What to Eat Low Carb at Fast Food Restaurants?

November 17, 2025 •

4 min read

Reports indicate that Americans eat fast food one to three times a week. Navigating these menus while following a specific dietary plan like a low-carb diet can be challenging, but it's far from impossible when you know what to look for at fast food restaurants.

Quick Summary

Learn the essential rules for ordering low-carb at any fast food chain. This guide covers menu hacks for burgers, chicken, and Mexican spots, plus tips for smart substitutions.

Key Points

Ditch the Carbs: Eliminate buns, tortillas, breading, and sugary sauces to cut high-carb ingredients immediately.
Choose Grilled Protein: Opt for grilled chicken, bunless burger patties, or unbreaded wings to keep your main course low-carb.
Build Custom Bowls: Utilize customizable options at places like Chipotle and Subway by ordering salads or bowls with low-carb ingredients.
Hack Breakfast Menus: Easily make breakfast low-carb by ordering egg and meat combos and simply discarding the bread or muffin.
Swap Sides and Drinks: Exchange fries for a side salad and sugary sodas for water, unsweetened tea, or diet beverages.
Plan Ahead: Check online nutrition info for fast food chains to find the safest low-carb options before you even order.

Eating low-carb while on the go requires strategy, but it's entirely achievable with simple menu modifications. The key is to avoid obvious carb culprits like buns, breading, and sugary sauces, and to leverage customizable items like bowls and salads. By focusing on protein, healthy fats, and non-starchy vegetables, you can enjoy a satisfying meal without compromising your diet.

The Golden Rules for Low-Carb Fast Food

Ditch the Buns and Tortillas

This is the most critical and simplest rule for low-carb success at fast-food joints. A single burger bun or tortilla can contain a massive amount of carbs that can derail your entire day's macro goals. Ask for your burger in a lettuce wrap or simply in a bowl, and for Mexican-style food, skip the tortillas, rice, and beans completely.

Prioritize Grilled Over Fried

Fried and breaded items are a major source of hidden carbs and unhealthy fats. Always opt for grilled chicken nuggets, grilled chicken sandwiches (without the bun), or unbreaded wings where possible. At KFC, for example, a piece of grilled chicken is a zero-carb option, whereas its fried counterparts contain flour-based breading.

Watch Your Sauces and Dressings

Many popular condiments and salad dressings are loaded with hidden sugar and carbs. Be mindful of barbecue sauce, honey mustard, and sweet-and-sour options. Instead, stick to safer, low-carb alternatives like mayonnaise, mustard, full-fat ranch, or vinaigrettes (ordered on the side).

Low-Carb Options at Popular Fast Food Chains

Burger Joints (McDonald's, Wendy's, Five Guys)

Ordering a bunless burger is the most common hack. At McDonald's, a double cheeseburger without the bun and ketchup is a solid choice. Wendy's offers lettuce wraps for their burgers, like the Baconator. Five Guys is a fan favorite for low-carb diners; their burgers and hot dogs can be wrapped in lettuce or served in a bowl with your choice of numerous low-carb toppings.

Mexican Fast Food (Chipotle, Taco Bell)

Mexican-style fast-food places offer some of the most versatile low-carb meals. At Chipotle, you can build a keto-friendly salad or lifestyle bowl with a lettuce base, your choice of meat (chicken or steak), cheese, sour cream, and guacamole. At Taco Bell, their Power Menu Bowl is a strong option if you order it without the rice and beans. For items like tacos or burritos, simply leave out the tortillas and rice.

Chicken and Sub Shops (Chick-fil-A, Subway, Jimmy John's)

At Chick-fil-A, opt for the grilled chicken nuggets or a grilled chicken sandwich without the bun. Subway has a "No Bready Bowls" menu, where you can order any sub as a salad with a bed of greens. Jimmy John's pioneered the "Unwich," wrapping any sub in thick lettuce leaves instead of bread, making it a reliable low-carb choice.

The Low-Carb Fast Food Comparison Table


Restaurant	Low-Carb Meal Idea	Customization Notes
McDonald's	Double Cheeseburger, no bun	Skip the bun and ketchup; add mustard, mayo, and bacon.
Chipotle	Keto Salad Bowl	Comes pre-configured with a lettuce base, protein, salsa, cheese, and guacamole.
Chick-fil-A	8-Piece Grilled Nuggets	Order with low-carb dipping sauces like Garlic & Herb Ranch.
Subway	Oven Roasted Chicken Salad	Order as a salad with desired vegetables and oil and vinegar dressing.
Wendy's	Dave's Single, lettuce wrapped	Request a lettuce wrap instead of the bun; avoid ketchup.
In-N-Out	Double-Double, Protein Style	Burger patties and cheese wrapped in lettuce; avoid sugary spread.

Breakfast on the Go

Many fast-food restaurants offer simple breakfast items that are naturally low-carb. At McDonald's, order a Sausage McMuffin with Egg, but skip the English muffin. Hardee's has a Low Carb Breakfast Bowl with eggs, sausage, bacon, and cheese. Starbucks offers Sous Vide Egg Bites, which are high in protein and healthy fats.

Sizing Up the Sides and Drinks

Smart Side Swaps

Instead of high-carb sides like fries or onion rings, ask for a side salad (with a low-carb dressing), steamed broccoli, or green beans if available. At burger joints, you can often add an extra beef patty or cheese to your bunless burger for extra protein and fat to increase satiety.

Hydrating with Low-Carb Beverages

Stick to water, unsweetened iced tea, or black coffee. Most diet sodas are also fine, but be mindful of artificial sweeteners. Some fast-food chains offer diet versions of their fountain drinks or sugar-free lemonades.

Conclusion: Making Informed Choices

Eating low-carb at fast-food restaurants is a matter of knowing the simple rules: eliminate bread and breading, opt for grilled protein, and be wary of sugary sauces and toppings. With a few smart customizations, you can find a satisfying and delicious low-carb meal at almost any major chain, making it easier to stick with your dietary goals even when you're short on time. Planning ahead by checking online nutrition information can also give you an advantage.

1.12.2 Diet Doctor: How to Eat Low Carb and Keto when Dining Out

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, you can. The best way to do this is to order any burger without the bun and request it wrapped in lettuce or served in a bowl. Always skip sugary condiments like ketchup.

Yes, many Mexican fast-food restaurants like Chipotle and Taco Bell offer excellent low-carb options. Order a burrito bowl with a lettuce base and skip the rice, beans, and tortillas. Fill it with meat, cheese, guacamole, and salsa.

To get low-carb chicken, always choose grilled varieties over fried or breaded options. For example, Chick-fil-A grilled nuggets or KFC grilled chicken are excellent low-carb choices.

Ask for your sub "in a tub" or as a salad at places like Subway, or order an "Unwich" from Jimmy John's, which uses lettuce instead of bread. Load up on meats, cheese, and vegetables.

Low-carb side options are limited but often include side salads (hold the croutons and choose low-sugar dressing), green beans, or steamed broccoli if offered. You can also add extra protein like bacon or cheese.

Stick to water, unsweetened iced tea, or black coffee. Most diet sodas are also acceptable, but check for artificial sweeteners. Avoid sugary drinks, fruit juices, and most fountain sodas.

Yes, many places have egg-based breakfast items. Order a breakfast sandwich without the biscuit, muffin, or wrap. Hardee's offers a Low Carb Breakfast Bowl, and Starbucks has Sous Vide Egg Bites.