Are you on the keto diet and looking for low carb options at Dairy Queen? DQ may not be your first pick for keto-friendly fast food, but with a little knowledge, you can have a solid meal without sabotaging your diet. This guide covers every low carb and keto option on the Dairy Queen menu, complete with nutritional data and ordering tips.
Is Dairy Queen Keto Friendly?
Yes - with modifications. Dairy Queen’s menu is built around ice cream and breaded items, but the GrillBurger line and salads make it workable for keto. The key is ordering bunless burgers, skipping sugary sauces, and avoiding everything on the dessert menu.
Most DQ burgers without the bun come in at 0-4g net carbs. Pair one with a side salad and ranch, and you have a full meal under 10g net carbs. Compare that to a regular GrillBurger with bun and ketchup at 40+ carbs, and you can see why the ordering modifications matter.
If you’re eating keto at other fast food chains, check out our guides for McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Burger King, and Chick-fil-A.
Dairy Queen Keto Nutrition Facts
Here’s a quick reference for the most keto-friendly items at DQ. All burger values are without bun and ketchup. Check DQ’s official nutrition page for the latest numbers.
| Menu Item | Calories | Fat | Protein | Net Carbs | Keto? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheese GrillBurger (no bun) | ~310 | 23g | 20g | ~2g | Yes |
| Bacon Cheese GrillBurger (no bun) | ~370 | 27g | 24g | ~2g | Yes |
| Flamethrower GrillBurger (no bun) | ~430 | 33g | 24g | ~4g | Yes |
| Mushroom Swiss GrillBurger (no bun) | ~390 | 28g | 24g | ~4g | Yes |
| Ultimate GrillBurger (no bun, no sauce) | ~520 | 40g | 30g | ~3g | Yes |
| 1/3 Double with Cheese (no bun) | ~470 | 35g | 34g | ~2g | Yes |
| Grilled Chicken Sandwich (no bun) | ~200 | 8g | 28g | ~1g | Yes |
| Hot Dog (no bun) | ~250 | 19g | 9g | ~3g | Yes |
| Side Salad (no dressing) | ~25 | 0g | 1g | ~5g | Yes |
| Grilled Chicken BLT Salad | ~280 | 14g | 30g | ~12g | Moderate |
| Rotisserie Chicken Bites Salad Bowl | ~230 | 10g | 28g | ~8g | Yes |
| Ranch Dressing (1 packet) | ~130 | 14g | 0g | ~1g | Yes |
| Mayo (1 packet) | ~100 | 11g | 0g | ~0g | Yes |
| Mustard | ~10 | 0g | 0g | ~1g | Yes |
| Ketchup (1 packet) | ~15 | 0g | 0g | ~4g | Avoid |
Best Low Carb & Keto Options at Dairy Queen
Bunless Burgers
Bunless burgers are the best keto option at Dairy Queen. Removing the bun drops each burger from 30-40g carbs down to 0-4g. Order any GrillBurger “no bun, no ketchup” and you have a keto-friendly meal.
Cheese GrillBurger (no bun, no ketchup) - The simplest keto order at DQ. A juicy beef patty with melted cheese, about 2g net carbs. Add lettuce, tomato, and mayo for a complete meal.
Bacon Cheese GrillBurger (no bun, no ketchup) - Same as above but with crispy bacon. The bacon adds protein and fat with virtually zero extra carbs. One of the most satisfying keto options on the menu.
Flamethrower GrillBurger (no bun) - For spice lovers. Comes with jalapeno bacon, pepper jack cheese, and spicy mayo. Around 4g net carbs without the bun. Be mindful of the FlameThrower sauce - it adds a couple carbs, so ask for it on the side if you want to control the amount.
Mushroom Swiss GrillBurger (no bun) - Mushrooms and Swiss cheese on a beef patty. About 4g net carbs. Mushrooms are a great keto topping - low carb, packed with antioxidants, and they add a rich umami flavor.
Ultimate GrillBurger (no bun, no sauce) - The biggest burger on the menu. Comes with lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions, and cheese. Order it without the bun and sauce, and it’s about 3g net carbs. If you want sauce, ask for mayo or mustard instead.
1/3 Double with Cheese (no bun, no ketchup) - Two beef patties with melted cheese. A regular 1/3 Double has about 39g carbs - remove the bun and ketchup, and you’re down to around 2g. This is the highest protein option at DQ, great for hitting your macros.
Grilled Chicken
Grilled Chicken Sandwich (no bun) - Seasoned grilled chicken with lettuce and tomato. Only about 1g net carbs without the bun, making it the lowest-carb entree at DQ. Customize it with bacon, cheese, and ranch for a more filling meal.
If you’re ordering chicken strips or a crispy chicken sandwich, know that the breading adds significant carbs. Stick to grilled chicken only.
Salads
Rotisserie-style Chicken Bites Salad Bowl - Mixed greens with cherry tomatoes and rotisserie-style chicken bites. About 8g net carbs, which fits most keto macros. Top with ranch dressing for added fat.
Grilled Chicken BLT Salad - Grilled chicken, bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, and cheddar cheese. At about 12g net carbs ( without dressing), this is on the higher side for keto. Skip croutons if they’re included, and choose ranch or an oil-based dressing.
Side Salad - Fresh lettuce, cabbage, and carrots. Only about 5g net carbs. A great addition to any bunless burger order. Add ranch dressing (1g carb) rather than sweetened dressings.
Hot Dogs
A DQ hot dog without the bun is about 3g net carbs. It’s a quick, simple keto option when you want something different from burgers. Skip the chili (adds carbs from beans) and stick to mustard or mayo as condiments.
Be aware that some DQ locations may use hot dogs with fillers like corn syrup solids. Ask the staff if you’re uncertain.
Sides
Skip the fries and onion rings. Your best keto sides at DQ are:
- Side Salad - About 5g net carbs. The go-to keto side.
- Green Beans - Lightly seasoned, high in fiber, and very low carb. Available at some locations.
Tips for Ordering Keto at Dairy Queen
- Always go bunless. Say “no bun” on any burger or chicken sandwich. This single change cuts 25-35g of carbs.
- Skip the ketchup. Ketchup has about 4g carbs per packet. Use mustard (1g), mayo (0g), or ranch (1g) instead.
- Watch the sauces. BBQ sauce, honey mustard, and sweet dipping sauces are all high in sugar. Ask for sauces on the side so you can control the amount.
- Ask about nutrition. DQ staff can look up carb counts for you. Or check the DQ nutrition page before you go.
- Customize freely. DQ is good about modifications. Add extra cheese, bacon, lettuce, or pickles - all low-carb add-ons.
Keto Friendly Add-ons
Not all condiments are off-limits. These add-ons keep you in keto range:
- Ranch dressing - About 1g carb per serving. Great on salads or as a burger dip.
- Mustard - About 1g carb. Adds tangy flavor with almost no carb impact.
- Mayo - Essentially 0g carbs. The safest keto condiment at DQ.
- Bacon - Add it to any burger for extra fat and protein with zero carbs.
- Extra cheese - About 1g carb per slice. Adds healthy fats and keeps you satiated.
- Pickles - Very low carb and add crunch and acidity.
Avoid ketchup, BBQ sauce, honey mustard, and relish - all contain added sugars.
For beverages, stick to unsweetened iced tea, black coffee, Diet Coke, or Diet Dr Pepper. All are zero carbs.
DQ Low Carb Ice Cream & Dessert Options
This is the tough part. Dairy Queen is an ice cream chain, and almost nothing on the dessert menu works for keto.
What to know:
- All DQ soft serve is high in sugar. A small vanilla cone has about 35g of carbs.
- Blizzards range from 50g to over 100g of carbs depending on size and flavor.
- Sundaes, shakes, MooLattes, and Peanut Buster Parfaits are all off-limits.
The one exception: The sugar-free Dilly Bar is the closest thing to a keto dessert at DQ. It’s made with no sugar added vanilla ice cream coated in chocolate. It comes in at roughly 5g net carbs - not zero, but manageable if you budget for it. Availability varies by location.
Low carb Blizzard? There is no way to order a low carb Blizzard. The soft serve base alone has too much sugar, and every mix-in adds more. If you’re craving something sweet after a DQ meal, the sugar-free Dilly Bar or a Diet Coke are your best bets.
Sugar-Free Options at Dairy Queen
DQ’s sugar-free options are limited, but they exist:
- Sugar-free Dilly Bar - The primary sugar-free dessert option (~5g net carbs)
- Bunless burgers and grilled chicken - Naturally sugar-free when ordered without ketchup or sweet sauces
- Side salad with ranch - No added sugars
- Diet sodas - Diet Coke, Diet Dr Pepper, and unsweetened iced tea
- Mustard and mayo - Sugar-free condiments
DQ does not offer sugar-free soft serve, sugar-free Blizzards, or sugar-free shakes. If a menu item sounds sweet, it almost certainly contains sugar.
Foods To Avoid at Dairy Queen on Keto
These items will blow your carb budget:
- Blizzard Treats - A small cookie dough Blizzard has over 70g of carbs and 600+ calories. Even the smallest Blizzard exceeds most people’s entire daily keto carb allowance.
- MooLatte drinks - Up to 100g of carbs in the largest size. The sugar and milk base makes them one of the highest-carb items at DQ.
- DQ Fudge Bar - About 18g of carbs per bar. Seems small but it’s nearly a full keto day’s worth of carbs with minimal nutritional value.
- DQ Sandwich - The ice cream sandwich has about 30g of carbs.
- Peanut Buster Parfait - Loaded with ice cream, hot fudge, and peanuts. Over 80g of carbs.
- Chicken strip baskets - The breading on chicken strips adds 10+ carbs per strip. A full basket can easily exceed 40g.
- Any burger with a bun - The bun alone adds 25-35g of carbs. Always order bunless.
- Onion rings and fries - Both are breaded/fried starches. 30-50g of carbs per serving.
- Ketchup, BBQ sauce, honey mustard - Hidden carbs from added sugars. 4-8g per serving.
Final Thoughts
Dairy Queen isn’t the easiest fast food chain for keto, but it’s far from impossible. Stick to bunless GrillBurgers, grilled chicken, and salads. Use mayo, mustard, or ranch instead of sugary sauces. And accept that the ice cream side of the menu is off-limits.
Your best keto meal at DQ: a Bacon Cheese GrillBurger (no bun, no ketchup) with a side salad and ranch. That’s about 8g net carbs, plenty of protein and fat, and genuinely satisfying.
For more keto fast food guides, check out our articles on Chipotle, Taco Bell, KFC, Five Guys, and Starbucks.
