5 Fast Food Menu Items To Avoid During The Cyclosporiasis Outbreak

By now, you've likely heard about the cyclosporiasis outbreak, which is caused by the parasite Cyclospora and causes severe, watery diarrhea, along with cramping and nausea. According to the CDC, as of July 13, 2026, there have been over 1,600 reported cases across 34 U.S. states (with thousands more suspected cases). Fortunately, there have been zero deaths. Moving forward, it's imperative to keep in mind what you're eating to try to avoid foods that may carry the parasite.

With cyclospora, it all comes down to raw produce. Unfortunately, the exact source of the parasite has not been found, but the key foods to avoid include raspberries, fresh basil and cilantro, snow peas, green onions, bagged lettuce, and salad kits. You may even want to avoid all raw produce since washing it doesn't kill the parasite (although it does lower the risk). To be completely safe, cook all produce to an internal temperature of 158 degrees Fahrenheit, which kills the parasite. Canned and frozen produce are also considered safe options.

Some restaurants have even removed items from the menu to stay safe. Notably, Taco Bell removed lettuce, cilantro, onion, pico de gallo, and guacamole for the time being. But not all restaurants have taken the same precautions — so it's up to you to evaluate your own risk level based on what you choose to order out. And there are some fast-food menu items you should definitely avoid if you want to stay safe.

Many McDonald's items include foods that are best to avoid right now (namely, lettuce, which is included on most of the chain's burgers and sandwiches). But you should definitely avoid the Daily Double, which comes with shredded lettuce, tomato slices, and raw onions. When it comes to tomatoes and onions, it's best to cook them if you want to avoid any risk — so you don't want to order any burgers that come with these two veggies raw.

Then, of course, lettuce is one of the aforementioned key foods to avoid, especially if you aren't able to wash it yourself at home — guidance advises individuals to buy full heads of lettuce, remove the outer layers, and thoroughly wash each leaf to reduce risk. If you want to continue ordering burgers at McDonald's, you can ask for no lettuce or tomatoes and request that onions be grilled instead of raw. Or, of course, curb your burger craving by making your own homemade burger recipe, complete with only grilled toppings.

Really, it's not the best time to go to Sweetgreen right now — you should be avoiding all salads (or, if you insist on enjoying one, you should make it yourself after thoroughly washing the lettuce). But one menu item at Sweetgreen that you should especially avoid is the buffalo chicken salad, which contains many of the produce items you should be avoiding as much as possible: kale, romaine lettuce, cilantro, raw carrots, and raw tomatoes.

Unfortunately, salads (including many Sweetgreen menu items) tend to contain raw produce, making them a high-risk meal option during this cyclosporiasis outbreak. Instead, consider sticking to cooked meals as a way to enjoy produce, such as building your own bowl at Sweetgreen and filling it with only cooked items — rice or quinoa for a base, with toppings such as roasted sweet potatoes, chickpeas, and the summer vegetable medley.

If you want to enjoy Chipotle, avoid the salad for now, which is made with a mix of fresh romaine, baby kale, and baby spinach. Chipotle has so many delicious menu items — many of which are safe from the risk of cyclosporiasis — so there's really no need to resort to such a high-risk option.

Instead, stick to bowls, burritos, or tacos, but be sure to avoid adding lettuce to any of these orders. To play it extra safe, you may want to avoid adding any of the salsas, as they are made with fresh produce. Instead, get your veggies in by adding the fajita veggies (which are cooked and, therefore, safe) to your order. And, in place of any salsas, stick to sour cream or queso. Luckily, you can still enjoy Chipotle's delicious protein options — all of which we ranked, by the way, with the limited-time Chipotle honey chicken taking the top spot.

The Veggie Delite may be the most delicious option of Subway's nutritious sandwiches (at least according to our ranking), but it's also the riskiest option during the cyclosporiasis outbreak. The reasoning? It's packed full of fresh, raw veggies. The Veggie Delite comes with spinach, cucumbers, peppers, lettuce, tomatoes, and onions (with the option to add even more fresh produce, such as pickles and banana peppers). So, unfortunately, it's best to hold off on the Veggie Delite until the outbreak is under control and the source has been identified.

In the meantime, you can order other sandwiches from Subway. You could opt for something like the Steak Philly, which is free of raw produce. But unfortunately, your options are somewhat limited, as most menu items contain lettuce, tomatoes, or raw onions (or all of the above), so it's tough to customize without ending up with a somewhat bland sandwich. When a sandwich craving hits — and you want to be extra safe during this outbreak — your best bet is to make your favorite panini at home, full of cooked toppings.

Lastly, avoid Chick-fil-A's market salad. Of course, you're probably not surprised to see yet another salad on this list — as we've covered, lettuce is extremely high-risk. But this specific salad — which features mixed greens, crumbled blue cheese, red and green apples, strawberries, and blueberries — is especially risky because of the berries, which are one of the key produce items that you should be avoiding right now. Meanwhile, apples are considered a lower-risk fruit, but guidance also suggests that apples be peeled before consuming to remain as safe as possible (which the apples of this salad are not).

With all of that in mind, if you're going to stop by a Chick-fil-A, it's best to stick to its chicken sandwiches and wraps and avoid the salad section altogether. Just make sure to get any sandwiches without lettuce or raw produce to avoid the risk.