Nutritional information note
All net carb figures in this article are sourced from official UK nutritional information published by each chain. Fast food recipes, portion sizes, and ingredients change over time. Always verify the current nutritional information on each chain’s official website or app before ordering. Links to official sources are provided in the References section.
The first time I ordered a bunless burger at McDonald’s I was slightly embarrassed — by the second time it felt completely natural, and by the tenth time I realised every member of staff had heard that request a thousand times before.
Keto fast food options exist at almost every major chain, and eating out on keto is far simpler than most beginners expect. The rule that unlocks 90 percent of the fast food menu is a single modifier: remove the bun, wrap, bread, rice, or pasta. A McDonald’s Quarter Pounder contains 43 grams of carbohydrates with the bun. Without the bun, it contains around 4 to 5 grams. That single change, applied to almost any burger or sandwich at any chain, transforms a meal that would knock you out of ketosis into one that fits comfortably within your daily limit.This guide covers the best keto fast food options at the most common chains, the universal ordering rules that apply to every restaurant, what to avoid across all menus, and the specific orders to ask for at McDonald’s, Subway, KFC, Nando’s, and general restaurant types. Every option includes the approximate net carbs sourced from official UK nutritional information so you can assess how it fits your daily total. For a full picture of your daily carb limit before eating out, the keto macro calculator gives you your personalised target.
The Universal Rules for Ordering Keto Fast Food Anywhere
Before the chain-specific guides, these five rules apply everywhere and will handle the vast majority of situations you face when ordering keto at any restaurant or fast food outlet:
| Rule 1: Always remove the bun, wrap, bread, rice, or pastaA standard burger bun contains 28 to 35 grams of carbohydrates. A tortilla wrap contains 25 to 30 grams. A portion of rice contains 40 to 60 grams. Removing any of these eliminates the vast majority of carbohydrates in a fast food meal and typically reduces net carbs from 40 to 60 grams down to under 10 grams.Rule 2: No ketchup, sweet sauces, or glazed marinadesKetchup contains approximately 4 to 5 grams of sugar per tablespoon. BBQ sauce contains 8 to 12 grams per serving. Teriyaki, honey, sweet chilli, and sweet curry sauces are pure sugar traps. Substitute with mayonnaise (0 to 1 gram), mustard (0 grams), or ask for dressings on the side so you control the amount.Rule 3: Avoid all breaded itemsCrispy chicken, battered fish, breaded nuggets, and any fried item with a coating all contain significant carbohydrates from the breading. Grilled versions of the same protein are always the keto option. Always ask for grilled, not crispy.Rule 4: Check salad dressings and avoid croutonsSalads appear keto-friendly but can contain hidden carbohydrate traps: croutons (15 to 20 grams each serving), sweet dressings, fruit pieces, and sweetcorn. Ask for dressing on the side. Request no croutons. Stick to oil and vinegar, mayonnaise, or ranch-style dressings.Rule 5: Drink water, black coffee, or diet drinks onlyA standard can of cola contains 35 grams of carbohydrates. Orange juice contains 26 grams per glass. Milkshakes contain 60 to 80 grams. Drink water, sparkling water, black coffee, or a diet drink (zero carbs) at every fast food meal on keto. |
Keto McDonald’s Order: Best Options at McDonald’s UK
McDonald’s UK is one of the most keto-friendly fast food chains in the country, primarily because the core menu is built around beef patties and eggs that are genuinely keto-compatible once the bun, ketchup, and starchy sides are removed. McDonald’s UK staff are accustomed to no-bun requests and will typically serve the burger in a box or tray with a knife and fork.
All net carb figures below are sourced from McDonald’s UK official nutritional information. [1]
| Keto order | Net carbs approx. | Modifications |
| Double Quarter Pounder patties, no bun | 4 to 5g | No bun, no ketchup. Keep cheese, pickles, mustard, and onions |
| Single Quarter Pounder, no bun | 3 to 4g | No bun, no ketchup. Ask for extra mayo |
| Double Cheeseburger, no bun | 3 to 4g | No bun, no ketchup. Good budget option |
| Sausage and Egg McMuffin, no muffin | 3 to 4g | Remove the English muffin. Keep the egg, sausage patty, and cheese |
| Bacon and Egg, no muffin | 2 to 3g | Remove the muffin, keep the round egg and bacon |
| Grilled chicken, no bun | 2 to 3g | Grilled only, not crispy. No bun, no ketchup |
| Sausage patties (breakfast) | 2g | Two sausage patties from any breakfast sandwich, ordered separately |
| Black coffee or Americano | 0g | No flavoured syrups or milks |
| Avoid at McDonald’s | Why |
| Any item with the bun (standard order) | 28 to 40g carbs from the bun alone |
| All dipping sauces except mustard and mayo | BBQ, sweet chilli, sweet curry all contain 9 to 14g sugar per pot |
| Ketchup | 5g sugar per 25ml dip pot; applied automatically to most burgers |
| McFlurries, milkshakes, and desserts | 50 to 80g carbs each |
| Fries, wedges, and hash browns | 25 to 40g carbs per serving |
| Fruit bags | 10 to 12g carbs; marketed as healthy but still sugar |
| Flavoured coffees and iced coffees with milk | 10 to 20g carbs depending on size |
Keto Subway Order: How to Order at Subway on Keto
Subway is one of the easiest fast food chains for keto because the entire menu can be customised into a salad bowl by simply saying those words when ordering. Any Subway sandwich ingredient that is already keto-compatible, which is most of the fillings, is served on a bed of lettuce with no bread, no wrap, and no additional charge in most locations.
All net carb figures below are sourced from Subway UK official nutritional information. [2]
| Keto Subway order | Net carbs approx. | How to order |
| Chicken Tikka salad bowl | 6 to 8g | Request as salad, no croutons. Add extra cheese and mayo or light Caesar dressing |
| Tuna salad bowl | 3 to 5g | Tuna, cheese, lettuce, cucumber, spinach, olives, mayo. No sweetcorn |
| Steak salad bowl | 5 to 7g | Steak strips, cheese, spinach, tomato, cucumber, green peppers, olive oil |
| Egg salad bowl (breakfast) | 2 to 4g | Scrambled egg, cheese, spinach, no hash browns |
| Turkey salad bowl | 5 to 7g | Turkey, cheese, spinach, cucumber, green peppers, mustard or mayo |
| Roast chicken salad bowl | 5 to 7g | Plain roasted chicken, cheese, spinach, cucumber, olive oil |
| Key Subway ordering instructionsSay: ‘Can I have [filling] as a salad bowl please, with no croutons?’ The staff will assemble all the sub ingredients you choose into a bowl on a bed of lettuce. Avoid sweetcorn (15g carbs per serving), honey mustard dressing (high sugar), and any sweet or glazed sauce. Ask for extra cheese, olive oil, or a side of mayonnaise to increase fat content. Avoid the tortilla flatbread option as it contains 26 to 30g carbs. |
Keto KFC and Nando’s: Grilled Chicken Is the Anchor
Both KFC and Nando’s are built around chicken, which makes them naturally compatible with keto once the breading, wraps, and starchy sides are removed. The key principle at both chains is grilled over fried, and protein over the starchy accompaniments.
All net carb figures below are sourced from KFC UK and Nando’s UK official nutritional information. [3] [4]
KFC keto options
| Keto order | Net carbs approx. | Notes |
| KFC rice box without the rice (protein only) | 2 to 3g | Ask for the box without the rice. Usually accommodated |
| Coleslaw (side) | 8 to 10g per portion | Confirm no sugar-heavy dressing; KFC coleslaw typically contains moderate sugar |
| Side salad | 3 to 5g | No dressing; ask for mayo on the side |
| A practical note on KFCThe Original Recipe breaded coating contains approximately 12 to 15 grams of carbohydrate per piece. If you are doing strict keto at 20 grams of net carbs per day, one piece of KFC with the coating takes a significant portion of your daily budget. If you are doing lazy keto at 50 grams of net carbs, one or two pieces eaten occasionally are manageable. KFC is one of the more difficult chains for strict keto because there is no genuinely unbreaded chicken option on the standard UK menu. |
Nando’s keto options
Nando’s is arguably the best major chain in the UK for keto, because PERi-PERi chicken is flame-grilled without breading, the marinades are applied in moderate quantities, and the menu includes a range of salad-based sides that are keto-compatible.
| Keto order | Net carbs approx. | Notes |
| Quarter chicken, any spice level | 0 to 2g | Plain grilled, no breading. Any heat level from Lemon and Herb to Extra Hot |
| Half chicken | 0 to 2g | Best value keto option at Nando’s |
| Chicken breast fillet, no pitta | 1 to 2g | Remove the pitta (30g carbs). Ask for it on a plate |
| Macho peas (side) | 6 to 8g per serving | High in protein and fat from the pea and butter preparation |
| Coleslaw (side) | 6 to 8g | Lower sugar than many fast food coleslaws |
| Fino side salad | 3 to 5g | No croutons; use olive oil dressing |
| Garlic bread on the side | AVOID | 26g carbs per piece |
Keto Friendly Restaurant Meals: General Eating Out Guide
Beyond specific chains, these are the ordering strategies that work at virtually any restaurant type:
| Restaurant type | Best keto orders | What to avoid |
| Pub or casual dining | Grilled steak, chicken or fish with salad or green vegetables. Ask for butter or olive oil instead of sauce | Chips, mash, rice, pasta sides. Battered fish. Pies. Sticky glazed meats |
| Indian restaurant | Chicken tikka (dry spice, no sauce), tandoori chicken, lamb tikka, saag paneer. Ask for no naan and no rice. Request extra raita | Naan bread, rice, onion bhajis, samosas, anything with a sweet sauce such as Peshwari dishes |
| Chinese restaurant | Stir-fried meat and vegetables, steamed fish, crispy duck without the pancakes and hoisin, spare ribs (check sauce) | Rice, noodles, sweet and sour dishes, spring rolls, anything battered or with cornstarch-thickened sauces |
| Italian restaurant | Grilled meat or fish, antipasto plate with cured meats and cheese, salads with olive oil dressing | All pasta and pizza. Breaded items. Risotto. Tiramisu and most desserts |
| Mexican restaurant | Fajita filling without the tortilla, burrito bowl without the rice and beans, guacamole, sour cream, grilled meat | Tortillas, rice, beans, corn chips, sweetcorn. Most restaurant salsas are fine in small amounts |
| Sushi restaurant | Sashimi (raw fish with no rice), edamame, miso soup, seaweed salad | All sushi rice. Tempura (battered). Gyoza and dumplings. Teriyaki sauce if sugar-heavy |
| Steak restaurant | Any cut of steak, grilled chicken, grilled salmon, green salads, creamed spinach, green vegetables | Chips, mash, onion rings, bread rolls, most desserts |
Hidden Carb Traps in Fast Food and Restaurants
The most common reason keto stops working for people who believe they are eating correctly is hidden carbohydrates in restaurant and fast food orders. These are the most frequently missed sources. Carb counts for sauces and condiments are sourced from USDA FoodData Central and equivalent UK nutritional databases. [5] [6]
| Hidden carb source | How many carbs | What to do |
| Ketchup and BBQ sauce (auto-applied) | 4 to 12g per serving | Always specify no ketchup and no sauce when ordering |
| Restaurant salad dressings | 5 to 15g per portion | Ask for dressing on the side; use only olive oil and vinegar or a small amount of mayo |
| Croutons on salads | 10 to 15g per serving | Request no croutons on every salad |
| Marinade on grilled meat | 5 to 15g depending on type | Ask for plain grilled or specify no marinade for teriyaki, honey, or BBQ glazes |
| Thickeners in sauces and gravies | 3 to 8g per serving | Ask whether gravy or sauce is thickened with flour or cornflour; often can be omitted |
| Sweetcorn in salads and bowls | 15g per serving | Ask for no sweetcorn; it appears as a standard salad ingredient at many chains |
| Coleslaw (some versions) | 5 to 15g depending on recipe | Check; some coleslaws are sugar-heavy, others are relatively low-carb |
| Refried beans at Mexican restaurants | 18 to 25g per serving | Avoid entirely; very high carbohydrate content |
| Onion chutney and mango chutney | 15 to 20g per tablespoon | Do not use; both are essentially fruit and sugar in condiment form |
For a comprehensive guide to every hidden carb source that commonly catches keto dieters out, including processed and packaged foods, see the hidden carbs in food guide. And for confirming your daily carb limit before you eat out, the net carbs vs total carbs guide clarifies exactly which number on a food label matters.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best fast food to eat on keto?
Bunless burgers, grilled chicken without breading or sweet sauces, eggs at breakfast, and salad bowls without croutons or sweet dressings are the best keto fast food categories. Specific top options: McDonald’s Double Quarter Pounder patties with no bun and no ketchup at approximately 4 to 5 grams net carbs, Nando’s quarter chicken at 0 to 2 grams, a Subway salad bowl at 5 to 8 grams, and a grilled chicken salad at most casual dining restaurants at under 8 grams. Nando’s and any restaurant with plain grilled protein are the most consistently keto-friendly options across the UK.
Can you eat McDonald’s on keto?
Yes. McDonald’s is one of the more keto-friendly major fast food chains because it is built around beef patties, eggs, and grilled chicken that are genuinely low in carbohydrates once the bun, ketchup, and starchy sides are removed. A Double Quarter Pounder without the bun, with no ketchup but with cheese, pickles, and mustard, contains approximately 4 to 5 grams of net carbohydrates according to McDonald’s UK official nutritional information. The McDonald’s app in the UK allows you to customise orders clearly before collection, which makes accurate keto ordering significantly easier than trying to communicate modifications at the counter.
How do you order keto at a restaurant?
The simplest restaurant ordering strategy for keto is to choose any protein-based main course, remove or replace any starchy side (chips, rice, pasta, mash) with a salad or green vegetables, request no sauce or ask for sauce on the side, and specify no sweet marinades or glazes. For restaurants without obviously keto-compatible mains, a salad with grilled protein added, or a steak with a green side, works at virtually every cuisine type. Most restaurant staff are familiar with low-carbohydrate and gluten-free requests and will accommodate modifications without difficulty.
What can you eat at Subway on keto?
Any Subway sandwich can be converted to a keto-friendly meal by ordering it as a salad bowl rather than on bread. Say ‘can I have that as a salad please’ and the staff will assemble all the fillings into a bowl on a bed of lettuce with no bread, no wrap, and no extra charge in most locations. The best keto Subway orders are the tuna salad bowl, the roast chicken salad bowl, and the steak salad bowl, each coming in at under 8 grams of net carbs with modest dressing. Avoid sweetcorn, sweet sauces, and honey mustard dressing.
Can I eat fast food every day on keto and still lose weight?Eating keto-compatible fast food daily is possible while losing weight if carbohydrates stay below your daily limit and total calorie intake remains at or below your maintenance level. The practical risk of daily fast food on keto is not carbohydrate overrun but calorie overrun: bunless burgers with added cheese, two patties, and no sides are not particularly high in calories, but repeated daily fast food eating can lead to calorie accumulation that slows fat loss. Occasional fast food on keto is completely manageable. Daily reliance on fast food as the primary keto eating strategy is less optimal than meal-prepped home cooking, primarily because of the reduced food quality and calorie control. For a practical home cooking alternative, the keto meal prep for beginners guide shows how to prepare a week of keto meals in two hours, which removes the reliance on fast food on busy days.
Keto Fast Food Is Simpler Than You Think
The five universal rules cover 90 percent of eating out on keto: remove the bun or bread, skip the sweet sauces, choose grilled over fried, watch the salad dressings, and drink water or black coffee. Apply those rules consistently and you can eat at virtually any restaurant on any occasion without disrupting ketosis.
The more you eat out on keto, the more automatic these modifications become. Within a few weeks, ordering a bunless burger with no ketchup, asking for a Subway order as a salad, or choosing grilled chicken with a side salad at any restaurant becomes as natural as any other ordering habit. You stop noticing the modifications you are making because they are simply how you order now.
For the full dietary framework that eating out supports, the complete keto diet plan covers every component from home cooking through social eating. And for the days when home cooking is the right choice, the keto food swaps guide covers the low-carb alternatives to every high-carb ingredient so your home meals are as simple as your fast food orders.
References
All nutritional figures cited in this article are sourced from official chain nutritional information or established food composition databases. Nutritional information is subject to change. Always verify current figures on the official website or app of each chain before ordering.
1. McDonald’s UK. McDonald’s UK Nutritional Information. McDonald’s UK official nutrition page, accessed 2026
2. Subway UK. Subway UK Menu and Nutritional Information. Subway UK official menu and nutrition page, accessed 2026
3. KFC UK. KFC UK Nutritional Information. KFC UK official nutrition page, accessed 2026
4. Nando’s UK. Nando’s UK Nutritional Information. Nando’s UK official nutritional information page, accessed 2026
5. USDA. USDA FoodData Central. United States Department of Agriculture FoodData Central database, accessed 2026
6. Public Health England. McCance and Widdowson’s The Composition of Foods Integrated Dataset (CoFID). UK Government / Public Health England, accessed 2026