Restaurant Survival - Fast Food

restaurantsurvival
(Dustin Ewers) #1

If we want keto to be a permanent lifestyle change, we need to learn how to find keto friendly food at restaurants. In the case of Fast Food, you can usually find something good if you follow a few simple rules.

Learn the phrase "no bun, please"
This is the essence of keto fast food eating. Most of the time, at most places, you can just order a bunless burger and you’re good to go. In the US, I’ve found that Hardees is especially good about this. I love their bunless burgers. Most other places will do this too, though you sometimes get humorous results from people who aren’t used to it.

Ditch Onions & Ketchup
Each of these adds a few carbs to your meal. One of my coworkers realized how far down the low carb rabbit hole I was in when I ordered my lettuce wrap with no onions because they added three net.

Avoid weird sauces.
“Special” sauces are often loaded with those despicable carbs. Sugar is a popular addition because it “makes flavors pop”. If you don’t know what it is, order it without. Also realize that most people don’t understand low carb, so asking “does this have carbs” is often fruitless. It’s just easier to say “no thanks”.

Find interactive menus
A few fast food places have interactive menus where you can build your own meal and get an exact carb count with food modifications included. Chipotle and McDonalds both have good ones. It also helps you find weird landmines, like sour cream at Chipotle (5 net carbs) and American Cheese at McDonalds (2 net / slice).

Good fast food joints for low carbers:
Mcdonalds
Hardees
Chipotle / QDoba
Culvers
Jimmy Johns
Five Guys (super accommodating and tasty!)

Richard also posted about this a while ago:

Feel free to share things that you’ve found.

What to eat when going to restaurants or fast food
Keto Away From Home
(Meeping up the Science!) #2

Five Guys actually has some of the best low carb options. They will put your stuff in a bowl or wrap it.

Culver’s is a Midwest low carb staple. You can get green beans instead of fries and their burgers are great.

Hidden carbs are often in: any mayo based salad (tuna, cole slaw, etc) as they add sugar. Skip them unless you know. Avoid any drinks that are special. Flavored unsweet tea often uses sugar based syrups.

Chinese food can be viable, however sauces often are thickened with starches. Get them on the side as chefs add them last. Note that they also toss meat in cornstarch sometimes before frying.

Be aware if you are avoiding gluten and grains that most industrial steak seasoning may have these items. I often have to get steak unseasoned when I’m out because I’m allergic.

#3

Jimmy Johns has a lettuce wrap called the “Unwich.” It’s cool because you don’t have to special order it and everyone knows how to make it. I was scared to special order stuff when I first went keto, so this helped.

(AnnaLeeThal) #4

Our go-to’s for fast food are Jimmy John’s and Freddy’s. Freddy’s actually re-posted an instagram photo that I posted of their lettuce wrapped burger.

I agree that Five Guys is pretty freaking awesome too. There just isn’t one on my typical driving route.

I was wondering about Culver’s, so I’m going to have to check it out next time I feel like a burger!

(Meeping up the Science!) #5

Culver’s is pricier but the food is delicious. No sneaky bacon sugar either.

(8 year Ketogenic Veteran) #6

@Kassie, I seriously love this man.

(george.dowker) #7

When it comes to sauces on food I tend to believe in the “See Food” approach. If you can’t see the food because of the sauce, don’t eat it.

(G. Andrew Duthie) #8

Had an unwich just yesterday. The Ultimate Porker. :smile:

(Dustin Ewers) #9

I like gargantuan s with no onions. Jimmy Johns also has a great menu calculator. We have Milios and Cousins around here, but they aren’t as good as JJs.

(Michael Iafrato ) #10

In and Out Protein Style is awesome.

(jketoscribe) #11

California has a chain called "In 'N Out Burgers. My go to order is a “double, double protein style with no sauces”. Two patties w cheese, tomatoes, in a lettuce wrap. If you ask they will give you a side of dill pickle slices. Delish!

(Jake P) #12

Though I am not in California I do have In-n-Out, I also hit up Hardees/CarlsJr, Five Guys, and Jimmy Johns. I like that CarlsJr/Hardees lets you model your order online so you can see excactly how many carbs you are getting.

While I would rather make my food, I have found when in a pinch the bunless options are fine, and they seem to satisfy the craving to eat out. Oh, KFC grilled chicken is pretty good too, I stick to drumsticks and thighs.

(Guardian of the bacon) #13

Out here in the sticks we are pretty much limited to the 4 standards: McD, BK, Wendy & Taco Hell.

I usually just buy coffee.

(Jake P) #14

Lol, that works too.

(Anne S.) #15

Went to McDonalds and ordered 3 double cheeseburgers “no buns please” and they put them in bowls with lettuce on the bottom of the bowl. Nice!! Thanks Brenda for the idea!!:grinning:

(kassie.ewers) #16

@Brenda, me too!

(Jordie) #17

In Australia, the Nandos tenderloins (4 strips of grilled chicken) is a pretty good choice with 2.6 grams carbs. I find the serving size very filling.

(Amy Miller Bowman) #18

Watch out for Qdoba. Carbs in all of the meat options. Many hidden carbs

(Mark) #19

IN-N-OUT Burger order the Flying Dutchman off the secret menu or Chipotle carnitas salad with double guacamole

#20

Add Wendy’s to the list:

We live in a small town, the local wendy’s have added the self service Kiosks…

Perfect Keto burgers every time, they just follow all the modifications that you select, i.e. no bun add mayo and mustard, extra lettuce, extra patty, served in the plastic salad containers.

It has changed most of our times when we go shopping in town and grabbing a quick meal with the kids isn’t a task any more.