What to eat for lunch on keto fast food? A comprehensive guide for busy dieters

November 27, 2025 •

4 min read

Over 50 million Americans eat fast food every day, and sticking to a ketogenic diet can seem impossible amidst the convenience. This guide provides a clear and actionable strategy on what to eat for lunch on keto fast food, proving you can find low-carb meals without compromising your dietary goals.

Quick Summary

This resource provides actionable strategies for ordering low-carb, keto-friendly lunches at popular fast-food restaurants. It covers smart modifications, specific menu items to select, and how to build your meal around protein and healthy fats. The article details options at major chains, including how to avoid hidden carbs.

Key Points

Ditch the Bun: For burgers and sandwiches, always request no bun and use a lettuce wrap or ask for it in a bowl instead.
Choose Grilled over Fried: Stick to grilled chicken or steak, as breaded and fried options are high in carbohydrates.
Build Your Own Bowl: At Mexican restaurants, create a custom bowl with meat, cheese, sour cream, and guacamole, skipping rice and beans.
Avoid Sugary Condiments: Be mindful of hidden sugars in sauces like ketchup, BBQ, and certain dressings. Opt for mustard, mayo, or hot sauce instead.
Load Up on Low-Carb Toppings: Enhance your meal with extra cheese, bacon, lettuce, grilled mushrooms, and jalapenos to increase fat and flavor.
Plan Ahead: Check nutritional information online before you go. Many fast-food sites offer calculators that allow you to customize your order and see the macros.

Navigating the Fast-Food Menu on a Keto Diet

Eating keto on the go can be a challenge, but with the right knowledge, you can navigate almost any fast-food menu. The core principle is simple: focus on protein and fats while eliminating high-carb items like buns, fries, and sugary sauces. Many fast-food chains are accommodating to special requests, and most ingredients are listed online, making it easier than ever to plan your meal. From burger joints to Mexican restaurants, smart modifications can turn a high-carb meal into a perfectly balanced ketogenic lunch.

Bunless Burgers: A Keto Staple

The bunless burger is arguably the most reliable keto fast-food option. Most burger chains offer to serve their patties and toppings without the bread, often wrapped in lettuce or served in a bowl. For a classic option, you can order a double cheeseburger with no bun and no ketchup at chains like McDonald's, Wendy's, and Five Guys. At In-N-Out, asking for your burger "protein style" gets you a lettuce wrap instead of a bun, a well-known secret menu item. The key is to add extra keto-friendly toppings and condiments to boost flavor and fat content.

At McDonald's: Order a McDouble or Double Quarter Pounder with no bun, no ketchup. Add extra mustard and pickles.
At Wendy's: The Baconator or Double Stack, sans bun, is a solid choice. Wendy's uses leaf lettuce, which is great for wrapping.
At Five Guys: Ask for your burger in a lettuce wrap or a bowl. You can load up on free toppings like grilled mushrooms, onions, and jalapenos to create a customized keto burger bowl.

Mexican-Inspired Bowls and Salads

Mexican-inspired fast-casual restaurants are a keto dieter's paradise, offering endless customization options. The main strategy is to build a bowl or salad and skip the rice, beans, and tortillas.

Chipotle: The Keto Salad Bowl is a pre-configured option featuring a supergreens lettuce blend, chicken or carnitas, salsa, cheese, and guacamole. You can also build your own bowl with lettuce, fajita veggies, steak, cheese, and sour cream. Skip the high-sugar salsas and stick to milder, tomato-based or green salsas.
Taco Bell: A Power Bowl ordered without rice or beans is a great choice. You get your protein, cheese, guacamole, and lettuce. Just be sure to request no rice or beans and be mindful of sauces.

The Mighty Unwich: Sub Shop Salvation

For those craving a sandwich, sub shops offer a perfect solution with their lettuce-wrapped subs. Jimmy John's popularized the concept with their "Unwich," which wraps your favorite sub fillings in large lettuce leaves. Jersey Mike's offers a similar option called a "Sub in a Tub," serving the meat and toppings in a container.

Jimmy John's: Order any sub as an Unwich. Popular keto-friendly options include the Turkey Tom Unwich or the Italian Night Club Unwich.
Jersey Mike's: Opt for a "Sub in a Tub." The Chicken Bacon Ranch with extra bacon is a filling, flavorful choice. A cheesesteak served "in a tub" is also an excellent high-fat option.

Chicken: The Grilled, Not Fried, Rule

When ordering chicken, remember the golden rule: grilled, not fried. Breaded and fried chicken options are loaded with carbohydrates. Opt for grilled chicken sandwiches (no bun) or salads with grilled chicken. Some places offer naked wings that aren't breaded.

Chick-fil-A: Order the Grilled Chicken Club with no bun. This provides protein, cheese, and bacon. The grilled chicken nuggets are another fantastic option for a quick, high-protein meal.
KFC: While famous for fried chicken, KFC offers Kentucky Grilled Chicken. A couple of pieces paired with their green beans (instead of high-carb sides) is a great keto lunch.
Buffalo Wild Wings: Choose traditional (non-breaded) wings with a dry rub or a keto-friendly sauce like hot sauce. Avoid sugary sauces like BBQ or honey mustard.

Sauces and Toppings to Add or Avoid

Condiments can be a sneaky source of hidden carbs. Always check nutritional information online if you are unsure. Favor high-fat, low-sugar options to stay in ketosis.

Keto-Friendly Condiments:

Mustard (basic yellow or spicy brown)
Mayonnaise
Ranch dressing (check sugar content, some are better than others)
Blue cheese dressing
Hot sauce
Guacamole
Cheese
Bacon
Pickles

Condiments to Avoid:

Ketchup (high in sugar)
Honey mustard
Sweet BBQ sauce
Teriyaki sauce
Most creamy sauces with added sugar

Fast Food Chain Comparison for Keto Lunch


Restaurant	Best Keto Options	Key Modification	Carb Warning	Best for…
McDonald's	Bunless Double Cheeseburger, Sausage & Egg Patty (no biscuit)	Request "no bun" and "no ketchup"	Fries, buns, sugary sauces	Quick, simple bunless burgers
Chipotle	Keto Salad Bowl, custom bowl	Skip rice, beans, and tortilla.	Corn salsa, sugary salsas	High-fat, customizable bowls
Wendy's	Bunless Baconator, Grilled Chicken Sandwich (no bun)	Request "no bun" and extra lettuce	Fries, salads with candied nuts	Heavy, satisfying bunless burgers
Five Guys	Lettuce-wrapped burger or burger bowl	Order in a lettuce wrap or bowl; add free toppings	Fries, sweet sauces	Customizable, fresh burgers
Chick-fil-A	Grilled Nuggets, Grilled Chicken Sandwich (no bun)	Ask for grilled, not breaded. Skip the bun.	Breading, waffle fries	Grilled chicken focus
Jimmy John's	Unwich (any sub lettuce-wrapped)	Order an Unwich for any sub.	Bread, chips, sweet peppers	Cold cut or Italian subs

Conclusion: Strategic Ordering for Success

Eating a ketogenic diet does not mean you have to sacrifice the convenience of fast food. By understanding the core principles—avoiding buns, wraps, fries, and sugary sauces—and learning how to strategically modify your order, you can enjoy a quick and satisfying lunch. The key is to leverage the restaurant's proteins and high-fat toppings, opting for grilled chicken or bunless burgers and salads. Most chains are very accommodating to these simple requests, so don't be afraid to ask for a customized, keto-friendly meal that fits your lifestyle. As always, reviewing nutritional information online can help you make the best choice when in doubt.

For more detailed nutritional breakdowns, resources like Diet Doctor provide comprehensive guides on dining out keto.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, you can have a burger from most fast-food restaurants. The key is to order it without the bun and avoid sugary condiments like ketchup. You can ask for a lettuce wrap or to have it served in a bowl.

Keto-friendly sauce options include mustard, mayonnaise, and certain hot sauces or ranch dressings, though you should check the nutritional info for sugar content. Avoid high-sugar sauces like BBQ or honey mustard.

No, you must be careful with fast-food salads. While the greens and meat are fine, many come with high-carb additions like croutons, sweet dressings, or dried fruit. Always order without these items and choose a full-fat, low-sugar dressing.

No, fried chicken is not a good keto option because it is breaded with high-carb flour. Always choose grilled or roasted chicken instead to avoid these hidden carbs.

An Unwich is Jimmy John's term for a sub sandwich wrapped in a large lettuce leaf instead of bread. You can order any of their subs this way, making it a great keto option.

At Chipotle, you can order a Keto Salad Bowl or build your own bowl. The key is to choose a lettuce base and skip the rice, beans, and tortilla. Load up on meat, fajita veggies, cheese, guacamole, and sour cream.

Most traditional fast-food side dishes like french fries, onion rings, and hash browns are not keto-friendly. However, options like side salads (minus croutons) and KFC's green beans can work. Some places like Five Guys offer peanuts.

Yes, many breakfast sandwiches can be ordered without the bun or biscuit. For example, the Sausage and Egg Patty at McDonald's or the Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit at Wendy's are keto-friendly when you ditch the carb-heavy bread.