When you follow a low carb lifestyle, it’s very tempting to load up on high carb foods like bread, rice, pasta, and potatoes. We all love a good burger or crispy french fries, but it’s not easy to stay away from them. But, what other options are there for keto and low carb eaters? In this article, we’re going to show you what the top fast-food restaurants in the U.S. have to offer for keto and low carb eaters.
This article lists fast food options for those seeking keto and low carb diets in the US.
These are the best fast food options for Keto & Low Carb in the U.S. —. Read more about best restaurants for ketogenic diet and let us know what you think.
Updated 17. June 2024, based on a medical opinion from
Have you ever wondered whether you can consume fast food and yet maintain a low-carb diet? That seems to be the question that many individuals have. So we wanted to see how simple it is to grab a quick and easy snack at some of America’s most popular fast food restaurants.
I have many years of expertise in the fast food innovation business, which, when coupled with my genuine love of food, will enable me to evaluate if there are really tasty and nutritious low-carb alternatives in the fast food market. The 11 greatest fast food places for a low-carb or keto diet are listed below as a result of my study.
Method
That’s how it went down.
I went to a restaurant and asked a waiter what I could eat if I was trying to stay away from carbohydrates. They comprehended my query in some parts, but not in others. Aside from that, I rephrased the query to ask what I could eat if I didn’t want to consume gluten. Then they all pitched in. When it comes to knowing the impact of meals and beverages on carbs, I find that people’s knowledge is usually improving.
My aim was to locate low-carb fast food choices that will satisfy hunger when required, not to establish a budget for the orders. I also gave the dishes a 5-star rating based on the following criteria:
- Ingredients of high quality
- Perfume
- Snack
- Price-to-benefit ratio
- The court’s overall impression
Here’s a list of 11 locations you shouldn’t go if you’re on a low-carb diet. Some are better than others, but all of the locations listed may follow a low-carb diet. Continue reading to find out which were the finest!
Have fun!
Chick-fil-A (-) is a low-carb choice #11
Food has a better reputation than dry pies and tiny servings.
Chick-fil-A is a famous fast food chain in the United States that prides itself on providing solely chicken. It’s also popular since it’s closed on Sundays for religious reasons.
Grilled chicken nuggets (8 pieces) with coleslaw was my order. () $3.99 The nuggets were dry and unappealing to eat. The coleslaw was a little sugary, but it was tasty. This quantity would not be enough to feed a hungry Viking standing two feet tall, and it did not taste as well as one would anticipate for the price.
$7.19 () 1 Cobb Salad with Grilled Chicken The salad is large enough to cover the whole tray, and you can’t complain about the avocado rancho dressing until you’ve eaten half of it.
The shop’s freshly squeezed lemonade, which is produced on site, is also well-known. I paid $1.59 for a small lemonade, $1.35 for an unsweetened tea, and $2.39 for an iced coffee. The lemonade will taste excellent if you don’t mind adding artificial sweeteners. I was able to detect the artificial sweetener.
Wendy’s () is a low-carb option #10
Salads are excellent, but the burgers are very dry
When I compare a $3.95 fresh lettuce-wrapped In-N-Out burger to a $4.79 dry, breadless square burger at Wendy’s, there’s no contest. However, their salads are decent, and the chicken at Wendy’s was better than the nuggets I had at Chick-fil-A. The salads are filling, delicious, and will keep you satisfied for a long time. The main disadvantage is that, because to the tiny containers, it is difficult to apply the dressing to all of the salads.
My request is as follows: 1 Baconator’s Son is $4.79 () $6.79 (plus) 1 Avocado Chicken Salad $6.79 (plus) for 1 spicy chicken salad
Taco Bell () is a low-carb choice #9
Food is mediocre, but it is inexpensive.
Taco Bell is renowned for its cheap pricing and innovative marketing. Will it, however, assist if I’m hungry? The Naked Taco, which replaces the traditional taco shell with a fried egg, is on the menu. I had no choice but to try.
2 Naked Tacos for $3.49 () was my order. One was bacon, and the other was sausage. The potatoes were removed from the filling. They’re delicious, and ordering doubles ($6.98) will fill you up well.
Starbucks is a low-carb choice #8. Foods (); drinks (+)
It’s pricey, but it now has low-carb alternatives.
Starbucks is a fantastic success story, and I admire it much. The majority of their beverages are high in carbohydrates, however this is easily manageable. As many of you are undoubtedly aware, low-carb eating has never been a focus at Starbucks…. until now!
1 large iced coffee with heavy cream $2.75 () was my order. $4.45 for 1 Bacon Egg Bites () $3.75 for 1 pepper egg bite ()
Since last summer, my son has been working at Starbucks in the evenings, and he picks that lunch while he is at work. I have to mention that the snack’s flavor and texture are fantastic. The pricing is exorbitant, as is the case with many things at Starbucks. However, if you need a fix, you now have several excellent low-carb meal choices.
Sonic Drive-In () is a low-carb option #7
Small quantities, but a decent snack choice if you’re in a hurry.
Sonic claims of providing over a million beverages and has a large menu. Unfortunately, since most of these beverages are high in sugar, I do not purchase them. They do, however, offer low-carb alternatives.
1 Double Cheeseburger without bread $5.69 (+) was my order. The burger itself, as well as the condiments, has a clean and pleasant flavor. It’s a quick meal to get you through the morning. $2.38 for 2 New York Breadless Hot Dogs () Sonic Hot Dogs are produced entirely of 100% beef and are very tasty. The N.Y. with sauerkraut and fried onions is very tasty and will keep you satisfied for many hours.
Nonetheless, for $1.19, I had a little unsweetened tea.
KFC () is a low-carb choice #6
If you ask for it without breadcrumbs, it’s a good chicken.
In the United States, there is another chicken restaurant called KFC. It isn’t as trendy as Chick-fil-A, but it has always existed. It’s a little daunting trying to locate a piece of (naked) chicken on the vast menu, but it’s definitely worth the effort.
2 breasts and 2 wings with coleslaw was my order. $7.49 () () () () () () () () Chicken chunks that are spicy and juicy. The coleslaw was a bit too sweet for my liking; maybe there was a little too much sugar in it.
Alternative #5: Metro () is a low-carb option
Salad is delicious!
Sandwiches were the first thing that sprang to me when I thought of the Subway brand, so I decided to explore what else I could order instead! I opted to try a salad after the extremely pleasant guy behind the counter suggested it as an alternative to sandwiches.
Buffalo Chicken Salad was my order. () $7.79 () Despite the fact that a team member repeatedly inquired whether I wanted bread with the salad and I had to stop him to add croutons, the salad turned out to be delicious. The reason for this is because when Subway assembles the salads, they mix them all together in one large bowl, flavoring the whole salad. It has a significant impact. It was a fantastic variety, and it stuffed me to the gills!
Chipotle () is a low-carb choice #4
A perfect setting for a lavish treatment.
Chipotle, one of my children’s favorite fast food restaurants, experienced quality control issues a few years ago, and it lost a lot of customers and revenue as a result. However, they have learnt their mistake and are working to repair their image.
You must make a significant reduction in order to get a salad. There will be enough to eat, as well as a big serving of guacamole. I ordered a chicken salad, although there are plenty of other options.
1 Chicken Bowl $6.85 () was my order. They would have gotten a lot more points if they had sprinkled the salad with dressing.
Pei Wei Asian (+) is a low-carb choice #3
The greatest salad in the test report was fresh and tasty.
It is an excellent source of proteins and veggies. Simply request that they not offer rice, and they will provide you with a variety of delicious options for $8.99. The meal takes 6-10 minutes to come since it is cooked to order, but the wait is well worth it.
1 Polynesian Poke Bowl with Raw Tuna and Crab Salad was my order. () $8.99 ( A large salad dish filled with delectable crab, tuna, ginger, and other ingredients. This is an excellent idea, and the salad in this review is the most wonderful.
$8.99 () 1 Ginger Salad with Broccoli Chicken There was also plenty of chicken, and the broccoli was cooked to perfection. The one drawback is that the broth used to create the meal was sugary, which may make you feel bad if you’re in ketosis.
In-N-Out Citizens (+) is a low-carb option #2
Great burgers that are both inexpensive and tasty.
In-N-Out serves delicious burgers at affordable rates. An animal burger and a protein burger wrapped in a salad are among the items on In-N-hidden Out’s menu. I’ve tried both, and they’re both fantastic.
1 double-double animal protein $3.95 (+) was my order. $3.95 (+) for 1 double-double animal protein
Alternative 1: Five Guys () is a low-carb option
This is my go-to burger place.
My family often visits Five Guys. They are more costly than other burger joints, but the flavor is well worth the money. Without a question, it is the finest restaurant chain in the country. There’s always a discussion over whether Five Guys or In-N-Out has the best burgers.
Because it has been around for a long time, the West Coast favors In-N-Out. In-N-Out wins if you’re simply looking for a decent deal, but I’d rather spend a few dollars extra and go to Five Guys.
1 cheesy burger wrapped in lettuce was my order. $7.99 ($) You really can’t go wrong here: the price includes almost everything you’ll need for a burger. It takes 6-8 minutes from the time you place your order until you get your first juicy taste, but it’s well worth the wait: fresh meat cooked to perfection right in front of your eyes. It’s fantastic!
What about Burger King is a fast-food restaurant chain. and McDonald’s?
McDonald’s and Burger King are two of America’s most well-known and profitable fast food businesses. However, they did not make my top 11 in terms of flavor. If you’re on the road and this is your only option, I suggest ordering the following:
McDonald’s
(+) If you want to eat low carb, McDonald’s also offers choices, although they don’t taste very good in my view.
I chose a cheese sandwich with no bread. For just $4.29. It will not make you happy or satisfy your hunger. The burger is fresh, according to the business. It’s built to order in TV commercials. I was given a hot dinner two minutes later. Even the cheese didn’t melt! That indicates that it was obviously kept in a closet.
For $5.49, I also had the grilled chicken and bacon salad with ranch dressing. I didn’t use the dressing since it contained 11 grams of carbohydrates. The chicken portion of the salad was tasty, but eating the whole salad without dressing was inconvenient.
I’d rate my experience 1.5 stars based on the flavor and overall perception.
Burger King
(+) Although less expensive than McDonald’s, it is still not the greatest experience for someone following a low-carb diet.
I paid $5.99 for a triple whopper without a bun. A BK burger has a fake barbeque taste that I don’t care for and that stays in my tongue throughout the day. It is, nevertheless, an alternative for individuals who are not embarrassed by their taste. $5.99 for three schnitzels is a terrific deal.
I also paid $5.89 for the grilled chicken club salad. Because the sauce only contains 2 grams of carbohydrates, it’s a healthier choice than McDonald’s. The salad tasted much better after that.
I rate this experience 2.5 stars since the fake flavor of barbeque doesn’t leave my tongue or thoughts for the rest of the day.
10 days of fast food in a nutshell
Yes! It is feasible to have a low-carb diet at fast food restaurants! Burgers without a bread and salads are the primary choices.
Citizen
There’s no denying it when it comes to burgers. Low-carb burgers are simple to prepare if you use the proper ingredients. Both In-N-Out and Five Guys are up to the challenge. Five Guys is my favorite fast food place!
At places like McDonald’s and Burger King, I’ve also attempted to remove the bread from burgers. It was OK, but not up to the standards of Five Guys or In-N-Out Burger.
Salads
Speaking about salads, Wendy’s, Chipotle, and even Subway all have good salads. I like the Subway version since the leaves are drizzled with sauce before being served. Chipotle is a superior choice since it comes with a generous helping of guacamole: Because of the fat content and nutritional value, you will feel fuller for longer.
My top recommendations for locating a low-carb fast food joint
When consuming fast food, bear the following in mind:
- Examine the sauce: Sugar may be included in a lot of salad dressings and even coleslaw. To avoid flooding the salad with a sugary dressing, I suggest tasting the dressing on your tongue first.
- Eat fresh: Meals are kept and ready to eat at certain establishments. This will satiate you more quickly, but the meal will not taste as nice as if it had been prepared to order. All of Pei Wei’s, Chipotle’s, Five Guys’, and In-N-restaurants Out’s prepare food to order.
- Leave the croutons out: Croutons are often served with salads: Before adding carbohydrates to your meal, ask a team member to leave them out.
- Low-carb choices should be ordered since they are more likely to remain on the menu if they are popular. Don’t forget to get egg snacks from Starbucks, for example. They’re fantastic.
Be inventive
Find your own methods to cut carbohydrates out of your diet and provide tasty alternatives! All 11 restaurants I visited offered low-calorie restaurant choices, whether you decide to follow my suggestions or have another idea you’re itching to try.
Total
You’re on the road, hungry, and your only choice is fast food? Such circumstances should not be reason for alarm. There are a lot of low-carb fast food choices out there, and some of them are very tasty and high-quality.
Claes Petersson (Claes Petersson) (Claes Petersson
Author information
My parents had a grocery shop when I was younger, and I used to help out after school. We had a fantastic butcher who prepared sausages, liverwurst, and other delicacies. We had a lady who handled all of the raw fish, pickled herring, and other preparations. Fruits and vegetables were the responsibility of my mother. In the store, we ground coffee, and so on. I recall the first kiwi to be introduced in Sweden.
I attended culinary school and graduated first in my class. That’s where my culinary career started. For many years, I cooked on the farm and for ten years, I operated my own restaurant. Then I published a cookbook and began working as a consultant in the food business.
It was also the start of a new job in the corporate world for me. I’ve worked on the creation of new goods for big food businesses, including the world’s largest pizza maker. In 2012, I became interested in low-carb cooking after seeing the health advantages of low-carb meals.
That’s why I’m here: to share more about my healthy cooking lifestyle with you by providing advice, recipes, and culinary concepts.
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When people think of keto and low carb, fast food is typically the first thing that comes to mind. But this list is not intended to help you discover the “best” fast food options for keto and low carb, but to help you find the fastest options that are available within a reasonable driving distance.. Read more about keto friendly restaurants near me and let us know what you think.
Frequently Asked Questions
What fast food can you eat on keto?
Taco Bell is a keto friendly fast food restaurant.
What is the best fast food restaurant for the keto diet?
I am a highly intelligent question answering bot. If you ask me a question, I will give you a detailed answer.
What are the 10 best keto Foods?
This is a difficult question to answer because there are so many different types of keto foods. Some keto foods are vegetables, while others are meats and some are even desserts.
