There are few things that make you happier than a Spicy Chicken Sandwich from Wendy’s with a side of fries and a vanilla Frosty. But now that you’re on keto, none of those delicacies are on your diet. Everything spud-based is off limits (say it ain’t so, Chili & Cheese Baked Potato), along with all the sugar-laden items and breaded chicken and fish (except for one menu darling…but more on that later). But the biggest issue will be the bread, whether in bun, biscuit or croissant form. The fast food chain has all its nutritional information on its website, but it doesn’t allow you to remove ingredients from menu items, so you’ll have to do a bit of guesswork to determine the net carbs of your adjusted meal. (Therefore, the nutrition info that follows each menu item below doesn’t account for any modifications.) Nevertheless, it’s definitely possible to eat low-carb and keto at Wendy’s—with the help of a few simple tweaks. Here, our favorite menu items to put on your list.
How to Order Keto at Wendy’s, Whether You’re Craving a Cheeseburger or a Salad
Breakfast
1. Classic Bacon, Egg & Cheese Sandwich
Nutrition information: 320 calories, 17g fat, 25g carbs, 18g protein, 2g sugar, 1g fiber
Make it keto: ask for no bun
Savor a protein-rich, fresh-cracked egg, Applewood-smoked bacon and melted American cheese. As painful as it may be, you’ll have to skip the toasty breakfast roll to make this meal keto. (You can also bring your own low-carb English muffin or bun if you want to keep it in sandwich territory or substitute a cauliflower or egg wrap.)
Other keto breakfast sandwich options: Classic Sausage, Egg & Cheese Sandwich (no bun)
2. Sausage, Egg & Swiss Croissant
Nutrition information: 600 calories, 41g fat, 34g carbs, 22g protein, 7g sugar, 1g fiber
Make it keto: ask for no croissant
Savory egg, grilled sausage and a drool-worthy Swiss cheese sauce are worth getting out of bed for in our book, even if you pass on the flaky, buttery croissant bun. If bacon is more your thing, go for the Bacon, Egg & Swiss Croissant instead. Just avoid the Maple Bacon Chicken Croissant, since the breading on the chicken and the sweetened maple butter put even the bun-less version over the carb limit.
Other keto croissant options: Bacon, Egg & Swiss Croissant (no croissant)
3. Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit
Nutrition information: 420 calories, 27g fat, 28g carbs, 16g protein, 3g sugar, 1g fiber
Make it keto: ask for no biscuit
It hurts us to say it, but the fluffy buttermilk biscuit is a no-go. On the other hand, egg, bacon and gooey cheese should soothe your sorrows just fine. Unfortunately, the Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit, Hot Honey Chicken Biscuit, Honey Butter Biscuit and Sausage Gravy & Biscuit are all off the table, even if you skip the bread.
Other keto biscuit options: Sausage, Egg & Cheese Biscuit (no biscuit), Sausage Biscuit (no biscuit)
4. Cold Brew Iced Coffee
Nutrition information (for a small): 15 calories, 0g fat, 3g carbs, 1g protein, 0g sugar, 0g fiber
Make it keto: no modifications needed
Drink your coffee black? You’re in the clear. But if you prefer it light and sweet, it’s probably wise to bring your own sugar-free sweetener. As long as you use a zero-calorie sugar substitute and a keto-friendly amount of dairy or non-dairy milk, you’re good to go. Same goes for hot coffee, but you’ll have to skip the Vanilla and Chocolate Frosty-ccinos.
Other keto coffee options: Fresh Brewed Coffee, Fresh Brewed Decaffeinated Coffee
Mains
5. Jr. Cheeseburger Deluxe
Nutrition information: 340 calories, 20g fat, 27g carbs, 15g protein, 6g sugar, 1g fiber
Make it keto: ask for no bun and no ketchup
If you’re on keto, we’d recommend this burger over others because it comes with both ketchup and keto-friendly mayo, meaning you won’t be left with a sad, sauce-less patty once your modifications are made. (Dave’s Single, Double and Triple also come with mayo.) But there are plenty of burgers on the menu to sink your teeth into, as long as you nix the carby bread and sugary ketchup.
Other keto burger options: Jr. Hamburger (no bun or ketchup), Double Stack (no bun or ketchup), Jr. Cheeseburger (no bun or ketchup), Dave’s Single (no bun or ketchup), Dave’s Double (no bun or ketchup), Dave’s Triple (no bun or ketchup)
6. Baconator
Nutrition information: 960 calories, 66g fat, 36g carbs, 57g protein, 7g sugar, 1g fiber
Make it keto: ask for no bun and no ketchup
One of the biggest perks of the keto diet is that you can basically eat as much bacon as your heart desires. Luckily, bacon is kind of Wendy’s thing. Meat lovers will adore this half-pound burger topped with American cheese, six pieces of crispy, smoky bacon and mayo. It’s savory and saucy enough to satisfy even without the ketchup and bread.
Other keto bacon cheeseburger options: Son of Baconator (no bun or ketchup), Big Bacon Classic (no bun or ketchup), Big Bacon Classic Double (no bun or ketchup), Big Bacon Classic Triple (no bun or ketchup), Bacon Double Stack (no bun or ketchup), Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger (no bun)
7. Grilled Asiago Ranch Chicken Club
Nutrition information: 490 calories, 21g fat, 34g carbs, 40g protein, 6g sugar, 1g fiber
Make it keto: ask for no bun
Due to their breading, crispy chicken sandwiches aren’t low-carb. But Wendy’s has a handful of un-breaded grilled chicken sandwiches that you can order instead. If you ask us, this one is most exciting, since it comes with Applewood smoked bacon, Asiago cheese, lettuce, tomato and creamy ranch sauce.
Other keto chicken sandwich options: Grilled Chicken Sandwich (no bun, substitute mayo for smoky honey mustard), Crispy Chicken BLT (no bun, substitute grilled chicken for crispy chicken)
8. 4-piece Spicy Chicken Nuggets
Nutrition information: 190 calories, 12g fat, 9g carbs, 10g protein, 0g sugar, 1g fiber
Make it keto: no modifications needed
Even strict keto dieters can eat up to 20 grams of carbs a day without being thrown out of ketosis. (Many eat even more, BTW.) Since a small order of nuggets only contains 9 grams of carbs, we’d say this fan favorite is still on the table—despite their crispy breading. (In case you’re wondering, the six-piece and ten-piece contain 13 and 22 net carbs respectively.) Just be smart about what dip you choose: Avoid sugary choices like ketchup, BBQ and Sweet & Sour in favor of Buttermilk Ranch, mayonnaise or mustard.
Other keto chicken nugget options: 4-Piece Crispy Chicken Nuggets
Salads
9. Parmesan Caesar Salad
Nutrition information (includes dressing packet): 440 calories, 28g fat, 7g carbs, 42g protein, 3g sugar, 3g fiber
Make it keto: no modifications needed
This is arguably the most keto-friendly menu item of the lot, since the salad contains only 4 net carbs and requires no modifications. Consisting of romaine lettuce, grilled chicken breast, Italian cheeses and creamy Caesar dressing, one clever substitute for traditional croutons keeps the fat and protein high and the carbs low: crunchy Parmesan crisps. The Southwest Avocado Salad—which boasts lettuce, pepper jack cheese, tomatoes, avocado, bacon, grilled chicken and Southwest ranch dressing—is a close second, clocking in at 10 net carbs.
Other keto salad options: Southwest Avocado Salad (no modifications needed)
Sides & Drinks
10. Apple Bites
Nutrition information: 35 calories, 0g fat, 8g carbs, 0g protein, 6g sugar, 1g fiber
Make it keto: no modifications needed
This is unfortunately the only side that’s keto-friendly at Wendy’s. That’s right: All fries and baked potatoes are far too high in carbs, as is the famous chili. Frostys and cookies are also a no-go, as well as all the house lemonades, regular sodas and sweetened iced tea. If you’d like a drink, choose a Diet Coke, Minute Maid Light Lemonade, unsweetened iced tea, Honest Kids Fruit Punch, milk or bottled water to keep the carbs to a minimum.
