What to Order at Five Guys with Gestational Diabetes

Five Guys in a Lettuce Wrap: Your GD Fast-Food Hero

You're craving a real burger — not a sad fast-food approximation, but a proper, fresh-cooked, toppings-loaded burger. With gestational diabetes, the bun is the enemy, but the rest? The beef patty, the cheese, the grilled mushrooms, the jalapeños — all of that is basically carb-free.

Five Guys makes this particularly easy because they offer a burger bowl and lettuce wrap option. Order any burger in a bowl or lettuce wrap, load it with your favorite toppings, and you have a legitimately satisfying meal with as few as 3–5g carbs.

Quick-Reference: Best Five Guys Orders for GD

Menu Item	Approx. Carbs	Approx. Protein	Why It Works
Little Hamburger (single patty, lettuce wrap)	~3g	~20g	Pure beef + fat + zero bun carbs
Little Cheeseburger (single patty + cheese, lettuce wrap)	~3g	~24g	Cheese adds protein and fat to slow glucose
Hamburger (double patty, lettuce wrap)	~4g	~40g	Excellent protein, satisfying, virtually zero carbs
Cheeseburger (double patty + cheese, lettuce wrap)	~4g	~47g	The classic Five Guys, GD edition
Bacon Burger (no bun)	~3g	~45g	Bacon adds protein and fat, still very low carb
Veggie Sandwich (no bun) with cheese	~10g	~10g	Lower carb vegetarian option

How to Order the GD Way at Five Guys

When you approach the counter or use the app, here's exactly what to say:

"I'd like a [Hamburger/Cheeseburger/Bacon Burger] in a bowl, please."

Then add your toppings. It's that simple. Five Guys staff are used to this order — you're not asking for anything unusual. They'll put the entire assembled burger (no bun) into a cup/bowl or wrap it in lettuce leaves.

Lettuce wrap vs. bowl:

• The lettuce wrap lets you eat it like a burger, just with lettuce instead of a bun. It's more satisfying texturally.
• The bowl is the entire burger deconstructed in a cup — better if you're eating in the car or want to mix toppings.

The Burger: Which Size Should You Order?

Five Guys naming convention trips people up. Here's the clarification:

• "Little" Hamburger: 1 beef patty (~20g protein, ~3g carbs without bun)
• Hamburger: 2 beef patties (~40g protein, ~4g carbs without bun)
• "Little" Cheeseburger: 1 patty + cheese (~24g protein)
• Cheeseburger: 2 patties + cheese (~47g protein)

For GD, the full Cheeseburger (double patty) in a lettuce wrap is actually an excellent choice — high protein keeps you full and stabilizes blood sugar throughout the afternoon.

The Best Five Guys Toppings for GD

This is where Five Guys shines for GD — their topping bar includes many options that are essentially free from a carb perspective. Customize to your heart's content:

Zero or Near-Zero Carb Toppings (Load Up)

• Lettuce — of course
• Tomatoes — ~1g carb
• Onions (grilled or raw) — ~2g carbs, adds great flavor
• Jalapeños — ~1g carb, adds heat without blood sugar impact
• Green Peppers (grilled or raw) — ~2g carbs
• Mushrooms (grilled) — ~1g carb, add richness
• Pickles — ~0g carbs
• Mustard — ~0g carbs per teaspoon
• Mayo — ~0g carbs, adds richness and healthy fat
• Hot Sauce — usually ~0g carbs

Toppings to Use Sparingly

• Ketchup: ~4g sugar per packet — one packet is fine, multiple adds up
• BBQ Sauce: 8–12g sugar per serving — avoid for GD
• A1 Sauce: ~3g carbs per tablespoon — use sparingly

The Fries Situation

Let's be honest: Five Guys fries are famous and delicious. They're also very high in carbs:

• Little fries: ~43g carbs
• Regular fries: ~57g carbs
• Large fries: ~78g carbs

For GD, fries are the hardest part of Five Guys. A few strategies:

• Skip them entirely — your lettuce wrap burger is already a complete meal
• Share a little fries with your dining companion and eat 10–15 fries (~15g carbs)
• Eat the fries after the burger — the protein and fat from the burger eaten first will significantly blunt the glucose spike from a small portion of fries

Drinks at Five Guys for GD

Five Guys has a Coca-Cola Freestyle machine with many drink options. For GD:

• Water: Always the best choice
• Diet options or zero-sugar Freestyle selections: Acceptable in moderation
• Regular sodas and lemonade: Skip — they're 40–60g sugar per cup

Items to Avoid at Five Guys with GD

• Any burger on a regular bun — the bun alone adds 39–43g carbs
• Regular or large fries — too high in carbs for GD
• Regular soda or lemonade — pure sugar spike
• BBQ sauce — high in sugar

Sample GD-Friendly Meals at Five Guys

Option 1: The Classic GD Burger

Cheeseburger (double patty) in a lettuce wrap + grilled mushrooms + grilled onions + jalapeños + mustard + mayo + water. Total: ~8g carbs, ~50g protein.

Option 2: The Protein Powerhouse

Bacon Burger (double patty + bacon) in a bowl + tomatoes + lettuce + pickles + mustard + water. Total: ~5g carbs, ~52g protein.

Option 3: The Light Version

Little Cheeseburger (single patty + cheese) in a lettuce wrap + all the vegetables you want + water. Total: ~8g carbs, ~26g protein.

More Restaurant Guides for Gestational Diabetes

• Complete Restaurant Dining Guide for Gestational Diabetes
• What to Order at In-N-Out with Gestational Diabetes
• What to Order at Wendy's with Gestational Diabetes
• Top 10 Bedtime Snacks for Gestational Diabetes

This content is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider or registered dietitian for personalized guidance.