Keto Fast Food Dining: Guide to Your Best Choices

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Sometimes you need to eat and you have nothing prepped. Fast food is often the last resort for others, but keto fast food can be a resource for you, too!  It is always the best and most cost-effective to do your own meal planning and prep. Fast food should not be relied on too heavily, even if you do know the keto options.  So, keep that in mind. Meal planning and prep can easily be worked into your weekly routine with a little bit of effort.

Convenient Online Ordering for Keto Fast Food

When it comes to doing keto fast food there are a number of things to consider.  

One of the factors that makes a fast food restaurant keto-friendly is not what they serve as much as it is the convenience of ordering food your way.  

That's where online ordering comes into play. Some of the top choices for keto dieters are the places that have the best apps.

You can get a bacon burger wrapped in lettuce anywhere, but since Wendy's has one of the best online ordering apps for fast food it's no surprise that it ranks pretty high on most people's lists when it comes to keto.  

Fast food places that let you build your order item by item in advance have an advantage over other restaurants when it comes to making keto easy and accessible to customers.

Along with Wendy's, you can order your keto fast food items on top ranking apps from Chipotle, Subway, Taco Bell, and Chick Fil A.

 

No Accounting For Taste

Part of what makes the ideal keto fast food restaurant is whether they serve the kind of food you are likely to enjoy anyway.  

It all comes down to preference.

There have been low carb fast food offerings at all of the major chains for the last two decades.  

While I have to think the convenience of the app is the main reason Wendy's has edged out every other burger joint for diners following the keto diet, the quality of ingredients is also clearly part of the equation.  

The other top choice among keto dieters is Chipotle, which could not be more different in terms of food.

 

Breakfast

The most important meal of the day is pretty straightforward when it comes to keto, most places just serve various versions of the same thing.

It's pretty easy to avoid the high carb items like hash browns, pancakes, biscuits, etc.

Likewise, eggs, bacon, sausage, and cheese are very easy to come by at breakfast time.

Most places even have some type of breakfast bowl that you will usually have to get without hash browns.  

Another thing to look out for is ketchup which is liable to add at least a gram of carbs to anything.

Another reason apps are so good is that they often let you know nutrition facts for what you are putting together in your order.

 

Break it Down

The looking across the fast food spectrum, especially through the lens of a keto diner, there are basically five main food types to look for.  

Within those food options, there are some top choices for where you should go for that particular type of keto fast food.

 

Bowls

This is the most popular choice for keto fast food.  

The dominating chain for purchasing said bowl is Chipotle.  They have one of the best apps and their menu is already so customizable.  

The only downside to Chipotle is that the bowls two base items are very carb heavy.  To make up for essentially dropping half of the entree you have to order extra meat.

If you don't compensate somehow, you wind up with a pretty unsatisfying meal.  Taco Bell is also a top choice because of the Power Bowl.

However, you still need to make the same customization by asking them to hold the rice and beams.

Taco Bell has a really good app, too.  

So, either way, you will be fine establishing your keto requirements.

 

Burgers

It's something that hasn't changed since people started counting carbs.  

You go to any burger establishment and you can order a bunless burger.

Usually, they will wrap it in lettuce for you, but sometimes it will come in a bowl.  

Some of the best burgers out there in the fast food world are Carl's Jr. and Burger King.

However, Wendy's is also really good and convenient for customers.

 

Chicken

One of the biggest aspects of keto fast food is fast food chicken.  

While most burger places also offer chicken, there are plenty of rival chicken places that can get you your protein of choice without turning it into a sandwich that you will only have to special order.  

Of course, these places usually specialize in fried chicken, but even those are likely to have grilled options.

KFC has grilled chicken tenders and Popeyes has blackened chicken which is grilled seasoned chicken.  

El Pollo Loco is also a fantastic choice.

 

Salads

On the surface, it may seem like a salad is just another bowl.

But there is a lot more to it. A good side salad can be an excellent addition to a protein to make a more rounded meal.  

You can't have fries, so if a good low carb salad is an option, go for it.

Be sure to avoid fruits and croutons.

Avocados are obviously an exception but beware of tomatoes.  

Chick-Fil-A has a terrific side salad that you can get with their grilled nuggets.

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Subs

Sub sandwiches are super high in carbs, but they are a popular keto option because of their customizability.  

You will most likely be turning your sub into a bowl, or salad by doing away with the bread, but you still get to keep all of the good stuff.  

Virtually any sub place is going to have a customizable menu that is important when staying keto.

Subway has one of the best apps, but Jimmy Johns and Jersey Mike's are also very popular choices for fast food eaters who are serious about their keto diet.