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Keto at McDonald’s – What to Order and What to Avoid

Have you been wondering, “Is McDonald’s keto friendly?” The answer is YES! Find out exactly what to order from the golden arches with this comprehensive Ultimate Keto McDonald’s Guide.

keto mcdonald's foods crossed out

McDonald’s – iconic home of fast food… and lots of carbs. (Hello carb-loaded burger buns, fries, and ketchup!)

Keto at McDonald’s

But a burger joint has to have some keto diet-friendly food choices, right? Of course! McDonald’s is actually a pretty good place to hit up if you want some quick keto fast food. Thanks to their meat-heavy menu, you can customize quite a few of their menu options to get a meal that is low in net carbs.

In fact, if you follow a few guidelines I’m going to show you, you can get some amazing keto McDonald’s meals! There are so many choices that you could practically eat at McDonald’s daily and never get bored.

A lot of people may try to lecture you about eating fast food as though it is always a bad thing. Utilizing this guide will teach you that you can turn it into a positive. In the morning, sometimes you don’t have time to make your favorite Keto Coffee and Keto Breakfast. Or, you are in a huge hurry and need a quick Keto Lunch, or Keto Dinner. So remain calm and follow these guidelines. Consequently, sticking to your new eating habits will become very manageable and easy to remember.

Ready? Let’s get started!

Please BOOKMARK this post right now because I am going to update and improve it as much as possible. I want it to be so comprehensive that you wouldn’t think of going anywhere else!


How I Sourced Nutrition Info for The Ultimate Keto McDonald’s Guide

Note that this info was correct to the best of my ability at the time of publishing this post. I sourced my information from the McDonald’s Nutrition Calculator, but I am only human (darn!), so if you see an error, please let me know by commenting on this post and I’ll correct it. Thank you!

Foods to Order at McDonald’s if You’re on the Keto Diet

What Can I Eat at McDonald’s on Keto?

Good news: you can eat keto at McDonald’s for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! A few important notes:

  • Modifications are listed in parentheses, and they MUST be followed to make the food keto-friendly.
  • The main modifications you’ll always want to follow are to remove the bun/muffin/biscuit and to remove any sauces, including ketchup.
  • If no fat grams are listed, that means the ingredient does not contain fat.
  • Not every option listed below will be available at every McDonald’s.

Keto McDonald’s Breakfast Options

Want keto McDonald’s breakfast options? You’re in luck… there are quite a few!

Big Breakfast Options

The standard “Big Breakfast” at McDonald’s comes with hash browns, a biscuit, scrambled eggs, and a sausage patty. However, McDonald’s will let you customize the meal — sometimes at an extra cost and sometimes for the same price (this is dependent upon location/franchisee).

  • Scrambled Eggs – 1g Net Carbs; 8g Fat; 13g Protein
  • Sausage Patty – 1g Net Carbs; 18g Fat, 7g Protein

The items below are from other breakfast menu options, but some locations may let you substitute them into the Big Breakfast, or even order them separately. (Just ask!)

  • Steak Patty – 0g Net Carbs; 10g Fat; 12g Protein
  • Bacon – 1g Net Carbs; 4.5 Fat; 5g Protein
  • Folded Egg – 2g Net Carbs; 4g Fat; 6g Protein
  • Cheese – 1g Net Carbs; 4g Fat; 3g Protein

Drink Options

  • McCafe Coffee – 1g Net Carbs

Breakfast Sandwich Options

  • Steak, Egg and Cheese Biscuit (no biscuit) – 4g Net Carbs; 19g Fat; 29g Protein
  • Bacon, Egg and Cheese Biscuit (no biscuit) – 4g Net Carbs; 13g Fat; 14g Protein
  • Sausage, Egg and Cheese McGriddle (no griddle cake) – 4g Net Carbs; 26g Fat; 15g Protein
  • Egg McMuffin (no muffin) – 3g Net Carbs; 11g Fat; 12g Protein

Here is an Egg McMuffin without the muffin. (It’s also what my guy is holding in the photo a little further down in the post.) It is SO GOOD!

overhead view of keto mcdonald's egg mucmuffin on a yellow mcdonald's wrapper

Keto McDonald’s Lunch Options & Dinner Options

Want keto McDonald’s lunch and dinner options? There are a few clear winners!

Keto Chicken Options

  • Artisan Grilled Chicken Sandwich (no bun, no sauce) – 1g Net Carbs; 2g Fat; 29g Protein
  • Pico Guacamole with Artisan Grilled Chicken Sandwich (no bun) – 6g Net Carbs; 19g Fat; 29g Protein

Keto Burger Options

  • Big Mac (no bun, no ketchup) – 5g Net Carbs; 25g Fat; 18g Protein (if you remove the Big Mac Sauce, you can reduce it to 4g Net Carbs)
  • Quarter Pounder with Cheese (no bun, no ketchup) – 3g Net Carbs, 25g Fat; 25g Protein
  • Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese (no bun, no ketchup) – 5g Net Carbs; 43g Fat; 45g Protein
  • Cheeseburger (no bun, no ketchup) – 3g Net Carbs; 10g Fat; 10g Protein
  • Double Cheeseburger (no bun, no ketchup) – 3g Net Carbs; 20g Fat; 20g Protein
  • Bacon McDouble (no bun, no ketchup) – 4g Net Carbs; 21g Fat; 23g Protein
  • Triple Cheeseburger (no bun, no ketchup) – 4g Net Carbs; 26g Fat; 27g Protein
  • Pico Guacamole Burger (no bun) – 7g Net Carbs; 31g Fat; 29g Protein

Keto Salad Options

  • Bacon Ranch Chicken Salad (no dressing) – 6g Net Carbs; 14g Fat; 42g

hand holding keto mcdonald's egg mcmuffin without a bun

Keto McDonalds Fat Bomb Meal

When you are on the keto diet, you will most certainly become familiar with what is known as a keto fat bombs. Fat bombs are low in carbs, can be sweet or savory, and deliver a “bomb” of fat.  The great news about eating keto at McDonald’s is that they have some solid options if you want to treat yourself to a keto fat bomb meal.

Here are two easy McDonald’s keto fat bomb options:

  • Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese (no bun, no ketchup) – 5g Net Carbs; 43g Fat; 45g Protein
  • Pico Guacamole Burger (no bun) – 7g Net Carbs; 31g Fat; 29g Protein

Here is a Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese without the bun and ketchup. I like to leave on the pickles, onion, and mustard because they (according to the McDonald’s nutrition guide) don’t increase the carb count. Is there a tiny increase (maybe less than 0.5g?) that their calculator doesn’t show? Possibly, so leave them off if you are concerned… but they add a great flavor to the burgers and cheese!

closeup of keto mcdonald's box containing bunless burger

YUM!

Foods to Avoid at McDonald’s if You’re on the Keto Diet

Worst Low Carb McDonalds Food Choices

Unfortunately, there are plenty of foods at McDonald’s that just won’t work for the keto diet. While there are many more foods than listed below that are not keto friendly, for your convenience, here are just some of the foods you want to AVOID at McDonald’s if you are on the keto diet (due to their high carb count):

Breakfast Avoid

  • Hashbrowns – 15g Net Carbs
  • Biscuit – 24g Net Carbs
  • Hotcakes – 56g Net Carbs
  • Maple Syrup – 46g Net Carbs

Lunch/Dinner Avoid

  • Fries – 26g Net Carbs
  • Burger Bun – 27g Net Carbs
  • Chicken Filet – 18g Net Carbs
  • Large Softdrink – 77g Net Carbs

Dessert Avoid

  • McCafe Vanilla Shake – 79g Net Carbs
  • Baked Apple Pie – 31g Net Carbs
  • Hot Fudge Sundae – 50g Net Carbs

Isn’t it amazing to look at those numbers? Foods that you may have ordered at McDonald’s previously without a second thought (like a vanilla shake) contain more net carbs than you’d now eat over several days!

More Keto McDonalds Q&A

How often can I eat McDonald’s on the keto diet?

While eating fast food on the daily probably isn’t the best choice, there is no shame in picking up keto food at McDonald’s occasionally. When you’re traveling or on-the-go, eating a keto meal at McDonald’s can be an easy way to stick to your macros without having to pack a bunch of food in the car. Life is so busy for all of us, and a diet shouldn’t be so restrictive that we can’t eat out ever!

What has the least carbs at McDonald’s?

Here are some of the McDonald’s foods with the least amount of carbs:

Breakfast choices

  • Egg McMuffin (no muffin) – 3g Net Carbs; 11g Fat; 12g Protein
  • Scrambled Eggs – 1g Net Carbs; 8g Fat; 13g Protein
  • Sausage Patty – 1g Net Carbs; 18g Fat, 7g Protein
  • Steak Patty – 0g Net Carbs; 10g Fat; 12g Protein
  • Bacon – 1g Net Carbs; 4.5 Fat; 5g Protein
  • Folded Egg – 2g Net Carbs; 4g Fat; 6g Protein
  • Cheese – 1g Net Carbs; 4g Fat; 3g Protein

(See my notes above under “Keto McDonald’s Breakfast Options” about ordering all of the items except for the Egg McMuffin.)

Lunch/dinner choices

  • Artisan Grilled Chicken Sandwich (no bun, no sauce) – 1g Net Carbs; 2g Fat; 29g Protein
  • Egg McMuffin (no muffin) – 3g Net Carbs; 11g Fat; 12g Protein (this is a breakfast option, but it’s one that McDonald’s serves all day — yay!)

low carb at mcdonald's box with egg mcmuffin and quarter pounder with cheese inside

(Yep, the keto Egg McMuffin didn’t survive the photoshoot… I had to take a bite!)

Is Diet Coke OK on keto?

Some people have reported that the artificial sweeteners in diet drinks have kicked them out of ketosis, but plenty of other people say they have reported no issues. I personally steer clear of diet drinks (and artificial sweeteners), but the final choice lies with you. However, if you want to treat yourself to a diet drink, don’t buy a massive one! Get a small and savor it.

Where can I get McDonald’s nutrition facts?

To check McDonald’s nutrition facts, you can visit their Nutrition Calculator.

Favorite Keto at McDonald’s Orders from Readers

One of my awesome readers said she likes to order “a double cheeseburger, no bun wrapped in lettuce, ice tea and a large unsweetened.” Yum!

Want to submit your order? See the next section…

Help Me Make this the BEST Keto McDonald’s Guide!

I’ve given you plenty of info, but I want to know about your experiences with sticking to the ketogenic diet while eating at McDonald’s.

Please leave a comment on this post and tell me:

  • What you’ve ordered
  • Your favorite keto menu items at McDonald’s
  • Your least favorite keto menu items at McDonald’s
  • Any corrections or other info you might have

If you want to submit your meal photos too, that would be amazing! You can just click here and fill out the form. Thank you!

More Keto Fast Food

I’ve got more Keto Fast Food guides! 🙂

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35 Comments

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  • In my area, McDonalds offers a breakfast bowl that is pretty good…one is turkey sausage, sautéed spinach, Parmesan cheese, egg whites and Parmesan. The other has salsa, which would be the only carb question. We are in California, but these are a great filling option that I hope they will expand!!!!!

  • You are amazing and make my keto journey so much more interesting and easier to live with!!! I made the Keto Butter Bugers today …. omgoodness!! I used pepper jack cheese sticks. Made small cubes in a jiffy. Thank you for all your help & support!

    • Bonnie, you are so sweet!! 🙂 Thank you so much for your kind comments. I’m thrilled to hear you liked the Butter Burgers. Using pepper jack cheese sticks is such a great idea!

  • My new keto fat bomb choice includes the 2 for $4.50 sausage egg and cheese McMuffins without the muffins. They serve the 2 on a breakfast platter with sausage on the bottom, then cheese and topped off with the circular egg. Perfectly filling and low carb!

  • I love McDonalds for a quick keto meal I just order scrambled eggs with cheese and a sausage patty for breakfast if I’m out running around and need lunch or even dinner I order 2 sausage egg and cheese biscuits with no biscuit as they serve these all day!! It’s good, quick, cheap , there is always a McDonalds nearby and I’m still losing!!!

  • This is the greatest thing I’ve ever read! I literally went to Mcdonalds yesterday because I was too lazy to cook. I wish I would’ve came across this article sooner!

  • I ordered a breakfast burrito without the tortilla. I had to get a manager’s approval to get it. The manatee on duty said that he would do it for me but the managers would not.

    • Thanks for letting us know, Ann! I’ve definitely noticed a big difference across stores. I guess the key is to find the best store with the best managers!

    • The reason they denied making it is because the burritos are pre made. They are done at around 6:30am. So it’s a pain to take out all the ingredients to remake some later, hence why they don’t typically do it.

  • I too love McDonald’s. When it comes to eating breakfast, I can’t eat eggs. What can I have besides meat and cheese? When it comes right down to Keto or low carb, you really don’t have much to work with, especially if you’re allergic to certain foods or just don’t have a taste for foods like mushrooms and tofu.

  • Yo today I got the Double Quarter Pounder BLT and no ketchup, AMAZING.

    Last week after reading this post I went and ordered 2x sausage mcgriddles minus the mcgriddles and I heard them laughing in the back “This mcgriddle says no mcgriddle” It was awesome.

    But thank you for opening up the Pandoras box of McDonalds for me.
    I’ve been ketoing for a year now and only had mcdonalds once in this time and it was on a cheat day.

    • Hi Stephen – I’m so glad you found the post helpful! There are so many keto-friendly choices at McDonald’s. The comments from the employees made me laugh — I guess it is ridiculous when you think about it, but whatever it takes to stay keto, right? 😉

  • Thanks for this post. It was very useful I am not a regular at McDonald’s but it’s good to know if I ever need a meal while travelling. Any chance you could do a Starbucks one soon?

  • I order 2 Quarterpounders, patties only and 2 orders of bacon (4 PC’s) and a large Unsweetened Ice Tea

    $6.69 in Dallas

    They do have what I ordered on their computer….so order patties only

  • Is the whipped butter that you get at McDonalds OK? I’ve curious for its use in coffee? I do MCT and/or Irish Butter (non salted) and would love an option at McDonalds, besides having to carry it with me.

  • If I eat little to no other carby thing in a day I will absolutely get a McD hash brown and a sausage and egg McMuffin, take off the muffin, break the hash brown in half and use that as the bread for my sandwich. I just really like the taste of them. It is a delicious treat and with only 16 carbs I can have it, with some ketchup, even. Then whats for dinner? Steak with mushrooms, butter, and broccoli, or something else pretty damn close to zero net carbs.

    Perfectly keto.

  • Fun fact.. I eat omad, and have been eating 2 quarter pounder blt’s EVERY DAY for the last 2 weeks (40g carb) no alteration, just how they make them. Because I am only having that for my daily intake the 40g of carbs are not enough to kick me out of ketosis. Food for though (litterally)

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