Keto Fast Food Guide

Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List

• What Fast Food Is Keto Friendly?
• Tips For Ordering Keto Fast Food
• Fast Food To Avoid For Keto
• Best Keto Fast Food Breakfast Options
• Keto Lunch Or Dinner At Fast Food Joints
• Keto Friendly Fast Food Restaurants
• Arby’s
• Burger King
• Burgerville
• Carl’s Jr / Hardee’s
• Checker’s / Rally’s
• Chick-Fil-A
• Chipotle
• Culver’s
• Dairy Queen
• Del Taco
• Five Guys
• Freddy’s
• Freshii
• In-N-Out
• Jack In The Box
• Jimmy John’s
• KFC
• McDonald’s
• Panera Bread
• Q’doba
• Shake Shack
• Sonic
• Starbucks
• Steak N Shake
• Subway
• Taco Bell
• Taco John’s
• Wendy’s
• Whataburger
• White Castle
• Zaxby’s
• Low Carb Fast Food Recipes
• Recipe Reviews

You have to admit, fast food and a keto diet don’t exactly go hand in hand. We all know that a homemade keto meal is going to be better for you, but I’m a firm believer in doing the best you can in every circumstance. Sometimes, life just happens. Whether you need keto friendly fast food because you’re on the road, you have a crazy schedule, or you need the best keto fast food options for a different circumstance, that’s what this low carb keto fast food guide is for. If it helps you stay on track, go for it.

Be aware that most likely you won’t find clean keto fast food options. Even if you avoid the obvious carb culprits such as buns or breaded items, many fast food places add not-so-nice ingredients like wheat, sugar, starch, corn syrup, and artificial preservatives even to seemingly safe items, like chicken or beef. If you are trying to follow a strict, clean low carb diet, then keto options for fast food will be tough to come by.

But sometimes that’s okay — you do what you have to do! The key is to be informed and at least you can still stay in ketosis.

What Fast Food Is Keto Friendly?

With reasonable expectations and a low carb fast food guide, you can find suitable fast food for keto. The best keto fast food choices are a lettuce wrapped or bunless sandwich, burger, or bowl; a salad without sugary dressings or breaded toppings; or chicken without breading (such as wings or grilled chicken).

For a general list of what to eat in a keto diet, check out the low carb food list — there’s a printable version you can get there, too.

Tips For Ordering Keto Fast Food

I have 30 of the b est fast food restaurants for keto suggestions below, but first want to share some general tips that often apply no matter where you go. The good news is, you can find cheap keto fast food at almost any place by using these guidelines (or as I like to call it, my keto fast food cheat sheet).

• Order meat (without breading), cheese and vegetables. These are the main staples of keto and you can find them even at fast food joints… even if it means some modifications. Plus, meat, cheese and veggies are almost always safe because you can see what you are getting, unlike sauces that almost always have carbs lurking.
• Check ingredients and nutrition info online. When I’m eating out, the first thing I do is check for nutrition info on the restaurant’s website. This way, I know what keto-friendly options are available and can avoid surprises like unnecessary carbs.
• Skip the bun, even if that option is not on the menu. Some fast food places seem to have no l ow carb fast food meals available, but you can always ask for no bun on any sandwich, or you can try asking for a lettuce wrap.
• Avoid fried foods. Fried means breaded, and breaded means carbs. If an item includes a fried item, such as breaded chicken, ask to replace it with grilled instead.
• Ask for “carb free” extras. The best fast food for keto is often a bit heavy on the meat, or might not quite be enough food if you get a bunless sandwich. So, ask for some of these extras to go along with your meal – they won’t add many carbs and often won’t cost you anything! Lettuce Tomatoes Cucumbers Banana peppers or jalapeños Olives Pickles Spinach Sour cream Oil & vinegar Mayonnaise
• Consider bringing your own condiments. Although a few condiments, such as mayo, are fine to have, many fast food dressings and sauces are filled with sugar. If you have the opportunity to make your own, it will give you more options, such as keto ketchup , sugar-free barbecue sauce , and more. (More on this below!)
• Always check your order before leaving. Even though low carb eating is becoming more popular, it’s fairly common that they can forget to leave off the bun or give you fried chicken instead of grilled. Better to double check!

Fast Food To Avoid For Keto

Some of these are obvious and some not so much, but here is a general list of fast food items to avoid for a low carb diet:

• Anything breaded or fried – Chicken, fish, mozzarella sticks, etc.
• Bread of any kind – Including buns, wraps, toast, croutons, etc. (Order these items without the bread or bun instead.)
• Potatoes – French fries, tater tots, hash browns, chips, etc.
• Most side dishes – Most other fast food sides are high in carbs as well, such as corn, rice, beans, onion rings, etc.
• Desserts – Unfortunately I have yet to find keto sweets at any fast food chain.
• Sweet dressings & sauces – If it’s even slightly sweet, it has sugar added.
• Creamy or thick soups – These are almost always thickened with flour.

Best Keto Fast Food Breakfast Options

Ordering keto breakfast fast food is pretty simple and falls into two main categories:

1. Bunless Breakfast Sandwiches – Simply get a bacon, egg and cheese or sausage, egg and cheese sandwich without the bun, or even a burrito without the wrap. The filling is usually not a ton of food though, so you might want to get two.
2. Breakfast Bowls or Skillets – Many places have breakfast bowls or skillets with meat, eggs, veggies, and usually potatoes. Simply ask for no potatoes!

TIP: If you’re choosing between “bacon, egg and cheese” and “sausage, egg and cheese”, opt for the latter.

You’ll get more meat and more food by choosing sausage, as the bacon portions tend to be very small.

Even though there isn’t a ton of variety in low carb fast food breakfast options (they aren’t going to have keto pancakes or chaffles — maybe someday!), there’s always something you can get.

Keto Lunch Or Dinner At Fast Food Joints

Fast food keto lunch ideas are really the same as what you’d get for dinner. You’ll want to get a bunless burger or wrap, a salad, or a chicken breast without breading.

I’ll go over some gotchas for salads and condiments, as these apply to most places. For bunless burgers, wraps, and other options, it tends to be more restaurant-specific, so check the list of low carb fast food restaurants below.

Keto Fast Food Salad Options

Low carb fast food salads are relatively easy to come by, even if you have to swap the dressing or pick off some ingredients. You can get keto friendly salads with low carb ingredients such as lettuce (or any other greens), tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, onions (in moderation), cheese, bacon, avocado, guacamole , grilled chicken, hard boiled eggs , nuts or seeds (without sugar), etc.

TIP: Be careful because many fast food salads have added carbs.

Salad ingredients to avoid on keto include fried or breaded chicken, beans, corn, croutons, candied nuts, and all fruit except berries. You can either ask them to omit these ingredients or remove them yourself.

Salad dressings are probably the most challenging part. Your safest best for dressing is oil and vinegar. The next best options are fatty dressing such as plain ranch, Caesar, or blue cheese, but even these can have starches added.

My preference for salad dressings for my keto fast food meals? I bring my own! They keep really well so I always have some in my fridge anyway and it’s easy to grab with me even if I’m going out last-minute. Try homemade ranch dressing (my most popular one!), Caesar dressing , zesty Italian dressing , creamy balsamic dressing , green goddess dressing , or sweet sugar-free honey mustard .

Low Carb Condiments For Bunless Sandwiches

Just like dressings, most condiments are filled with sugar. If you order keto fast food options, you don’t want to undo all that with a sweet condiment!

TIP: Mayonnaise and mustard are your main safe bet condiments at fast food chains.

The mayo is still not a “clean” ingredient, but the carb count is safe.

But for the best keto fast food experience, if you have the opportunity to bring along your own sugar-free condiments, I highly recommend it! Try my recipes for sugar-free ketchup , sugar-free BBQ sauce , sugar-free honey mustard (tastes like Chick-Fil-A!), or homemade mayonnaise (or spicy mayo ).

Keto Friendly Fast Food Restaurants

Now, the most important question: what are the best keto fast food options at the most popular fast food chains? I polled my Facebook support group to find out which menus you want me to cover. Here are the best keto options at 30 fast food restaurants, including grams of net carbs in each.

Arby’s

A sandwich shop at heart, Arby’s specializes in roast beef, chicken and other deli style meat sandwiches. Most sandwiches can be ordered “lettuce wrapped” or “bunless”, which arrives in a bowl. Making low carb fast food meals at Arby’s is doable!

Stay Keto At Arby’s With:

• Lettuce Wrapped Reuben – 6g net carbs
• Chopped Side Salad – 3g net carbs
• Roast Turkey Farmhouse Salad ( no dressing ) – 6g net carbs

Things To Avoid:

All chicken entrees are fried chicken (including the salad), beef sandwiches, all sides, and sweets.

Burger King

Burgers, sandwiches, and breakfast can be ordered “bunless” and will be served on a tray. Grilled chicken sandwiches are available, but all other items listed as “chicken” are breaded. Salads are not a good option here unless you modify them, as 2/3 contain breaded chicken and croutons.

Burger King does have a handy “Customize Ingredients” feature that lets you remove ingredients you don’t want (such as bun and ketchup) to see what the total carb count would be. This makes creating keto-friendly options a lot easier.

Stay Keto At Burger King With:

• Bunless Bacon King – 4g net carbs
• Garden Side Salad (the only gluten-free salad on the menu) – 3g net carbs
• Breakfast Sandwiches (no bread) – 1g to 3g net carbs
• Bunless Whopper With Cheese (no ketchup) – 1g net carbs

Things To Avoid:

All sides, buns, tacos, breaded items, and sweets.

Burgerville

At this West Coast chain, all burgers and breakfasts can be ordered “bunless.” There’s also a nice selection of grilled chicken including spicy options. There’s currently only 1 salad and it’s a whopping 20g net carbs so steer clear.

Stay Keto At Burgerville With:

• Bunless No. 6 Burger – 4g net carbs
• Bunless Best Coast Grilled Chicken sandwich (order it grilled ) – 9g net carbs
• Bunless Turkey Burger – 5g net carbs

Things To Avoid:

Most fish and chicken, the vegetarian burger, sides, and sweets.

Carl’s Jr / Hardee’s

These West Coast / East Coast sister locations have similar menus with great fast food keto options. You can order most burgers or breakfast sandwiches with lettuce wrapped or bunless options. Chicken is almost all breaded on the menu, but there is a grilled option on some menu items. The Carl’s Jr and Hardee’s websites also have a “Customize” option where you can view carb counts when removing options you don’t want (like the bun).

Stay Keto At Carl’s Jr / Hardee’s With:

• Bunless Monster Biscuit – 2g net carbs
• Lettuce Wrapped Famous Star – 9g net carbs
• Lettuce Wrapped Charbroiled Chicken Club Sandwich – 3g net carbs

Things To Avoid:

All sides (except the side salad), most chicken products (breaded), taco, burritos, and sweets.

Checker’s / Rally’s

A Mid-West and East Coast staple, Checker’s offers an old school window walk-up and drive-thru dining, including several decent keto fast food options. Burgers here can be ordered lettuce wrapped and hot dogs can be bunless. Bone-in wings are also a great option, if you get Plain, Angry Buffalo, or Garlic Parmesan. The others contain sugars (honey) and wheat.

Stay Keto At Checker’s / Rally’s:

• Bone-in Wings – Plain, Angry Buffalo, or Garlic Parmesan – 3g net carbs
• Lettuce Wrapped Baconzilla – 2g net carbs
• Bunless Hot Dog With Chili or Cheese Sauce – 3g net carbs

Things To Avoid:

All chicken and fish sandwiches, chicken tenders, boneless wings, fries, onion tanglers, and sweets.

Chick-Fil-A

A fast food joint with a cult like following, Chick-Fil-A has very few low carb options. Even so, ordering Chick-Fil-A keto style is possible. Sandwiches can be ordered lettuce wrapped or bunless, and there is a grilled chicken nugget option available.

Stay Keto At Chick-Fil-A With:

• Lettuce Wrapped Grilled Chicken Club Sandwich – 2g net carbs
• Grilled Nuggets (8 ct.) with Buffalo Sauce and Garlic Herb Ranch – 3g net carbs
• Cobb Salad with Grilled Chicken (no corn) – 10g net carbs
• Egg White Grill (no muffin) – 1g net carbs
• Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Biscuit (no biscuit) – 3g net carbs

Things To Avoid:

Breaded chicken items, the spicy southwest salad, the market salad (unless you pick off all the fruit), all sides (excluding the side salad), all sauces (except buffalo and garlic herb ranch) and sweets.

Chipotle

Thanks to Chipotle’s “build your own” philosophy, there are several low carb fast food options here. Their website has a handy ordering guide that give nutrition facts on each menu item, so you can tweak your low carb Chipotle meal to fit your daily macros. There’s also a new lifestyle menu with a few keto items, but the carbs ring in pretty high, so be careful.

On the plus side, Chipotle uses pretty clean ingredients and tries to avoid artificial stuff, which makes it one of the best keto fast food choices in my eyes.

Stay Keto At Chipotle With:

• Burrito Bowl with Chicken, Cheese, Sour Cream, and Green Chili Salsa (no rice or beans) – 7g net carbs
• Salad Bowl with Chicken, Guacamole, Pico de Gallo, Sour Cream, and Cheese (no rice, beans or dressing) – 6g net carbs
• Keto Salad Bowl – 7g net carbs
• Cauliflower Rice – Not all locations have this, but ask for cauliflower rice instead of white or brown rice if they have it! Net carbs will vary depending on what else is in your meal.

Things To Avoid:

Tortillas, sofritas, rice, beans, corn and honey vinaigrette.

Culver’s

This fast food stop has an expansive menu without many keto friendly fast food choices, but you can find a few. Burgers and the grilled chicken sandwich can be ordered lettuce wrapped or bunless. Sides include steamed broccoli and a side salad. Salads are a decent option if you remove the croutons.

Stay Keto At Culver’s With:

• Lettuce Wrapped Wisconsin Swiss Melt – 6g net carbs
• Lettuce Wrapped Grilled Reuben Melt – 9g net carbs
• Cranberry Bacon Bleu Salad with Grilled Chicken (no cranberries) – 3g net carbs
• Steamed Broccoli – 4g net carbs

Things To Avoid:

All fish and chicken (minus the grilled chicken sandwich), all soups, pot roast (in all forms), pork tenderloin sandwich, chopped steak, all sauces (minus blue cheese and ranch), most sides (minus steamed broccoli and side salad), and sweets.

Dairy Queen

Known for its ice cream treats, Dairy Queen has pretty limited fast food for keto. Lettuce wrapped or bunless burgers and sandwiches are the best option here. You can also order a bunless chili cheese hot dog. Dairy Queen has two acceptable salad options.

Stay Keto At Dairy Queen With:

• Bunless Chili Cheese Dog – 4g net carbs
• Rotisserie-style Chicken Bites Salad – 7g net carbs

Things To Avoid:

“Crispy chicken” anything, chicken tenders, all sides, and sweets.

Del Taco

Another Mexican food stop. While it is possible to eat at Del Taco while staying low carb, it is not for the faint of heart. It requires a lot of requests and possibly throwing out some elements on your own (like a hard shell corn tortilla) if they cannot accommodate. The easiest options are the salads – order them without beans or tortilla chips, and you have a decent fast food meal option you can eat on keto. Other favorable items include lettuce wrapped or bunless burgers and Fresca Bowls without beans and rice (request a double portion of meat and vegetables instead).

Stay Keto At Del Taco With:

• Taco Salad With Grilled Chicken ( no tortilla chips ) – 3g net carbs

Things To Avoid:

Soft taco shells, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, all sides, and sweets.

Five Guys

Five Guys is a diner-style burger and hot dog stop where literally everything is customizable, making it a great fast food keto menu. You choose between a regular hamburger, cheeseburger, bacon burger, or hot dog. Burgers can be ordered with one patty or two, but they are thin, so opt for two since you’ll be skipping the bun! From there, all other toppings are customizable, even the amounts.

Ordering Five Guys keto style is really easy – lettuce wrapped or bunless bowl versions are available for both hot dogs and burgers. And (bonus!), they use mostly clean, unprocessed ingredients.

Five Guys also has a free snack available while you wait – boiled peanuts! Peanuts are hotly debated in keto circles as to whether they are keto friendly or not, but chances are that if you’re ordering fast food, a small handful of peanuts is fine, too. Just don’t go overboard.

Stay Keto At Five Guys With:

• Lettuce Wrapped Bacon Cheeseburger (with pickles, mayo, mustard, and grilled mushrooms) – 4g net carbs
• Bunless Bacon Dog (with mustard and onions) – 3g net carbs
• Peanuts (in moderation) – 5g net carbs (1/4 cup)

Things To Avoid:

Grilled cheese, French fries, milkshakes, and BBQ sauce.

Freddy’s

Steak burgers, hot dogs, and frozen custard are this fast food restaurant’s claim to fame. Steak burgers can be ordered lettuce wrapped and hot dogs bunless.

Stay Keto At Freddie’s With:

• Lettuce Wrapped Double Steak Burger, California Style – 7g net carbs
• Bunless Chili Cheese Dog – 4g net carbs
• Bunless Grilled Chicken Sandwich – 9g net carbs

Things To Avoid:

Veggie burger, crispy chicken sandwich, all sides (minus the all beef chili), and sweets.

Freshii

Freshii has a clean food, sustainable company vibe. Their menu is customizable so it can accommodate several different dietary lifestyles. The menu is primarily setup for low-fat, high carb, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t fast food low carb options to be found. Opt to remove the wrap, grains, and corn from most menu items, and you have a decent low carb fast food meal.

Stay Keto At Freshii With:

• Green Eggs & Kale – 10g net carbs
• Fiesta Salad (no beans or corn) – 9g net carbs
• Mediterranean Bowl (no quinoa, extra greens) – 7g net carbs
• Hard Boiled Eggs – 2g net carbs

Things To Avoid:

Soups, smoothies, juices, frozen yogurt, and all snacks (minus the hard boiled eggs).

In-N-Out

Born in the West coast, In-N-Out was California’s first drive-thru hamburger place. They are known for cutting their own fries on premises and their “secret menu” items. Burgers can be ordered lettuce wrapped (they call it “protein style”) or bunless, so it’s easy to find keto friendly fast food here.

Stay Keto At In-N-Out With:

• Protein Style Double Double – 8g net carbs
• Bunless Hamburger – 8g net carbs

Things To Avoid:

Fries and shakes.

Jack In The Box

A nationwide staple, Jack In The Box offers a wide variety of menu items from breakfast to “late night” meals. Ordering Jack In The Box keto friendly fast food is simple: burgers here can be ordered lettuce wrapped or bunless. Salads are also great choice, as they are appropriately sized for a full meal, and all except the side salad contain grilled chicken for protein.

Stay Keto At Jack In The Box With:

• Bunless Double Jack Cheeseburger with a Side Salad – 6g net carbs
• Club Salad with Grilled Chicken (no croutons or dressing) – 8g net carbs
• Ultimate Breakfast Sandwich (no bun) – 5g net carbs

Things To Avoid:

Breaded chicken items, teriyaki bowl, all sides, hashbrowns, pancakes, shakes and desserts.

Jimmy John’s

A classic sub sandwich shop with an awesome keto freindly offering: The Unwich. The Unwich is the in-house term for a lettuce wrapped sub. Their website states that all Unwich sandwiches are 10 carbs or less, making them one of the best keto friendly fast food meals.

Stay Keto At Jimmy John’s With:

• Jimmy Cubano Unwich – 4g net carbs
• Ultimate Porker Unwich – 3g net carbs
• Beach Club Unwich – 6g net carbs

Things To Avoid:

Chips, cookies, and bread on sandwiches.

KFC

You may be thinking Kentucky fried chicken and keto don’t exactly go together, but surprisingly, KFC does actually offer a variety of keto friendly fast food options. The key to staying keto at KFC is all in the portion sizes and getting bunless sandwiches.

Stay Keto At KFC With:

• Original Drumstick – 3g net carbs
• Grilled Chicken – 0g net carbs
• Spicy Crispy Chicken Drumstick – 4g net carbs
• Zinger, no bun – 8g net carbs

Things To Avoid:

Coleslaw, bread, wing sauce, salad dressing

McDonald’s

Probably the most nationally recognized chain, McDonald’s is a staple of American fast food culture. Keto McDonald’s orders are easier than you might think. Burgers and sandwiches can ordered lettuce wrapped or bunless.

Stay Keto At McDonald’s With:

• Bunless Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese – 9g net carbs
• Bunless Big Mac (order with caution – the sauce contains sugar) – 6g net carbs

Things To Avoid:

Pancakes, hash browns, Egg McMuffin, yogurt parfait, oatmeal, fried onion strings, breaded chicken, buns on anything, bakery items, specialty coffee drinks (minus the Americano and premium roast coffee), sides, and sweets.

Panera Bread

This “quick service” style restaurant has taken the world by storm in recent years. Its inviting atmosphere encourages patrons to sit down and relax, not just drive through on the way home. Many of the menu items at Panera Bread can be made without the bread, creating several keto diet fast food options. Ordering keto at Panera mostly means breadless sandwiches or salads.

Stay Keto At Panera Bread With:

• Roasted Turkey & Avocado BLT Sandwich (no bread) – 2g net carbs
• Napa Almond Chicken Salad Sandwich (no bread) – 6g net carbs
• Green Goddess Cobb Salad with Chicken (no pickled onions) – 11g net carbs
• Chipotle chicken, Scrambled Egg & Avocado Sandwich (no bread) – 2g net carbs

Things To Avoid:

Mac and cheese, soups, bowl meals, pasta meals, and bakery items.

Q’doba

This Mexican fast food restaurant has a fully customizable menu, making it easy to find great keto friendly fast food options here. Order tacos without the shell, or from their selection of bowls.

Stay Keto At Q’Doba With:

• Lifestyle Bowl – Smoked Brisket Keto Bowl (brisket, guacamole ,lettuce, pico de gallo, salsa verde, shredded cheese) – 12g net carbs
• Salad with Chicken in a Bowl (no corn or beans) – 8g net carbs

Things To Avoid:

Soups, corn, beans, rice, tortillas, and sweets.

Shake Shack

An East Coast born burger stop that has expanded to serve breakfast, frozen custard, beer and wine, and even specialty dog treats. Burgers and hot dogs can be served bunless here, which is where you will find your keto fast food list for this place.

Stay Keto At Shake Shack With:

• Bunless SmokeShack – 4g net carbs
• Bunless Hot Dog – 4g net carbs

Things To Avoid:

Fries, frozen custard, and lemonades.

Sonic

Known for its quirky commercials and car hop parking, Sonic has quite a cult following. All burgers, sandwiches, burritos, and hot dogs can be ordered bunless, so there are quite a few options to choose from if you want keto friendly fast food.

Stay Keto At Sonic With:

• Bunless Super Sonic Bacon Double Cheeseburger – 5g net carbs
• Ultimate Meat and Cheese Breakfast Burrito (no tortilla) – 3g net carbs
• Bunless Chili Cheese Coney (the chili has no beans, yay!) – 7g net carbs

Things To Avoid:

All sides, Cinnasnacks, French toast, breaded chicken, specialty drinks and desserts.

Starbucks

This Seattle-based coffee shop has taken the world by storm. From fancy Frappuccinos to standard black coffee, Starbucks can do it all.

They have even added some keto friendly fast food snack items to their menu in recent years. Things like egg bites are great (occasional) foods to treat yourself to on your next Starbucks stop. The cold case includes a few great options like meat and cheese plates, string cheese, packets of nuts, hard boiled eggs, and avocado spread.

The drink menu is very customizable to make Starbucks keto friendly, too. Be sure to ask your barista which sugar-free flavored syrups they have on hand (usually vanilla) and go from there.

For a full guide, see more ideas for how to order keto at Starbucks here .

Stay Keto At Starbucks With:

• Bacon Gruyere Sous Vide Egg Bites – 9g net carbs
• String Cheese – 1g net carbs
• Grande Americano (sugar-free vanilla syrup and splash of heavy whipping cream, this one is my go-to! ) – 2g net carbs
• Tall Caffe Misto (no steamed milk, sub with half heavy whipping cream, half water steamed) – 3g net carbs
• Grande Hot Coffee or Iced Coffee (no sweetener, with a shot of heavy whipping cream) – 0g net carbs
• Grande Keto London Fog* (Earl Grey tea, sugar-free vanilla syrup, heavy whipping cream) – 3g net carbs
• Grande Keto Pink Drink* (unsweetened passion tango tea, sugar-free vanilla syrup, heavy whipping cream) – 1g net carbs
• Venti Keto White Drink* (unsweetened peach tea, sugar-free vanilla syrup, heavy whipping cream) – 3g net carbs

*These last 3 are not official Starbucks drinks, so you cannot ask for them by name. You must remember the ingredients and create your own drink each time

Things To Avoid:

The bakery case, yogurt, smoothies, juices, Frappuccinos, flavored syrups (minus sugar-free), anything with dairy milk, almond milk, or coconut milk (theirs has added sugar).

Steak N Shake

Another “quick service” style restaurant with a soda shop feel. The burgers on the menu are steakburgers, so you are getting a nice quality meat for your dollar – one of the best low carb fast food options for burgers. They can be served bunless or lettuce wrapped.

Stay Keto At Steak N Shake With:

• Bunless Bacon ‘N Cheese Double – 3g net carbs

Things To Avoid:

Fries, crispy fried onions, chili mac, and milkshakes.

Subway

A nationwide staple, Subway is a sandwich shop that encourages you to pick your own toppings. This makes building your keto chopped salads pretty easy.

While you can always make Subway keto by getting a salad, typical sandwiches do not make good fast food for keto. Ask your server if they have unchopped lettuce to make a sandwich wrap with, or ask them to turn your footlong into a “no bready” bowl.

Stay Keto At Subway With:

• Chicken & Bacon Ranch Bowl – 8g net carbs
• Steak & Cheese Bowl – 8g net carbs
• Oven Roasted Turkey Bowl – 5g net carbs

Things To Avoid:

Veggie patties, meatballs, BBQ anything.

Taco Bell

A popular and budget friendly Mexican fast food stop. Keto at Taco Bell is a bit mixed because sometimes they’ll let you customize the menu and sometimes not. Some items arrive on site pre-made, so be prepared with a Plan B in the event that what you want can’t be accommodated. Power bowls are a great keto friendly fast food option (remember to request no beans or rice).

Stay Keto At Taco Bell With:

• Power Menu Bowl (extra chicken, no beans, no rice) – 6g net carbs
• Create Your Own Meal by Ordering Each Element as a Side – 1 side beef, 1 side lettuce, 1 side guacamole, 1 side cheese, 1 side sour cream, 1 side pico de gallo. Combine into 1 container. – 7g net carbs

Things To Avoid:

Beans (all kinds), rice, corn, tortillas (wheat and corn), potatoes, all sides and sweets.

Taco John’s

Taco John’s offers a standard fare of tacos, burritos, and nachos. With such a small menu (and plenty of items that include starches like beans and potatoes), you’ll have to get a little creative. Your best bet for keto fast food at Taco John’s would be to order tacos or salads, and simply discard any shells.

Stay Keto At Taco John’s With:

• Taco Salad (discard shell or request no shell) – 7g net carbs
• Junior Breakfast Burrito (discard tortilla) – 5g net carbs
• Side Salad (no dressing) – 2g net carbs

Things To Avoid:

Crunchy items like fried chicken or chips, beans, potatoes, and all desserts.

Wendy’s

This chain offers a variety of burgers, chicken, and salads, so you can easily order keto at Wendy’s.

This chain will also accommodate a wide variety of requests for fast food on keto. Popular low carb Wendy’s customization options include sandwiches as lettuce wraps (or get them in a dish to eat with a fork and knife), or getting sauces on the side.

Stay Keto At Wendy’s With:

• Lettuce Wrapped Baconator (no ketchup) – 5g net carbs
• Lettuce Wrapped Son of Baconator (no ketchup) – 4g net carbs
• Parmesan Caesar Salad (with dressing!) – 7g net carbs

Things To Avoid:

Chili, fries, fried chicken, and most sauces (including cheese sauce).

Whataburger

This iconic burger chain in many southern US states offers custom burgers with huge patties, fries, chicken, and patty melts. Whataburger offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner options, so you can find keto friendly fast food options no matter the time of day.

You can order sandwiches without the bun and get them in a tray to enjoy with a fork and knife, plus tempting sauces and toppings like jalapeño ranch or fire roasted mushrooms for an extra charge.

Stay Keto At Whataburger With:

• Biscuit Sandwich (no biscuit) – 0g net carbs
• Whataburger Patty Melt (request it served in a salad container with no bun) – 2g net carbs
• Grilled Chicken Sandwich (request it served in a salad container with no bun) – 3g net carbs
• Bunless Avocado Bacon Burger – 5g net carbs
• Cobb Salad With Grilled Chicken – 7g net carbs

Things To Avoid:

Fried chicken items, desserts, fries, or the apple cranberry salad.

White Castle

White Castle specializes in sliders you can order by the bagful – and not much else. With such a small menu and fried side dishes, you’ll likely be better off at a different keto friendly fast food chain. If you must eat at White Castle, opt for no buns and no breaded items whatsoever.

Stay Keto At White Castle With:

• Bunless Cheese Slider – 2g net carbs

Things To Avoid:

• Buns, breaded items, desserts, and fried side dishes.

Zaxby’s

If you’re looking for chicken, look for Zaxby’s. This chain offers a plethora of chicken and chicken salads, so you can easily piece together some of the best low carb fast foods. Zaxby’s also shares extensive nutrition info on their website.

Stay Keto At Zaxby’s With:

• 5 Traditional Wings (Plain) with side of Celery and Ranch – 3g net carbs
• 5 Traditional Wings (Tongue Torch) with side of Celery and Ranch – 5g net carbs
• Grilled House Zalad with Ranch, Caesar, or Blue Cheese Dressing (no fried onions or Texas toast) – 8g net carbs

Things To Avoid:

Breaded chicken, fries, “zappetizers,” and most sauces.

Low Carb Fast Food Recipes

Choosing the best keto fast food options can be a bit like walking through a minefield at first, but you can see from the list above that it’s totally doable!

Still, to get truly clean ingredients and better control, make your own low carb fast food meals at home instead. They aren’t quite as quick, but many can be made ahead so that they are fast when you need them.

Here are some top-rated homemade keto fast food ideas to try:

Keto Chicken Nuggets

Crunchy flavor and texture, with much better macros!

Get The Recipe > 2034Keto Fast Food Guide

Juicy Burger Recipe

Put these on keto burger buns in my Easy Keto Cookbook .

Get The Recipe > 353Keto Fast Food Guide

Keto French Fries

Enjoy the delicious taste of fries with just 6g net carbs!

Get The Recipe > 450771Keto Fast Food Guide

Baked Chicken Wings

Make the crispiest chicken wings ever with this easy method. A secret ingredient ensures a crispy skin and juicy inside, plus there are endless seasoning options.

Get The Recipe > 2598049Keto Fast Food Guide

Cauliflower Tots

Soft on the inside, crispy on the outside, and easy to make, these cauliflower tots taste just like real tater tots.

Get The Recipe > 111295Keto Fast Food Guide

Keto Soft Pretzel

Pillowy, soft, and chewy, these low carb pretzels are made with simple ingredients.

Get The Recipe > 368061Keto Fast Food Guide

Fathead Keto Pizza

Crispy, chewy, and ready in 20 minutes! Plus, it includes options for almond flour or coconut flour.

Get The Recipe > 6005Keto Fast Food Guide

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Just like Panera, this soup is rich and creamy! Plus, you only need 5 ingredients.

Get The Recipe > 777Keto Fast Food Guide

Chipotle Copycat Barbacoa

Deliciously succulent and tender, this Barbacoa recipe will make your home cooking feel like a Chipotle-worthy meal.

Get The Recipe > 2549Keto Fast Food Guide

Almond Flour Tortillas

Skip Taco Bell and make keto-friendly burritos, tacos, or enchiladas right at home.

Get The Recipe > 487246Keto Fast Food Guide

Keto Fast Food Guide

Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List

• Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?
• The Basic Keto Meal Formula
• Understanding Macros
• Keto Food Swaps
• Keto Food List
• Electrolyte Basics
• Keto Diet Types
• Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?
• Recipe Reviews

Even though I have a great guide to starting a keto diet , people often ask me for a quick keto cheat sheet they can use. That’s why I created this simple keto diet cheat sheet , so that you can have all the info you need handy. We’ll cover the basic keto formula for building meals, foods to eat and to avoid, delicious keto swaps for high-carb foods, electrolyte basics, and 4 ways to follow the keto lifestyle.

You can keep reading to view this info, or download my keto cheat sheet printable pdf to print out or save ad-free on any device (plus the pdf has more details!).

Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?

Get all this information and MORE in convenient printer-friendly format – 13 cheat sheet pages you can take with you anywhere or keep in your kitchen, plus 4 recipe cookbooks! Includes:

1. Keto food list (230+ foods) – Super detailed & color-coded, with net carb counts, so you’ll know exactly what to eat.
2. Foods to avoid on keto – Detailed and specific list so that you know exactly what to watch out for.
3. Macros cheat sheet – Explains everything you need to know about macros to succeed on keto.
4. Keto food swaps (60+ foods) – Covers virtually every food you love, so you don’t have to miss out!
5. Keto meal formula – With specific food ideas, so it’s easy to mix-and-match.
6. Keto flu guide – Understand what it is and exactly how to avoid it.
7. Electrolyte cheat sheet – With whole food ideas + bonus keto tips.
8. Keto Diet Types – Summary of 4 ways to do keto, so you can choose what fits you best.
9. FOUR (4!) Keto Swaps Recipe EBooks – Dozens of recipes to replace bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, desserts, and other carbs you’d otherwise miss.

Get The Printable Keto Cheat Sheet System + EBooks (Only $37)

The Basic Keto Meal Formula

Eating keto doesn’t have to be complicated! While there are plenty of delicious easy keto recipes to choose from, you don’t even have to cook from a recipe to get started.

Simply follow the keto cheat sheet formula of protein + veggie + fat for your meals.

Be sure to choose a moderate amount of protein, only low carb vegetables (mostly ones that grow above ground), and generous fat to attain an optimal macro ratio. That’s approximately 60-75% of calories from fat, 20-25% protein, and 5-10% from carbohydrates. The table below will give you ideas for what to choose.

Understanding Macros

Macros are macronutrients for short. They include fat, protein, and carbohydrates.

You can calculate your own macros using the macro calculator , but the macro keto cheat sheet below will explain how to look at macros when following a keto lifestyle.

Carbs Are A Limit.

Keeping carbs low is what gets you into ketosis and keeps you there. Ketosis means that you’re using fat as your primary energy source instead of sugar, and requires keeping carbs very low.

A good starting point is 20-25 grams net carbs per day, but you can experiment after a few weeks to see if your body stays in ketosis at higher levels. People who are very active may be able to do more and stay in ketosis, up to around 50 grams per day.

“Carbs are a limit” means that you set a limit for how many carbs to eat per day and don’t exceed it. You don’t have to hit that limit, so if you’re under that’s okay, just don’t go over. Ideally most of your carbs would come from low carb vegetables, and if you’re eating enough veggies, you’ll usually get close to the limit naturally.

A common misconception is that reaching ketosis requires a certain macro ratio, but it’s really only restricting your carb intake that gets you there [ * ]. In the absence of sufficient carbs to use as energy, the body will switch to using fat as fuel. This is called the metabolic state of ketosis.

Protein Is A Goal.

Protein is made up of amino acids, the building blocks of all our cells. It’s a crucial for keeping our muscles strong and for many cellular functions [ * ].

“Protein is a goal” means that you always want to eat enough protein to reach the goal each day, but not exceed it too much. You want enough for your needs, but excess protein can trigger gluconeogenesis, which is protein being converted to sugar [ * ] and can kick you out of ketosis.

Fat Is A Lever.

Fat is the primary macronutrient in a keto lifestyle, because being in ketosis means that fat is your primary fuel source. Fat as a fuel source will come from your food, and if you are losing weight, from your body.

A big advantage of a keto lifestyle is the high fat intake. It keeps you full and satisfied, making it easier to stick to, and using it as the primary fuel source makes it easier on your body to burn body fat, with a lower chance of breaking down your muscle (provided you get enough protein).

Aside from reaching your protein goal and limiting your carbs, the remainder of your calories on a keto diet comes from fat.

Don’t fear fat – it’s your main energy source on keto, and getting enough of it trains your body to use fat for fuel instead of sugar. That means that as long as you are not overdoing your overall calorie intake, you’ll efficiently burn your body fat for fuel as well.

“Fat is a lever” means that you can increase or decrease your fat intake depending on your goals and hunger levels. Increase it (along with exercise) to gain muscle, or decrease it to lose weight.

Keto Food Swaps

One of my favorite challenges is creating recipes, or just discovering, keto food swaps. These are delicious keto replacements for traditionally high-carb or high-sugar foods.

So, I created this keto diet cheat sheet with all the swaps in one place! I also have more keto food swaps in my Easy Keto Cookbook .

Keto Swaps For Breakfast

Keto Swaps For Bread

Keto Swaps For Meals & Side Dishes

Keto Swaps For Snacks & Sauces

Keto Swaps For Cooking & Baking

Keto Swaps For Drinks

If you’re looking specifically for keto alcohol options, browse the full keto alcohol guide .

Keto Food List

When looking for a keto cheat sheet printable, the most-requested information is a keto food list.

The great thing is that keto doesn’t have to feel restrictive. It’s incredibly satisfying and there’s such a wide variety of foods you can eat!

Foods To Eat On Keto

• Leafy greens – Such as spinach, chard, and lettuce.
• Above-ground veggies – Such as peppers, zucchini, and cauliflower.
• Full-fat cream & cheese – Such as heavy cream, sour cream, and full-fat hard cheeses.
• Natural meats – Such as beef, lamb, and pork.
• Berries – Such as raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries.
• Avocados
• Unsweetened nut milks – Such as almond milk and coconut milk.
• Almond flour and coconut flour
• Eggs
• Healthy fats – Such as coconut oil, avocado oil, olive oil and butter.

Foods To Avoid On Keto

• White flour & sugar
• Rice & grains – Such as barley, wheat, and corn.
• Milk & yogurt – Such as fruit on the bottom yogurt, sweetened Greek yogurt, and all milk.
• Cereal
• Processed food – Such as granola bars, candy
• Most fruit – Such as apples, bananas, and grapes
• Hydrogenated fats – Such as vegetable oil, soybean oil, and margarine
• Sweetened beverages & condiments – Such as soda, ketchup, and sweet dressings
• Starchy veggies – Such as peas, carrots, and beets.
• Potatoes – Such as sweet potatoes and white potatoes.

That’s the short keto diet cheat sheet version of all the keto food categories, but I recommend downloading the full Keto Cheat Sheet System. It includes a super detailed printable keto food list with over 100 items, including 2 color-coded pages with net carb counts, along with 6 more pages of keto cheat sheets:

Get The Keto Cheat Sheet System PDF (Only $37)

Electrolyte Basics

Getting enough electrolytes is crucial for anyone, but especially so on a keto diet. The reason is that ketosis has a diuretic effect, which increases excretion of water and electrolytes, especially sodium [ * ]. This is often the cause of the keto flu.

For more details on electrolytes and avoiding keto flu, check out the full keto flu guide here .

The important thing to know about electrolytes is that replenishing them will keep keto flu away and keep your body functioning well. I always recommend an electrolyte drink and whole food sources of anything your body needs before resorting to supplements, so I made a list of what to eat to get each of the 3 major electrolytes – sodium, magnesium and potassium.

Here’s your keto diet cheat sheet for getting electrolytes from food:

Keto Diet Types

People follow a keto lifestyle for different reasons. Some do it just to lose weight, others are after better overall health, increased energy, and reduced inflammation.

Strictly speaking, the defining factor of a keto diet is the metabolic state of ketosis, which is achieved by restricting carbs. However, many people (myself included) also reduce or eliminate processed, inflammatory, or low-nutrient foods.

Below is your keto cheat sheet summary of the different ways that people follow keto. You choose what works best for your goals and lifestyle!

• Strict Keto – Up to 20-30g net carbs daily, count all calories and macros, and eat clean, unprocessed foods.
• Lazy Keto – Up to 20-30g net carbs daily, and track only net carbs OR eat keto foods without tracking.
• Dirty Keto – Up to 20-30g net carbs daily, with “if it fits your macros” approach including processed foods.
• Low Carb – Up to 50-100g net carbs daily, less strict.

For a more detailed listing of these different types of keto with pros and cons, grab the Easy Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF below!

Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?

Get all this information and MORE in convenient printer-friendly format – 13 cheat sheet pages you can take with you anywhere or keep in your kitchen, plus 4 recipe cookbooks! Includes:

1. Keto food list (230+ foods) – Super detailed & color-coded, with net carb counts, so you’ll know exactly what to eat.
2. Foods to avoid on keto – Detailed and specific list so that you know exactly what to watch out for.
3. Macros cheat sheet – Explains everything you need to know about macros to succeed on keto.
4. Keto food swaps (60+ swaps) – Covers virtually every food you love, so you don’t have to miss out!
5. Keto meal formula – With specific food ideas, so it’s easy to mix-and-match.
6. Keto flu guide – Understand what it is and exactly how to avoid it.
7. Electrolyte cheat sheet – With whole food ideas + bonus keto tips.
8. Keto Diet Types – Summary of 4 ways to do keto, so you can choose what fits you best.
9. FOUR (4!) Keto Swaps Recipe EBooks – Dozens of recipes to replace bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, desserts, and other carbs you’d otherwise miss.

Get The Printable Keto Cheat Sheet System (75 pages, Only $37!)