Keto-Friendly Fast Food Options That Won't Ruin Your Diet

Did you know that the keto diet was not originally used for weight loss? According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, the "keto" in keto diet is actually short for "ketogenic" and was designed to help patients with epilepsy. However, since its creation, the diet has also been used to treat other health issues like Type 2 diabetes. And, yes, it's used for weight management (although you should always speak with a health care professional before starting any diet plan).

The secret behind the keto diet is how your body produces energy, as Johns Hopkins explains. Normally, your body's go-to source of energy is glucose. However, the traditional keto diet restricts the amount of carbohydrates you can take in while allowing you to consume larger amounts of fat and moderate amounts of protein. Greatly cutting down on carbs means the body has less glucose to work with, so it changes fat into ketones, which can be used for energy.

Of course, the keto diet becomes simpler if you always cook for yourself. But what about when you're out with friends who all want a fast meal? After all, fast-food items like ketchup and wheat-based products like bread are no-nos on a traditional keto diet (per Healthline). But there are options. The following are suggestions to help you stay on the keto diet at fast-food restaurants. However, menus do change over time, and everyone's dietary needs are different, so you should always double check the ingredients of a particular fast-food selection before ordering.

If it wasn't for a nuclear physicist and a college student, there would be no Subway. As Subway tells it, it all started with Dr. Peter Buck, who wanted to help Fred DeLuca, an enterprising freshman who needed to figure out a way to pay for college. So, the two teamed up and opened the first Subway sandwich shop. Today, that simple idea has expanded to an international chain with more than 40,000 shops. Interesting backstory aside, however, it's understandable that someone might think a place that specializes in submarine sandwiches wouldn't be good for the keto diet.

But as WebMD explains, there are keto-friendly options at Subway especially since this chain is known for customizing orders to meet its customers' wants and needs. For example, there are salads at Subway that are lower in carbs such as its Veggie Delite, Cold Cut Combo, and Rotisserie-Style Chicken ones. And dressings like oil, vinegar, and even Subway's Caesar one (if you only use 14 grams) are good for the keto diet.

While Subway salads can be keto-friendly, let's be honest, not everyone is into salad. Fortunately, Subway also offers protein bowls that (depending on which one you order) can fit a keto lifestyle (via WebMD). In particular, the tuna one is loaded with roughly 47 grams of fat and 26 grams of protein. And you can always add bacon, guacamole, or cheese if you want to add a bit more fat to your protein bowl. Just make sure to check the fat, protein, and carb count on a particular item.

It's unlikely anyone could have foreseen Burger King's future success when it first opened in 1954. Not only is it the second largest fast-food hamburger chain on the planet but it also serves more than 11 million people daily (per Burger King). And, if you're on the keto diet, it's still possible to enjoy one of its famous burgers ... with a few modifications.

As Hip2Keto explains, variations of arguably one of Burger King's best known sandwiches, the Whopper, can be made keto-friendly. The trick is to order items like the Whopper with Cheese, the Double Whopper with Cheese, and the Whopper Jr. without a bun. You also want to skip condiments like sauce and ketchup to avoid extra carbs sneaking into your meal. This approach can also help you tweak other Burger King favorites like the Bacon King Sandwich, the Double Bacon Cheeseburger, and the regular Cheeseburger.

OK, but what if just a burger isn't enough flavor? That's not a problem, according to Hip2Keto, which points out that toppings like lettuce, tomato, and pickles are all fine under the keto diet. And if you really miss that sauce or ketchup, you might want to try mustard or even something a bit adventurous like ranch or buffalo dipping sauce. As for condiments, KetoConnect notes that toppings are available at Burger King restaurants all day long, so you needn't worry about whether you're visiting for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Although it was Dick and Mac McDonald who created the first McDonald's restaurant, it was Ray Kroc who franchised the operation; and it didn't take long for it to take off. According to McDonald's history, it was roughly four years after Kroc met the McDonald brothers that McDonald's sold its 100 millionth burger. And although certain menu items have come and gone (like the grilled chicken), that doesn't mean you can't eat at McDonald's if you're on the keto diet.

Of course, hamburgers themselves can be a good choice for a keto diet, but not if they're on a bun, as Hip2Keto reminds us. However, you can get menu items like a Quarter Pounder with Cheese and a McDouble without the bun, making them instantly keto-friendly. In fact, you can even order a Big Mac, although it will add a couple more grams of carbs to your total for the day. And keep in mind that these and other burgers like McDonald's double cheeseburger, regular cheeseburger, and standard hamburger come with keto appropriate fixings like pickles and (except for the Big Mac) mustard.

Although McDonald's burgers can be customized to fit your keto needs, there is one small difficulty you might run into depending on how you like to eat your bunless burger. Per Hip2Keto, not every McDonald's offers lettuce-wrapped burgers. Yes, you can still get lettuce with your order, but it might be shredded. So, you might need to dig in with a knife and fork.

With a name like Firehouse Subs, you'd assume that this fast-food chain has a link to firefighters — and you'd be right. Its founders, Chris and Robin Sorensen, came from a family that included both police officers and firefighters (per Firehouse Subs). Now, almost three decades after its creation, Firehouse Subs has more than 1,200 locations, all with customizable menu items that can fit a keto lifestyle.

As Hip2Keto explains, the way to make certain meals at Firehouse Subs keto-friendly is specifying "in a bowl" when you order. For example, if you want a Large New York Steamer Sub, simply ask for it with no bread or mayo and served in a bowl. And in case you've never had this Firehouse Subs menu item, it contains corned beef brisket, pastrami, provolone cheese, lettuce, and Italian salad dressing. Plus, if you order it in a bowl, it's served on a bed of lettuce, making it like a hearty salad.

Another option at Firehouse Subs for the keto dieter is the Large Premium Roast Beef sub, but again, with some alterations. Just like with the Large New York Steamer, you want to ask for it in a bowl and to hold the bread and mayo. In addition, Hip2Keto recommends no onions but to keep the provolone cheese, tomato, iceberg lettuce, dill pickle spear, and, of course, the roast beef. And if you really miss the mayo, you can always substitute it for spicy mustard or oil.

Even if you travel internationally, there's a pretty good chance you'll find a Carl's Jr. location. After all, this nearly eight-decades-old business has restaurants in 28 countries (per Carl's Jr.). And in 2020, the fast-food chain expanded its menu to include several keto-friendly options.

To commemorate National Keto Day (January 5), Carl's Jr. in 2020 introduced lettuce-wrap versions of its Jalapeño Thickburger, Guacamole Bacon Thickburger, and Original Thickburger (via QSR Magazine). All three of these meals are made with 100% Angus beef patty, as well as tomatoes, red onions, and fresh iceberg lettuce. Other ingredients (which vary from item to item) include pepper jack cheese, American cheese, Santa Fe sauce, guacamole, pickles, and mustard.

It's important to note that, currently, Carl's Jr. no longer lists these three items as optional lettuce wraps on its website. However, as per Keto Connect, you can still order the Thickburgers, as well as other Carl's Jr. items, as lettuce wraps. Note, however, that they are not referred to as Thickburgers on the Carl Jr.'s website, although the URLs still use the term "Thickburger." And one last word of caution: The Original Thickburger as a lettuce wrap could come with ketchup and mayo, which other sources cited in this article have recommended eliminating from other fast-food restaurants to truly turn an item keto-friendly. So, depending on your carb quota, you might want to make some alterations to your meal.