgers or grilled chicken sandwiches with no bun. The Double Stack without a bun is a popular choice.
Five Guys: All burgers and hot dogs can be ordered in a bowl or wrapped in lettuce.
Hardee's/Carl's Jr.: Many burgers can be ordered with a lettuce wrap. You can also order a breakfast sandwich without the biscuit.

Chicken and Other Protein Focus

Look for plain, grilled, or blackened protein options and avoid anything breaded or fried, as the coating adds significant carbs.

KFC: Opt for the grilled chicken pieces, which are explicitly listed as having 0g of carbs.
Chick-fil-A: Grilled chicken nuggets are a great option, with only 1 gram of carbs per 8-piece serving.
Popeyes: Blackened tenders are a fantastic high-protein, low-carb choice, as they are not breaded.

Customizable Bowls and Salads

Mexican fast-food chains are excellent for building your own low-carb meal. Most offer bowls or salads where you can choose your base.

Chipotle: Create a salad or burrito bowl with meat, grilled vegetables, salsa, guacamole, and cheese. Skip the rice and beans entirely.
Taco Bell: Order the Power Menu Bowl without rice, beans, or creamy sauces. You can even order a Doritos Locos Taco without the shell and request a lettuce wrap.
Subway/Jersey Mike's: Order any sub as a salad or a “Sub in a Tub.” Choose your favorite meat and veggies and add oil and vinegar dressing instead of carb-heavy options.

Beware of Hidden Carbs

While removing the bun is a great start, many common fast-food toppings contain sugar and carbs. Be mindful of these hidden offenders:

Sauces and Dressings: Avoid ketchup, barbecue sauce, honey mustard, and sweet chili sauces. Stick to plain mayonnaise, regular mustard, and hot sauce.
Vegetables: While most are low-carb, some, like corn and beans, should be limited on a strict keto diet.
Drinks: Steer clear of regular soda, sweet tea, and sugary shakes. Opt for water, unsweetened iced tea, or diet soda.

Comparison of Low-Carb Fast Food Options

To help you visualize your choices, here is a comparison of some modified fast-food items. Please note that nutritional values can vary by location and exact preparation.


Item (Restaurant)	Carbs (g)	Protein (g)	Notes
Grilled Chicken Breast (KFC)	0	~57	Plain, unbreaded. Availability may vary.
Quarter Pounder (McDonald's)	~1	~27	Without bun, ketchup, or cheese.
Keto Salad Bowl (Chipotle)	~17	~30	Includes fajita veggies and cheese. Subtracting cheese and salsa can lower carbs.
8-Piece Grilled Nuggets (Chick-fil-A)	1	25	Low-carb, high-protein option.
Whopper Jr. (Burger King)	0	~12	Plain, no bun.
Sub in a Tub (Subway)	~8	~23	Oven-roasted turkey example. Choose oil & vinegar dressing.
Bacon & Cheddar Omelet Bites (Dunkin')	7	17	Quick and convenient breakfast option.
5-Piece Blackened Tenders (Popeyes)	3	43	Ask for no sauce.

Conclusion

Navigating the fast-food landscape on a low-carb diet is more manageable than it seems. While truly no-carb options are rare, many fast-food chains offer simple modifications to reduce your carb intake significantly. By focusing on bunless burgers, grilled chicken, protein-packed salads, and customizable bowls while avoiding sugary sauces, breading, and high-carb sides, you can find satisfying and quick meals that align with your nutritional goals. A little planning and mindful ordering can make a big difference when dining on the go.

For more expert advice on low-carb dining, check out the resources from Diet Doctor.

Frequently Asked Questions

While achieving a true zero-carb meal is highly unlikely due to seasonings and trace ingredients, you can get very close by ordering plain, unbreaded proteins like grilled chicken or bunless burger patties.

To order a low-carb burger, ask for it without the bun, or 'Protein-Style' if available, and have it wrapped in lettuce. Be sure to avoid sugary ketchup and special sauces.

At places like Chipotle or Qdoba, order a burrito bowl or salad with your choice of meat, cheese, salsa, and guacamole, but skip the rice, beans, and tortilla.

Yes, many chains offer low-carb breakfast options if you modify your order. You can get a breakfast sandwich without the bun or biscuit, focusing only on the egg, meat, and cheese.

Instead of fries or onion rings, choose a side salad without croutons or a low-carb veggie side like green beans if available. Some restaurants, like Popeyes, offer blackened tenders, which are a good side or main dish.

You should avoid high-sugar condiments such as ketchup, barbecue sauce, honey mustard, and teriyaki sauce. Stick with lower-carb options like mustard, mayonnaise, and hot sauce.

Regular soda and milkshakes are very high in carbs and should be avoided. Opt for water, unsweetened iced tea, or diet soda instead.