The average fast food meal delivers 1,200-1,500mg of sodium in a single sitting. That is more than half the daily recommended limit of 2,300mg — and dangerously close to the full day's worth for anyone managing high blood pressure, heart disease, or kidney issues. But skipping fast food entirely is not always realistic. Road trips, tight schedules, and limited options mean you sometimes need to make the best choice from what is available. Low sodium fast food options do exist, and a few simple modifications can shave hundreds of milligrams off any order.
Here are the least salty picks at major chains, plus universal modifications that work everywhere.
Best Low Sodium Fast Food Options by Chain
Chipotle
Chipotle is one of the best chains for sodium control because you build your own meal. The key is being strategic about what goes in the bowl:
- Chicken bowl with rice, fajita veggies, and lettuce — roughly 600-700mg sodium. The chicken itself is about 310mg per serving.
- Skip the salsa — tomato salsa adds about 500mg, corn salsa adds about 210mg, and tomatillo red salsa adds about 500mg.
- Skip the cheese — saves about 200mg per serving.
- Guacamole is your friend — only about 185mg of sodium and adds healthy fat.
A bare-bones bowl of chicken, rice, fajita veggies, guacamole, and lettuce comes in around 600mg total. Load up on the same bowl with cheese, sour cream, and two salsas and you are looking at 1,500mg+.
Chick-fil-A
The fried vs. grilled divide matters enormously here:
- Grilled Nuggets (8-count) — about 440mg sodium. Compare that to the Fried Chicken Sandwich at roughly 1,400mg.
- Grilled Chicken Sandwich — about 820mg. Still moderate, but manageable if the rest of your day is low-sodium.
- Side salad (no dressing) — about 110mg. Use the Light Italian dressing (~390mg) instead of Creamy Salsa (~390mg) or Avocado Lime Ranch (~530mg).
- Fruit cup — about 0mg sodium. One of the cleanest sides at any fast food chain.
Avoid the Spicy Deluxe Sandwich (~1,750mg) and the Cobb Salad with dressing (~1,860mg) — both are sodium bombs disguised as reasonable options.
Subway
Subway allows heavy customization, which helps:
- Veggie Delite 6-inch sub — about 280mg sodium for the sandwich base. The bread itself contributes 300-400mg depending on the variety.
- Choose 9-grain wheat or flatbread — lower sodium bread options.
- Go easy on condiments — mustard adds about 115mg per serving, while ranch adds about 220mg. Oil and vinegar is one of the lowest-sodium choices.
- Load up on vegetables — lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, and onions add virtually zero sodium.
Where Subway gets dangerous is the processed meats. A 6-inch cold cut combo hits about 1,060mg, and adding pickles and olives pushes it higher.
Wendy's
- Jr. Hamburger — about 470mg sodium. One of the lowest-sodium burgers at any chain.
- Plain baked potato — about 40mg. Add sour cream (+15mg) instead of cheese sauce (+320mg).
- Apple slices — 0mg sodium.
- Grilled chicken wrap (ask for no sauce) — roughly 560mg without the sauce. The ranch or honey mustard adds 200-300mg.
Avoid the Baconator (~1,900mg) and the Pretzel Bacon Pub Cheeseburger (~1,700mg).
Universal Sodium-Reducing Modifications
These work at almost any fast food restaurant:
- Skip the cheese — saves 200-350mg per order at most chains. Cheese is one of the highest-sodium additions on any burger or sandwich.
- No pickles — pickles add 100-200mg and are easy to drop without changing the flavor profile much.
- Sauce on the side or no sauce — ketchup, mayo, BBQ sauce, and special sauces add 100-300mg per serving. Ask for them on the side and use sparingly.
- Ask for no added salt on fries — fresh-cooked fries without the salt application can save 100-200mg. Most chains will make a fresh batch if you ask.
- Choose grilled over fried — breading and frying processes add sodium through seasonings and batter. Grilled options are almost always lower.
- Drink water — a large soft drink adds 30-70mg of sodium (mostly from sodium benzoate and other additives), while diet sodas can add even more.
Sodium Bombs to Avoid
These items at popular chains are among the worst offenders:
- Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup (bowl) — about 1,800mg
- McDonald's Big Mac — about 1,010mg
- Taco Bell Nachos BellGrande — about 1,060mg
- Burger King Whopper with Cheese — about 1,410mg
- Popeyes Chicken Sandwich — about 1,443mg
- Panda Express Orange Chicken with Fried Rice — about 1,700mg combined
These single items consume most of your daily sodium budget before you add a side or drink.
For more ideas on reducing sodium in your home-cooked meals, check out our guide to low sodium meal ideas. And for broader restaurant strategies beyond fast food, our guide to healthy eating out options covers sit-down restaurants too.
Skip the Sodium Spreadsheet
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