What to order instead: Lettuce-free meals at McDonald’s, Burger King, Chick-fil-A, Taco Bell and more
As the restaurant industry navigates the ongoing fallout from the cyclospora outbreak, many menu items at fast-food chains don't contain shredded lettuce — the ingredient the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has linked to the outbreak.
Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite known to cause cyclosporiasis, the most common symptom of which is diarrhea. The FDA said it traced the outbreak to shredded iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico.
A McDonald's standard hamburger does not contain lettuce, though the Big Mac, McChicken and deluxe burgers do.
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The standard hamburger contains a beef patty, ketchup, mustard, chopped onions and dill pickle slices on a bun.
Other McDonald's items that don't contain lettuce include the Filet-O-Fish, a breaded and fried fish filet served with tartar sauce and a slice of American cheese on a bun.
The Double Cheeseburger, Quarter Pounder with Cheese and Chicken McNuggets are other lettuce-free options.
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Only a few menu items at KFC contain lettuce. They include the chicken wrap and the chain's chicken sandwiches.
KFC's signature items, including the original recipe for fried chicken, chicken tenders, nuggets and the Famous Bowl (mashed potatoes, corn, chicken, cheese and gravy), are lettuce-free.
Several items on Chick-fil-A's menu lack lettuce. The chain's signature chicken sandwich only contains a pickle, as does the spicy version.
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Chick-fil-A Nuggets, which can be ordered fried or grilled, as well as the Chick-n-Strips and Chicken Biscuits, are also all lettuce-free.
Though many burgers include lettuce at Wendy's, items that don't come with them include the Baconator, Son of Baconator and the chain's chili.
The Baconator is made with two beef patties, six strips of bacon, two slices of American cheese, ketchup and mayonnaise on a toasted bun. The Son of Baconator is a smaller version of the signature burger and contains four pieces of bacon.
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At Burger King, many of the burgers and sandwiches include lettuce, but the nuggets, Chicken Fries and Rodeo Burger come without it. Chicken Fries are breaded and fried chicken strips in the shape of a french fry. The Rodeo Burger is a beef patty on a bun topped with onion rings and barbecue sauce.
Taco Bell has been offering limited-time promotions on items that do not contain shredded lettuce, including the Mexican Pizza, the Enchirito and regular Nacho Fries.
An Enchirito is made with a warm flour tortilla filled with seasoned beef, refried beans and diced onions and is smothered in red sauce and melted shredded cheddar cheese.
Other lettuce-free options at Taco Bell include the Bean Burrito, Beefy 5-Layer Burrito, Cheesy Roll Up, Cheesy Bean and Rice Burrito and the Quesadilla (cheese, chicken and steak).
Fox News Digital reached out to Chick-fil-A, Burger King, KFC, McDonald's, Taco Bell and Wendy's for comment.
