COMPARISON · COOKING OILS

What oil does each fast food chain fry in?

The sitewide oil index for 54 fast-food chains. Grouped by oil family, with the architectural notes that matter for allergies and diets — which chains use peanut oil, which use beef tallow, which run a "vegetable oil blend" that varies by supplier, which run a single-source oil for the cleanest possible label.

The big picture in 54 chains About 83% of major U.S. chains fry in a vegetable oil blend or a single-source seed oil (canola, soybean). 4 chains use beef in their cooking medium — the only such chains on Frypedia. 1 chain fries in peanut oil (Five Guys, the only one). Sunflower, rice bran, and olive oil show up at a small number of premium-positioned chains. Categories below.

Peanut oil · 1 chain

Single-source peanut. Refined peanut oil is generally safe for most peanut allergies (FALCPA exemption), but severe allergy sufferers should still avoid.

Chain Primary oil Fryer setup
Five Guys 100% refined peanut oil Dedicated

Sunflower oil · 2 chains

Single-source sunflower. Plant-based, dedicated-fryer-friendly when used alone, no top-9 allergen issues.

Chain Primary oil Fryer setup
Dick's Drive-In All-natural sunflower oil Dedicated (by menu design)
In-N-Out 100% sunflower oil Dedicated

Rice bran oil · 1 chain

Premium positioning. Plant-based, high smoke point, neutral flavor. Rare in U.S. fast food.

Chain Primary oil Fryer setup
Hopdoddy Burger Bar Non-GMO rice bran oil Dedicated

Olive oil · 1 chain

Unique on Frypedia. Plant-based, distinctive flavor profile, premium pricing built into the menu.

Chain Primary oil Fryer setup
Elevation Burger Olive oil Dedicated (fries + GF-breaded items only)

Canola oil (single-source) · 8 chains

Single-source canola. Plant-based, low saturated fat, no major allergens.

Chain Primary oil Fryer setup
Chick-fil-A High-oleic canola oil Separate from chicken
Culver's Canola oil Shared
Hardee's / Carl's Jr. 100% canola oil Shared
Jack in the Box Canola blend Shared
Layne's Chicken Fingers Canola oil Shared
MOOYAH Burgers 100% canola oil Varies by location
P. Terry's Burger Stand 100% canola oil Dedicated
Taco Bell Canola oil Shared

Soybean oil (single-source) · 12 chains

Single-source soybean. Plant-based but soybean is a top-9 allergen — relevant for soy allergy sufferers.

Chain Primary oil Fryer setup
Dairy Queen Soybean oil Shared
Famous Dave's 100% soybean oil Shared
Freddy's Soybean blend Shared
Krystal Refined soybean oil Shared
Mission BBQ 100% soybean oil Dedicated
Raising Cane's 100% refined soybean oil Shared with chicken
Shake Shack Non-GMO soybean oil Shared
Sonny's BBQ Soybean oil Shared
The Habit Burger Grill 100% soybean oil Shared
Whataburger ZTF soybean liquid shortening Shared
Wingstop Soybean oil Shared with chicken
Zaxby's 100% refined soybean oil Shared

Vegetable oil blend · 25 chains

The mainstream default. Typically a "contains one or more of: canola, soybean, palm, sunflower, corn" formulation that varies by supplier and region.

Chain Primary oil Fryer setup
Arby's Vegetable oil blend Shared
Braum's Canola/soybean blend Shared (varies by location)
Burger King Vegetable oil blend Shared
BurgerFi Vegetable oil blend Shared
Bush's Chicken Vegetable oil blend Shared
Checkers / Rally's Vegetable oil blend Shared (typical)
Chicken Express Vegetable oil (unconfirmed) Shared
City Barbeque Vegetable oil blend Shared
Cook Out Soybean/canola blend Shared
Del Taco Vegetable oil blend Shared
Dickey's Barbecue Pit Vegetable oil blend Shared
Fatburger Vegetable oil blend Shared
Golden Chick Vegetable oil blend Shared
Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q Vegetable oil blend Shared
KFC Canola/soybean blend Shared with chicken
L&L Hawaiian Barbecue Vegetable oil blend Shared
McDonald's Vegetable oil blend Shared (varies)
Popeyes Vegetable oil (canola/soybean blend) Shared with chicken
Runza Trans-fat-free blend Shared
Slim Chickens Vegetable oil blend Shared
Smokey Bones Vegetable oil blend Shared
Sonic Drive-In Vegetable oil (with soy) Shared (Sonic confirms)
Wendy's Vegetable oil blend Shared
White Castle Vegetable oil blend Shared
Woody's Bar-B-Q Vegetable oil blend Shared

Vegetable oil + beef tallow blend · 3 chains

Animal fat in the cooking medium. Disqualifying for vegan and vegetarian diets.

Chain Primary oil Fryer setup
Bojangles Canola + beef fat ("All Fry ZT") Shared
Portillo's Vegetable + beef tallow blend Shared filter
Smashburger Beef tallow + canola blend Shared (varies by location)

100% beef tallow · 1 chain

Pure rendered beef fat. Disqualifying for vegan and vegetarian diets.

Chain Primary oil Fryer setup
Steak 'n Shake 100% beef tallow Varies by location
How to read this "Primary oil" is the chain's frying medium for its french fries specifically — not necessarily what the chain uses for chicken, fish, or other fried items. Chick-fil-A is a useful illustration: the chain uses canola oil for fries (in a fryer dedicated to potato products) and peanut oil for chicken (in a separate fryer). Both are accurate facts; only one applies to the fries themselves. "Fryer setup" describes whether the fries cook in oil shared with other items or in a fryer dedicated to potatoes only. Dedicated fryers are the binding constraint for celiac diets and strict vegan diets. See Why the fryer matters more than the ingredient list for the full case.

FAQ

What oil does McDonald's use to fry their fries?
A vegetable oil blend of canola, corn, soybean, and hydrogenated soybean oil, plus "natural beef flavor" added at the supplier stage. McDonald's switched away from beef tallow in 1990. Outside the U.S., the oil composition differs: McDonald's UK uses non-hydrogenated rapeseed and sunflower oil; McDonald's Canada uses canola and hydrogenated soybean oil. See the chain page for full detail.
What oil does Burger King use for fries?
A vegetable oil blend that "contains one or more of" soybean, canola, palm, and cottonseed oils — the exact composition varies by supplier and region. The fries themselves use a rice-flour coating (not wheat) and contain no animal-derived ingredients.
What oil does Wendy's fry in?
A vegetable oil blend (canola, soybean, cottonseed, sunflower, and corn variants depending on supply). The cooking oil is shared with breaded chicken tenders, which is the cross-contact concern for celiac and strict vegan diners.
What oil does Five Guys use?
100% refined peanut oil. Five Guys is the only national chain on Frypedia that fries fries exclusively in peanut oil. Refined peanut oil is generally safe for most peanut allergies (the refining process removes the allergenic protein), but severe peanut-allergy sufferers should still avoid. See Which fast food chains fry in peanut oil? for the full picture.
What oil does In-N-Out use for fries?
100% sunflower oil. Single-source, dedicated fryer (the only fried item on the menu is the fries). Despite persistent social-media rumors, In-N-Out has not switched to beef tallow and has confirmed this repeatedly. See the In-N-Out chain page for the source documentation.
What oil does Chick-fil-A use for fries?
High-oleic canola oil for fries, in a fryer dedicated to potato products. The chain switched from peanut oil to canola for the fries in 2002, partly to reduce peanut-allergy concerns at the menu level. Peanut oil is still used for chicken at Chick-fil-A, but in a separate, physically distinct fryer.
What oil does Whataburger use for fries?
Soybean oil, plus a proprietary "ZTF (zero trans fat) Whataburger liquid shortening" added during preparation. The fries are seasoned with Whataburger fry salt after cooking. Single-region (Texas-centric) chain with a single-source primary oil.
What oil does Culver's use for fries?
Canola oil. The fries themselves are a supplier-formula crinkle-cut with the standard set of modified food starches and rice flour; the cooking oil is canola exclusively. Culver's is one of the major chains that's stayed with vegetable oil rather than switching to tallow.
What oil does Del Taco use?
A vegetable oil blend (canola, soybean, cottonseed, sunflower, and corn variants per Del Taco's allergen list). Del Taco's Crinkle Cut Fries are a fairly clean five-ingredient supplier formula by fast-food standards.
What oil does Smashburger use?
Beef tallow + canola oil blend. Smashburger is one of five Frypedia chains using beef in the cooking medium — not vegetarian, not vegan. The tallow is part of the chain's flavor signature for the SmashFries (rosemary-and-garlic-seasoned).
What oil does Freddy's fry their fries in?
Vegetable oil blend (canola/soybean variants depending on location). No beef tallow despite the chain's heavy steakburger-and-shoestring brand identity. The shoestring fries are seasoned with Freddy's signature seasoning post-fry.
Which fast food chains fry in beef tallow?
Five chains on Frypedia use beef in the fry preparation: Steak 'n Shake (100% beef tallow since January 2025), Bojangles (canola + beef fat blend), Portillo's (vegetable oil + beef tallow blend), Smashburger (beef tallow + canola), and McDonald's (vegetable oil with "natural beef flavor" added — not actual tallow, but a beef-derived flavoring). See Which fast food fries are cooked in beef tallow? for the full breakdown.
Why do so many chains list "vegetable oil blend" instead of one specific oil?
Supply-chain flexibility. A blend of "canola, soybean, palm, sunflower, and/or cottonseed" lets the chain (and its supplier) substitute oils based on price, availability, and regional supply. The chain only commits to "one of these," not "this specific one." For most diners this is irrelevant; for soy- or palm-allergic diners it can mean the same chain serves a problem oil at one location and a safe oil at another. Chains that commit to a single oil (Five Guys with peanut, In-N-Out with sunflower, Mission BBQ with soybean) sacrifice that flexibility for a cleaner label.

Related reads

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