At McDonald’s, order a Quarter Pounder with Cheese or McDouble without the bun or ketchup. For breakfast, ask for an Egg McMuffin or Sausage McMuffin with Egg without the muffin. Skip Hash Browns and breaded chicken sandwiches when keeping carbs low.
All figures below come from McDonald’s online nutrition calculator, retrieved October 24, 2026. Values are as published by the chain for complete menu items.
Burgers: these numbers include the bun
| Item (published serving) | Calories | Total carbs | Fiber | Net carbs | Protein | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quarter Pounder with Cheese | 520 | 42g | 2g | 40g | 30g | 26g |
| Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese | 740 | 43g | 2g | 41g | 48g | 42g |
| Big Mac | 580 | 45g | 3g | 42g | 25g | 34g |
| McDouble | 390 | 32g | 2g | 30g | 22g | 20g |
| Cheeseburger | 300 | 31g | 2g | 29g | 15g | 13g |
| Hamburger | 250 | 30g | 1g | 29g | 12g | 9g |
Removing the bun or muffin lowers carbs, but McDonald’s nutrition calculator doesn’t publish carb values for those components or totals for the bread-free orders. The tables show the full sandwiches, including their bread.
I would start with a Quarter Pounder with Cheese and ask for no bun or ketchup. A McDouble without the bun or ketchup is another straightforward request.
The Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese has more published protein than the single sandwich, along with more calories and fat. Choose according to your appetite.
Breakfast: leave off the muffin and Hash Browns
| Item (published serving) | Calories | Total carbs | Fiber | Net carbs | Protein | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Egg McMuffin | 310 | 30g | 2g | 28g | 17g | 13g |
| Sausage McMuffin with Egg | 480 | 30g | 2g | 28g | 20g | 31g |
| Sausage Burrito | 310 | 25g | 1g | 24g | 13g | 17g |
| Big Breakfast | 1,060 | 131g | 3g | 128g | 26g | 48g |
An Egg McMuffin without the muffin or a Sausage McMuffin with Egg without the muffin is the straightforward breakfast request. Both full sandwiches list 30g total carbs.
The Sausage Burrito lists 25g total carbs as sold. A smaller breakfast still needs counting; I would choose the muffin-free egg sandwich instead.
Big Breakfast lists 131g total carbs. Don’t order it on the assumption that the name means an eggs-only plate.
Sides, chicken and sauces
| Item (published serving) | Calories | Total carbs | Fiber | Net carbs | Protein | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hash Browns | 140 | 18g | 2g | 16g | 2g | 8g |
| McChicken | 390 | 38g | 1g | 37g | 14g | 21g |
| McCrispy | 470 | 46g | 1g | 45g | 26g | 20g |
Hash Browns add 18g total carbs per serving. Leave them off a lower-carb breakfast instead of adding them automatically because the muffin is gone.
McChicken and McCrispy are breaded chicken sandwiches. Leaving off the bun still leaves the coating, so I would choose a beef burger instead.
McDonald’s nutrition calculator doesn’t list separate carb values for its dipping sauces, Big Mac sauce, ketchup or mustard.
These aren’t free additions. If exact tracking matters, leave extra sauces off or get a current value for the exact serving before adding them. A sauce’s color isn’t a nutrition label.
Complete orders, counted
These high-carb comparisons show what the full sandwiches and sides add up to. Neither row is a keto recommendation, and neither includes a drink or extra sauce.
| Order | Calories | Total carbs | Fiber | Net carbs | Protein | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High-carb comparison: Sausage McMuffin with Egg + Hash Browns, both as sold | 620 | 48g | 4g | 44g | 22g | 39g |
| High-carb comparison: Big Mac + McDouble, both as sold | 970 | 77g | 5g | 72g | 47g | 54g |
How to order
- Choose a beef burger such as a Quarter Pounder with Cheese or McDouble.
- Ask clearly for no bun and no ketchup. Request a container and utensils if needed.
- For breakfast, request an Egg McMuffin or Sausage McMuffin with Egg without the muffin.
- Leave off Hash Browns and extra dipping sauces.
- Check that the bread was removed and that no unwanted side or sauce was added.
Plan your next stop
For more counted meal options, compare Chipotle bowls. Our keto fast food guide and high-protein, low-carb fast food orders can help plan another stop, and the keto fast food calculator can add the portions you choose.