When you're on the road or pressed for time, fast food is inevitable. The problem is most menus are designed around bread, batter, and sugar. But keto friendly fast food options exist at virtually every major chain — you just need to know the specific items that keep you under 10g net carbs per meal.
This guide covers 12 chains with the best picks at each. Use the quick-reference table below, then scroll down for details.
Quick-Reference Table
| Chain | Best Keto Order | Net Carbs |
|---|---|---|
| McDonald's | Quarter Pounder, no bun | 3g |
| Burger King | Whopper, no bun | 3g |
| Wendy's | Baconator, no bun, no ketchup | 1g |
| Chick-fil-A | Grilled Nuggets (8-ct) | 2g |
| Taco Bell | Power Menu Bowl, no rice, no beans | 7g |
| Chipotle | Burrito Bowl, no rice, no beans | 6-8g |
| Subway | Chopped Salad, any protein | 5-8g |
| Five Guys | Cheeseburger, lettuce wrap | 1-2g |
| In-N-Out | Double-Double Protein Style | 7-11g |
| Panda Express | Grilled Teriyaki Chicken + Super Greens | 10g |
| KFC | Grilled Chicken Breast + Green Beans | 5g |
| Arby's | Roast Turkey Farmhouse Salad | 8g |
McDonald's
Go-to order: Quarter Pounder with Cheese, no bun (3g net carbs). Add a side salad with ranch for a full meal at about 6g total.
Backup option: Egg McMuffin without the muffin (1g net carbs) — egg, Canadian bacon, and cheese.
Burger King
Go-to order: Whopper, no bun (3g net carbs). Flame-grilled patty with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, and mayo. Skip the ketchup to save 4g.
Backup option: Bacon King, no bun (3g net carbs). Double patty with bacon and cheese.
Wendy's
Go-to order: Baconator, no bun, skip the ketchup (1g net carbs). Two patties, six strips of bacon, two slices of cheese, and mayo.
Backup option: Parmesan Caesar Salad, no croutons (7g net carbs).
Chick-fil-A
Go-to order: Grilled Nuggets, 8-count (2g net carbs). Pair with the Kale Crunch Side (7g net carbs) for a complete meal.
Backup option: Cobb Salad without corn and tortilla strips (5g net carbs). Skip all breaded options — even the smallest breaded sandwich is 30g+ carbs.
Taco Bell
Almost everything at Taco Bell is wrapped in a tortilla or shell. The Power Menu is your friend.
Go-to order: Power Menu Bowl, no rice, no beans (approximately 7g net carbs). Seasoned beef, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, cheese, and guacamole.
Backup option: Chicken Cantina Bowl, no rice, no beans. Similar carb count.
Chipotle
Go-to order: Burrito Bowl with steak, fajita veggies, fresh tomato salsa, cheese, sour cream, guacamole — no rice, no beans (6-8g net carbs).
Backup option: Salad bowl with the same toppings. Skip the crispy shell (35g carbs) and corn salsa (15g carbs — swap for fresh tomato salsa at 4g).
Subway
Chopped salads are the only viable keto option at Subway.
Go-to order: Any protein as a Chopped Salad (5-8g net carbs depending on vegetables and dressing). Rotisserie chicken with romaine, peppers, cucumbers, and oil/vinegar keeps it around 5g.
Backup option: Protein bowl with double meat. Avoid wraps and flatbreads — even Subway's wraps are 30g+ carbs.
Five Guys
Go-to order: Cheeseburger in a lettuce wrap (1-2g net carbs). Load up on free toppings: mushrooms, peppers, grilled onions, jalapenos, pickles, mustard.
Backup option: Bunless hot dog (0g net carbs) — lighter if you don't need a full meal.
In-N-Out
Go-to order: Double-Double Protein Style (7-11g net carbs depending on sauce). "Protein Style" swaps the bun for lettuce. Ask for mustard instead of spread to stay at the lower end.
Backup option: Flying Dutchman (0.5g net carbs) — two patties with melted cheese, nothing else. It's on the secret menu but every location knows it.
Panda Express
Chinese-American fast food is tough because of sugary sauces and batter, but Panda has a couple of options.
Go-to order: Grilled Teriyaki Chicken with Super Greens side (approximately 10g net carbs combined). The grilled preparation avoids the batter that coats most Panda items.
Avoid: Orange Chicken (44g net carbs), Chow Mein (52g), and Fried Rice (62g).
KFC
Go-to order: Kentucky Grilled Chicken Breast with Green Beans (approximately 5g net carbs combined). The breast alone has 0g carbs and 38g of protein.
Backup option: Caesar Side Salad without croutons (2g net carbs) plus a grilled thigh.
Avoid: All Original Recipe and Extra Crispy chicken. The breading on a single breast adds 6-8g of carbs.
Arby's
Go-to order: Roast Turkey Farmhouse Salad (8g net carbs) — roasted turkey, bacon, cheese, tomatoes, and mixed greens. Use ranch dressing, skip the croutons.
Backup option: Any sandwich ordered as a lettuce wrap. Availability varies by location.
Your Keto Fast Food Strategy
The pattern across every chain is the same: skip the bread, skip the batter, skip the sugary sauces. For deeper breakdowns with more detail per chain, check our keto friendly fast food guide. For broader strategies, see our guide on low carb fast food.
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