A keto diet is high fat (70 to 80 percent of calories will come from fat), moderate protein, and very low carb (sticking to 20 to 50 grams of carbs or net carbs per day). Historically, healthcare providers have used the diet to treat children with epilepsy, but more adults are going keto for weight loss. (1) “I consider keto diets to be therapeutic diets, meaning they’re designed to be done short term,” says the Chicago-based functional and integrative nutritionist Olivia Wagner, RDN. On the keto diet, your body enters a state of ketosis, in which you begin burning fat for fuel rather than carbohydrates. This alone means that it’s not for everyone. “Ketosis is a stressful process for the body. While in certain ways it can attack fat, it’s also not natural for the body to always thrive on ketones,” she says, adding that pregnant women should avoid it. (2) Regardless, everyone, and especially beginners on keto, should have medical supervision, says Wagner. Talk to your healthcare team, especially if you’re taking medication or have a preexisting health condition, such as diabetes. (3) For some people, keto can do more harm than good. Last, remember that even on a keto diet, where fat reigns, a fast-food meal is not going to be the healthiest option. Making something at home can be just as quick as going to a drive-through, and you can control the quality of your ingredients. That said, if you’re there, consider this your guide to ordering right. Below, you’ll see that we mention “net carbs.” Many people count net carbs as opposed to total carbs on keto. You get that number by subtracting grams (g) of fiber (which remain undigested) and sugar alcohols from total carbs. This can give you a bit more leeway on carb consumption.
McDonald’s
Order up Egg McMuffin, without the English muffin. Another good option is to ask for a totally customized order like scrambled eggs with cheese, since you know they have all the ingredients, says Megan Poczekaj, RDN, a nutritionist based in Orlando, Florida. 170 calories, 12 g fat, 3 g carbs, 12 g protein (4)
Chick-fil-A
Order up Grilled chicken club, skip the bun. “This one’s easy. It has chicken as your protein, cheese and bacon for fat, and some lettuce and tomato for carbs,” says Kristen Mancinelli, RD, the New York City–based author of The Ketogenic Diet: A Scientifically Proven Approach to Fast, Healthy Weight Loss. (Nutrition info is approximate.) 220 calories, 12 g fat, 1 g carbs, 28 g protein (6)
Panera Bread
Order up Greek salad, advises Wagner. A whole salad contains 11 g of net carbs (it has 5 g of fiber). Using the Greek dressing it comes with will add an additional gram of carbs, though she suggests a DIY dressing: your own olive oil and a few lemon wedges from the water fountain to squirt on top. 400 calories, 35 g fat, 16 g carbs, 8 g protein (7)
Wendy’s
Order up Bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit — minus the biscuit. “You’re basically left with a deconstructed omelet,” says Mancinelli. FYI: Wendy’s offers customizable nutrition info on its app. 130 calories, 10 g fat, 1 g carbs, 16 g protein (8) 250 calories, 15 g fat, 8 g carbs, 21 g protein (9)
Pizza Hut
Order up Naked bone-in wings. “Unlike the other varieties, naked wings won’t be coated in a sugary sauce,” says Poczekaj. The best dipping sauce choices here are the ranch and the blue cheese. (10) Fair warning, they are not the most nutritious, says Poczekaj, who points out that soybean oil is the first ingredient in both, and both contain sugar and corn syrup. The nutrition info is for three wings plus sauce. (11) 300 calories, 28 g fat, 3 g carbs, 10 g protein (12)
Sonic
Order up All-beef regular hot dog. Opt for all-beef choices when you can to avoid fillers, which can contain carbs. (Note: The nutritional information below is just a bun-free estimate, as their information includes the bun.) 237 calories, 21 g fat, 12 g protein (14)
Chipotle
Order up Chipotle’s Lifestyle Bowls are tailored to various diet approaches, including Whole30, paleo, and keto. Its Keto Salad Bowl contains romaine, carnitas, red salsa, cheese, and guacamole. But our experts recommended any salad bowl, with your choice of meat (note that nutrition info will vary depending on the meat; though carnitas are a good higher-fat pick), sour cream for an extra dose of fat, guacamole, and shredded cheese. Skip the salsa to save on carbs. “Portions tend to be quite large for a keto diner, who is usually not that hungry,” says Mancinelli. Eat a modest portion and save the rest for later. (There are 7 g of fiber in this meal, which will bring net carbs down to 6 g.) 540 calories, 51 g fat, 17 g carbs, 30 g protein (16)
Carl’s Jr.
Order up Charbroiled chicken club sandwich minus the bun. You’ll score fat points from the bacon and mayo, say our experts. 407 calories, 27 g fat, 7 g carbs, 34 g protein (18) 330 calories, 25 g fat, 11 g carbs, 18 g protein (19)
Five Guys
Order up Little bacon cheeseburger, no bun. “Ask if they do a lettuce wrap,” says Mancinelli. “Then make a smart use of toppings. It’s a very rich meal, so add pickles and tomato. They’ll brighten up the burger for a small amount of carbs,” she says. Though it’s not considered healthy, mayo will also up the fat content of this pick. 474 calories, 32 g fat, less than 5 g carbs, 26 g protein (20)
Subway
Order up Tuna salad on sliced cucumbers and tomatoes or atop a salad. (Nutrition info reflects tuna on a chopped salad.) “If you have an opportunity to get tuna at a fast-food place and you’re light in fish consumption for that week, it’s a good option,” says Mancinelli. (With 4 g of fiber, this meal has 6 g of net carbs.) 362 calories, 24 g fat, 11 g carbs, 15 g protein (21) Plan, please. When you know you’ll be eating out, especially at a fast-food restaurant, use a food tracking app or look at their nutritional databases online to make a choice that will align with your goals, recommend our experts. Always add avocado when possible. Is avocado on the menu somewhere? Order a side of it and add it to whatever you order, says Mancinelli. Amp up fat, not meat. “One challenge is that people often put a big hunk of meat on their plate and call it keto,” says Mancinelli. Simple math can help you get it right: Reduce a typical portion of protein in half and cover it with a fat-rich sauce. “Always think about how to add fat to your plate rather than focusing on meat,” she says. Eating too much protein can kick you out of ketosis. Set yourself up for success. If you know you’re going out, stock your bag with extras to add healthy fats to the meal, like packets of olives, macadamia nuts, and olive oil, says Wagner. Sounds crazy, but it works. Balance your day. What you eat over the course of a day matters more than a single meal. “Vary your fat. If you ate a high-saturated-fat fast-food lunch, balance it later with sources of unsaturated fats, like avocado, or omega-3s like sardines, salmon, or tuna,” says Mancinelli. Likewise, if you went higher in carbs during lunch because you ate salad, focus on protein and healthy fats at dinner.
