Eating out on Keto Guide (Sit-Down + Fast Food)
Eating out on Keto doesn’t have to be hard. It’s pretty simple really. In other words, you can go to sit-down restaurants or fast food – YES! you really can!
To clarify, it’s all about modifying what they have. On the other hand, these days you really don’t have to do any modifications since a lot of food places have transitioned to accommodating a low carb diet.
Eating out on Keto Guide
This is a simple guide to eating out on keto at sit-down restaurants.
Moreover, different types of food mean more complications, but it can be done.
In other words, there is pretty much always something you can eat. Even if it means asking the waiter/waitress to modify your meal for you. Ask nicely!
Our eating out on keto guide includes the following:
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- Chinese food
- Indian food
- Thai food
- Mexican food
- Burger Joints
- Italian food
- Breakfast cafes
- Sandwich shops
- Japanese food
- Vietnamese food
- Mediterranean food
- Steakhouse
- Seafood restaurant
- German food
- Fast Food Guide
For more info on any of these types of food, before going out to eat, simply call up the restaurant you plan on visiting and ask them about your options. In addition, you could go online to see if they have a menu.
- Meanwhile, this eating out on keto guide is meant as a simple guide that includes menu items that are generally at these types of restaurants or food places.
Keto-Friendly Chinese Food
NOTES:
- Avoid rice (super high carb)
- Similarly, skip the noodles, of course.
- A lot of the sauces will have sugar most likely, or some kind of cornstarch or thickening agents. In conclusion, be aware of these in. any sauces on the dishes you eat.
GOOD DISH OPTIONS:
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- Egg-drop soup
- Hot and Sour Soup
- Pork spare ribs without any sauce
- Roasted duck
Keto friendly Chinese dish – roasted duck
Keto-Friendly Indian Food
NOTES:
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- avoid Dahl or any lentil dishes.
- No rice.
- Similarly, skip any “breads”: naan, paratha, chapatis, etc.
- Pakoras are made with chickpea flour – skip them.
- No samosas.
- Above all, use your best judgment on what something is made with or includes, or as the waiter/chef to be sure.
- Vegetarian dishes can be heavy in potato or beans/legumes.
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GOOD DISH OPTIONS:
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- Korma has coconut base, so this is a good high fat choice (ask your server what it’s made from to be sure but usually it’s coconut milk and heavy cream). For example, eat it as a thick soup!
- Tandoori chicken
- Saag paneer or any kind of meat (for instance, saag is a spinach based sauce)
- Chicken vindaloo
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Keto friendly Indian dish – tandoori chicken
Keto-Friendly Thai Food
NOTES:
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- NO rice.
- Similarly, because of the high carb content, skip any noodles.
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GOOD DISH OPTIONS:
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- Coconut curries (However, without the side of rice)
- Tom Yum or Tom Kha soups
- Beef/chicken/duck/fish larb
- Stir-fry type dishes (but, be sure to ask if the sauce has been sweetened)
- Some Thai salads (however, ask about the ingredients and dressing)
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Keto friendly Thai Food – green curry with chicken
Keto-Friendly Mexican Food
NOTES:
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- NO tortillas
- Similarly, no rice is allowed.
- Skip the beans
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GOOD DISH OPTIONS:
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- Chicken, Steak or Shrimp Fajita Mix served on a bed of lettuce with sour cream and guacamole (or sliced avocado) – However, no tortillas.
- Chipotle salads or bowls (Keep it simple. For example, a good bowl would be: meat, lettuce, cheese, sour cream, green salsa and guac!)
- Taco salad in general (But, minus the shell)
- Ceviche
- Carne Asada
- Chile Verde
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Keto friendly Mexican food – Shrimp fajitas
Keto-Friendly Burger Joints
NOTES:
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- NO bun
- Ketchup almost always contains added sugars. Therefore, skip it.
- Beware of breaded products
- Instead, have a lettuce wrapped burger. Similarly, you could eat a patty alongside your salad.
- NO fries. However, most places offer salad as an alternative.
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Keto friendly Burger Joint – salad with patty
Keto-Friendly Italian Food
NOTES:
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- NO pasta
- Similarly, skip the bread
- Meanwhile, meatballs or sausage might include fillers such as breadcrumbs which include carbs. However, ask your server to be sure. If they do contain these fillers, skip them.
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GOOD DISH OPTIONS:
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- Antipasto Salad
- Any meat with marsala sauce. For example, veal or chicken.
- Pizza without the crust. For instance, just peel the cheese and toppings off and enjoy yourself.
- Steaks/Lobster
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Keto friendly Italian food – Antipasto salad
Keto-Friendly Breakfast Cafes
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- NO bread products: toast/muffins/biscuits/waffles/pancakes/scones
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GOOD OPTIONS:
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- eggs (for instance: omelets, poached eggs, fried eggs, scrambled eggs), bacon and sausage.
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Keto-Friendly breakfast cafe option – eggs, meat, veggie
Keto-Friendly Sandwich Shop
NOTES:
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- The key is to just have your sandwich as a salad instead. That is to say, most sandwich shops offer their sandwiches as a salad these days.
- Similarly, they also just sell salads, in general.
- However, always ask for an oil & vinegar-based dressing.
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Keto-friendly Sandwich shop – salad with grilled chicken breast and vinaigrette dressing
Keto-Friendly Japanese Food
NOTES:
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- NO rice
- NO noodles
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GOOD DISH OPTIONS:
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- Sashimi
- Teriyaki (However, be aware of sweet sauces – and skip them)
- miso soup
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Keto-Friendly Japanese – Salmon Sashimi
Keto-Friendly Vietnamese Food
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- Pho without the noodles. However, keep in mind, it may still have a little sugar in it, but it might be worth it! Ask for extra sprouts for “noodles”.
- Bo Luc Lac – chopped beef steak. But, don’t forget to substitute salad for the rice.
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Keto-Friendly Vietnamese food – Pho without noodles [source]
Keto-Friendly Mediterranean Food
NOTES:
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- NO pita bread
- Similarly, skip the rice
- Don’t have any hummus.
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GOOD DISH OPTIONS:
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- Kebabs – with a salad (Mayo is probably the lowest carb dressing)
- Greek Salad
- Baba Ganoush (However, remember that you can’t dip pita in it since you shouldn’t have any pita bread).
- Gyro meat with salad (But, NO pita bread)
- Grilled Veggies with salad
- Chicken (grilled) with salad
- Grilled fish with salad
- Lamb (grilled) with salad
- Above all, tahini is a good sauce/dressing
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Keto Friendly Mediterranean food – Kebabs
Keto-Friendly Steakhouse Food
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- Steak (Obviously)
- Ribs (However, without sugary sweet sauces)
- Burger without buns (On the other hand, you could have a lettuce wrap or side salad with patty)
- Salad with an oil-based dressing
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Keto friendly steakhouse option – Steak
Keto-Friendly Seafood Restaurants
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- All seafood is acceptable, but only without any breading/batter.
- Mussels (however, in moderation, as they are quite high in carbs.)
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Keto Friendly Seafood – Grilled Salmon Steak, side avocado, and aioli sauce
Keto-Friendly German Food
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- Steak Tartar
- Sauerkraut with sausages and/or other pork meat
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Keto Friendly German Food – Sauerkraut and Sausages
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FAST FOOD GUIDE
In general, when eating out on Keto at fast food restaurants, follow these tips:
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- Stick to meat, cheese, and vegetables.
- NO buns/tortillas/breads.
- Use fatty dressings, toppings, and sauces (avocado, bacon, mayo, etc).
- Choose condiments carefully. For example, making sure to avoid those with added sugar.
- Remove high-carb add-ons (for instance, watch those that are specifically put on salads – always read labels/ingredients)
- Avoid breaded meats.
- Above all, don’t be afraid to make special requests.
- Most importantly, ask the manager or look online for nutrition facts sheets.
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POPULAR RESTAURANT GUIDE:
Arby’s:
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- Meaty sandwich – without the bread/buns.
- However, read nutrition facts, always.
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Buffalo Wild Wings/Wingstop/Other Wing Places:
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- The key is to be aware of nutritional facts/carb counts on all sauces. After that, order your wings accordingly.
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Chick-fil-A
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- Grilled chicken nuggets are okay.
- Most stuff here is breaded and higher carb – therefore, watch out for those foods.
- Salads here are higher in the carbs, as a result, watch out for that!
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Chipotle:
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- Salad bowl/burrito bowl. For example, you could have it with meat, cheese, sour cream, lettuce, and guacamole.
- In addition, tomatillo salsa has fewest carbs.
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Dairy Queen:
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- Above all, be aware of their nutrition facts on sauces and salads before purchasing/eating anything.
- Burgers or hot dogs without bun or ketchup should be fine.
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Dickey’s BBQ / Famous Dave’s / Other BBQ Places:
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- Beef Brisket (2g net carbs per 1/4 lb.)
- Pulled Pork (2g net carbs per 1/4 lb.)
- Polish Sausage (2g net carbs per 1/4 lb.)
- Spicy Cheddar Sausage (3g net carbs per 1/4 lb.)
- Side Caesar Salad (6g net carbs)
- Above all, always watch for what kind of sauce has been put on your meat. For example, avoid any with sugar added. In conclusion, read nutrition facts or ask employees to confirm.
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El Pollo Loco
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- Firstly, they offer their tacos in a lettuce shell.
- Secondly, be sure to read the nutrition facts of their sauces online or ask an employee.
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Five Guys Burgers:
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- You can build your own burger “bowl” – for example, add any of the toppings you’d like: cheese, bacon, jalapeno, onions, tomato, grilled peppers/mushrooms, mayo, pickles.
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Carl Jr’s:
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- They have a low carb breakfast bowl.
- You can have a burger without bun or ketchup (similarly, try the “Thickburger”).
- Alternatively, you could have the charbroiled chicken club sandwich without the bun.
- Lastly, ask them to put any burger or sandwich wrapped in lettuce without ketchup!
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In-N-Out Burger:
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- Ask for “Protein Style” – in short, they’ll swap the bun for a lettuce wrap.
- In the same vein, the double-double protein style will give you more fat/protein and fewer carbs.
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Jack in the Box:
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- Burger without the bun. Meanwhile, no ketchup.
- 4 piece chicken strips.
- In addition, you could have a chicken salad.
- Most importantly, look up the nutritional facts on sauces to watch out for carbs.
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Jimmy John’s / Jersey Mike’s / Subway / Other Sub Shops
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- Lettuce wrapped sandwiches
- Similarly, you could have sandwiches turned into salad bowls instead.
- Obviously, no bread.
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Kentucky Fried Chicken:
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- Grilled chicken (that is to say if they still have it at your local restaurant)
- Caesar Salad, however, without Croutons (1g net carbs)
- House Salad, but, without Croutons (2g net carbs)
- DRESSING CHOICES:
- Firstly, Heinz Buttermilk Ranch Dressing is your best choice (1g net carb)
- Secondly, Marzettie Light Italian Dressing (2g net carbs)
- Lastly, KFC Creamy Parmesan Caesar Dressing (4g net carbs)
- Most importantly, skip most of the sides – green beans are the lowest carb side.
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McDonald’s / Burger King:
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- Have a burger, but, without a bun or ketchup.
- Enjoy a grilled chicken sandwich. However, no bun.
- A breakfast sandwich. But, skip the bun.
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Panera Bread:
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- Power Breakfast Egg Bowl with Steak (3g net carbs)
- Roasted Turkey Power Breakfast Egg White Bowl (4g net carbs)
- Power Mediterranean Chicken (7g net carbs)
- Roasted Turkey Power Mediterranean Bowl (7g net carbs)
- Power Steak Lettuce Wraps (6g net carbs)
- Most importantly, they are very open with nutritional facts, so just ask or look online.
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Pizza Hut/Dominos/Papa John’s/Papa Murphy’s/Other:
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- No pizza, obviously! However, if you happen to be eating with family/friends, then you can just remove the toppings & cheese from the crust and eat that.
- They usually sell wings – however, be aware of sauces and avoid any breaded wings.
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Red Robin
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- Burger with lettuce wrap.
- However, watch out for burgers with sweet sauces.
- In addition, you can add bacon or cheese if you want.
- The best low carb dressings include:
- Bleu Cheese (1g net carbs per 2 oz.)
- Caesar (2g net carbs per 2 oz.)
- Lemony Oil (2g net carbs per 2 oz.)
- Ranch (2g net carbs per 2 oz.)
- Salsa-Ranch (2g net carbs per 2 oz.).
- To clarify, if you choose chicken lettuce wrap instead – opt for these sauces:
- Buzzard (0g net carbs per serving)
- House-Made Ranch (2g net carbs per serving)
- Roasted Garlic Aioli (3g net carbs per serving).
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Sonic:
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- Ask for a burger. But, skip the bun and ketchup. Meanwhile, opt for sauces like mayo, mustard, ranch or salsa.
- Likewise, you can build-your-own – similar to Five Guys.
- In conclusion, be sure to get great toppings like bacon, cheese, and avocado.
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Taco Bell/Del Taco:
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- Not very keto friendly.
- You will have to be creative. For example, order meat/cheese heavy items, then you’ll just have to discard the tortilla or taco shell later.
- Most importantly, read nutritional facts so you know what you’re getting. Carbs are hidden everywhere.
- Or, skip taco joints, they aren’t super friendly to keto people!
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Wendy’s:
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- Skip the salads at wendy’s – carbs add up quickly with them.
- Instead, have the Baconator (However, no Bun or ketchup – 4g net carbs)
- Or, have the Double Stack (However, no Bun or ketchup – 2g net carbs)
- Or, have the Grilled Chicken Sandwich (However, no Bun or ketchup – 5g net carbs)
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White Castle:
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- Burger sliders or chicken sliders, but, without the buns.
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Hope you enjoyed this epic eating out on keto guide. If you have something to add – add to comments below! Thank you! -
Chik-Fil-A has a GREAT side dish called superfoods (salad) with nuts in a separate bag;
and a chicken salad – instead of on bread, in a bowl. There’s also a Grilled Chicken Broccolini salad.!! I can DEFINITELY stay in Ketogenic at Chick-Fil-A.
Hi Anne, thank you for your input! 😀
Thanks for this in depth list! My dr suggested this diet and i need to lose 2lbs a week with a keto / intermittent fasting diet.
thankfully, this is a lot of what i already eat.
Taco Bell has GREAT Keto offerings for Breakfast. You need to check out the complete menu.
Thank you, I will check those out and add accordingly! 🙂