Denny's Seed Oil Report Card
Based on our menu research, Denny's cooks with: soybean and canola oil. Across the 229 menu items we analyzed, it averages 10.8g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of D (Very High Risk).
What oil does Denny's fry in? The full answer
Compare Denny's with: Cracker Barrel · IHOP · Waffle House
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Safest Orders at Denny's
Learn this once: a salad with grilled protein and the dressing left off is nearly always the lowest seed oil order anywhere. So the list below sticks to real meals, salads included, never just a water.
Cleanest full order: Burger Patty Only (No Bun) + Seasonal Fruit, 1.8g total
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Burger Patty Only (No Bun) | 1.8g |
| 2 Eggs (Boiled) | 2.1g |
| Double Berry Banana Pancake Breakfast | 2.5g |
| Chicken Noodle Soup (Cup) | 3.1g |
| Buttermilk Pancakes (stack of 2) | 4.4g |
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Build my orderWhat to Avoid at Denny's
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Boneless Wings with Buffalo Sauce (16 pc) | 59.7g |
| Double Flamin' 5-Pepper Burger | 57.0g |
| Smokehouse Melt | 54.5g |
| Boneless Wings with BBQ Sauce (16 pc) | 41.8g |
| Cheesy Bacon Ranch Sliders | 40.4g |
Around the world: Denny's
Ultimate Omelette has 6.0g of PUFA in New Zealand but 32.1g in the US. Same chain. Why not here?
We have Denny's in 4 countries. Here is what it cooks with in each one, and how the same menu items compare.
| Country | Cooks with | Seasoned Fries | Ultimate Omelette | Lumberjack Slam | Oreo Milkshake | Chocolate Milkshake | Vanilla Milkshake |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. (this page) | soybean, canola and cottonseed oil | 15.1g | 32.1g | 24.9g | 2.2g | 1.7g | 1.7g |
| Canada | canola oil | 5.4g | 16.0g | 9.4g | 3.0g | 2.3g | 2.3g |
| New Zealand | Not disclosed | n/a | 6.0g | 7.0g | 1.0g | 0.6g | 0.6g |
| United Arab Emirates | Not disclosed | 10.0g | 12.0g | 14.0g | 1.5g | 1.0g | 1.0g |
Items are matched by name, so portions and recipes can differ between countries. Values are estimated grams of seed-oil PUFA per item. Oil notes are as each country's chain discloses them.
Every Denny's item, ranked
All 229 items we have for Denny's, safest first. Values are estimated grams of seed-oil PUFA per item.
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Fresh Sauteed Broccoli | 0.0g |
| Seasonal Fruit | 0.0g |
| Sweet & Tangy BBQ Sauce | 0.0g |
| Bourbon Sauce | 0.0g |
| Brown Gravy | 0.0g |
| Diet Coke | 0.0g |
| FUZE Raspberry Tea | 0.0g |
| Barq's Root Beer | 0.0g |
| Lemonade (12 oz) | 0.0g |
| Hi-C Fruit Punch | 0.0g |
| Lemonade (Kids 8 oz) | 0.0g |
| Fanta Orange | 0.0g |
| Dr Pepper | 0.0g |
| Hot Tea | 0.0g |
| Grapes | 0.0g |
| 1 Egg (Egg White) | 0.0g |
| Orange Juice (Kids 10 oz) | 0.0g |
| Coca-Cola | 0.0g |
| Sprite | 0.0g |
| Fresh Banana Slices | 0.0g |
| Mello Yello | 0.0g |
| Coffee | 0.0g |
| Apple Juice (Kids 10 oz) | 0.0g |
| Orange Juice (15 oz) | 0.0g |
| Iced Tea (Unsweet) | 0.0g |
| Strawberry Lemonade | 0.0g |
| Coca-Cola Zero Sugar | 0.0g |
| Iced Tea (Sweet) | 0.0g |
| Apple Juice (15 oz) | 0.0g |
| Fat-Free Italian Dressing (1.5 oz) | 0.0g |
| Mango Lemonade | 0.0g |
| Lemonade Iced Tea | 0.0g |
| Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice | 0.0g |
| Tomato Juice | 0.0g |
| Mango Smoothie | 0.0g |
| Jr. Mango Smoothie | 0.0g |
| Jr. Strawberry Banana Smoothie | 0.0g |
| Dasani Bottled Water | 0.0g |
| Chocolate Milk (15 oz) | 0.2g |
| Chocolate Milk (Kids 10 oz) | 0.2g |
| Strawberry Banana Smoothie | 0.2g |
| Tropical Green Smoothie | 0.2g |
| Sweet & Creamy Cold Brew | 0.3g |
| 2% Milk (Kids 10 oz) | 0.3g |
| Fat-Free Italian Dressing (3 oz) | 0.4g |
| 2% Milk (15 oz) | 0.5g |
| Salted Caramel Cold Brew | 0.5g |
| Jr. Ice Cream (Strawberry) | 0.6g |
| 2 Eggs (Egg Whites) | 0.6g |
| Red Rustic Mashed Potatoes | 0.6g |
| Jr. Ice Cream (Vanilla) | 0.8g |
| Jr. Ice Cream (Chocolate) | 0.8g |
| Grilled Ham Slice | 0.8g |
| Country Gravy | 0.9g |
| Hot Chocolate | 1.0g |
| 1 Egg (Boiled) | 1.0g |
| Balsamic Vinaigrette, Low-Fat (1.5 oz) | 1.2g |
| Jr. Birthday Cake Pancakes | 1.3g |
| Strawberry Milkshake | 1.4g |
| Jr. Milk Shake (Strawberry) | 1.4g |
| Jr. Garden Salad | 1.5g |
| Whole Grain Rice | 1.5g |
| Jr. Chocolate Chip Pancakes | 1.6g |
| New York Style Cheesecake | 1.7g |
| Vanilla Milkshake | 1.7g |
| Chocolate Milkshake | 1.7g |
| Jr. Milk Shake (Chocolate) | 1.7g |
| Jr. Milk Shake (Vanilla) | 1.7g |
| Burger Patty Only (No Bun) | 1.8g |
| New York Style Cheesecake with Strawberry Topping | 1.8g |
| Whipped Mashed Potatoes | 2.0g |
| Jr. Spaghetti | 2.0g |
| 2 Eggs (Boiled) | 2.1g |
| Oreo Milkshake | 2.2g |
| Caramel Apple Crisp | 2.2g |
| Jr. Milk Shake (Oreo Blender Blaster) | 2.2g |
| Garden Side Salad | 2.3g |
| Balsamic Vinaigrette, Low-Fat (3 oz) | 2.3g |
| House Salad | 2.3g |
| Double Berry Banana Pancake Breakfast | 2.5g |
| Buttermilk Biscuits (2) | 2.9g |
| Turkey Bacon Strips (4) | 2.9g |
| Garlic Bread | 3.0g |
| Kids Jr. Pancakes | 3.0g |
| Jr. Goldfish Crackers | 3.0g |
| Chicken Noodle Soup (Cup) | 3.1g |
| Mac 'N Cheese | 3.5g |
| English Muffin with Whipped Margarine | 3.5g |
| Bacon Strips (4) | 3.6g |
| Cheddar Cheese Hash Browns | 3.8g |
| 1 Egg (Fried / Basted) | 3.8g |
| Kids Mac & Cheese | 4.0g |
| 1 Egg (Scrambled) | 4.0g |
| Diner Dipper (Mozzillas, 2 pc) | 4.1g |
| Biscuit & Gravy | 4.2g |
| Buttermilk Pancakes (stack of 2) | 4.4g |
| Hearty 9-Grain Pancakes (stack of 2) | 4.4g |
| Hash Browns | 4.6g |
| Chicken Noodle Soup (Bowl) | 4.6g |
| French Dressing (1.5 oz) | 4.7g |
| Buttermilk Pancakes (3pc) | 5.0g |
| Cookie Dough Lover's Pie | 5.4g |
| Jr. Cheeseburger | 5.5g |
| Toast with Whipped Margarine | 5.8g |
| Loaded Baked Potato Soup (Cup) | 5.8g |
| Fit Slam | 5.9g |
| Sausage Links (4pc) | 6.3g |
| Choconana Pancakes (stack of 2) | 6.5g |
| Waffle | 6.8g |
| Jr. Waffle Slam | 6.8g |
| Buffalo Sauce | 7.0g |
| Loaded Baked Potato Soup (Bowl) | 7.0g |
| 2 Eggs (Scrambled) | 7.2g |
| Cinnamon Roll Pancakes (stack of 2) | 7.3g |
| 2 Eggs (Fried / Basted) | 7.5g |
| Red-Skinned Potatoes | 7.5g |
| Lava Cookie Skillet | 7.5g |
| Jr. Grand Slam | 7.6g |
| Diner Dipper (Bone-In Buffalo Wings, 4 pc) | 7.9g |
| Strawberry Vanilla Crepes | 8.0g |
| French Toast (2pc) | 8.1g |
| Blue Cheese Dressing (1.5 oz) | 8.1g |
| Berry Vanilla Crepe Breakfast (One Crepe) | 8.3g |
| Sweet Corn | 8.4g |
| Bone-In Wings with BBQ Sauce (8 pc) | 8.7g |
| Plant Based Slam | 8.7g |
| Brownie Sundae with OREO Pieces | 8.8g |
| Vegetable Beef Soup (Cup) | 8.8g |
| Honey Mustard Dressing (1.5 oz) | 9.0g |
| Single Cheeseburger | 9.2g |
| Mozzillas (4 pc) | 9.2g |
| Jr. Premium Chicken Tenders | 9.3g |
| Diner Dipper (Chicken Tenders, 2 pc) | 9.3g |
| 55+ Starter | 9.6g |
| Thousand Island Dressing (1.5 oz) | 9.7g |
| Maple Stuffed Donut Holes (4 pc) | 9.9g |
| Build Your Own Burger | 10.0g |
| The Super Bird | 10.0g |
| Mozzarella Cheese Sticks | 10.0g |
| French Dressing (3 oz) | 10.4g |
| 55+ Country-Fried Steak | 10.7g |
| Sirloin Steak Dinner | 10.9g |
| BBQ Bacon Chicken Sandwich | 11.0g |
| Berry Stuffed French Toast | 11.1g |
| Let's Cobb About It Prime Rib Cobb Salad | 11.4g |
| Berry Waffles | 11.7g |
| Berry Vanilla Crepe Breakfast (Two Crepes) | 11.8g |
| Cali Turkey Melt | 12.0g |
| Cobb Salad | 12.1g |
| Original Grand Slam | 12.2g |
| Ranch Dressing (1.5 oz) | 12.6g |
| Diner Q Sauce | 12.6g |
| Wavy Cut Fries | 12.8g |
| Vegetable Beef Soup (Bowl) | 12.8g |
| T-Bone Steak Dinner | 12.9g |
| Salmon Salad Your Way | 13.8g |
| Flamin' 5-Pepper Burger | 14.0g |
| 55+ Wild Alaska Salmon | 14.3g |
| Wild Alaska Salmon Dinner | 14.3g |
| Pot Roast Melt | 14.8g |
| Seasoned Fries | 15.1g |
| Onion Rings | 15.7g |
| Slamburger | 15.7g |
| Bourbon Bacon Burger | 16.0g |
| Blue Cheese Dressing (3 oz) | 16.2g |
| Super Slam | 17.0g |
| Smokehouse Mac 'N' Cheese Skillet | 17.2g |
| Berry Waffle Slam | 17.7g |
| Country-Fried Steak & Eggs | 17.8g |
| Sirloin Steak & Eggs | 18.0g |
| Bone-In Wings with BBQ Sauce (16 pc) | 18.3g |
| Bourbon Chicken Sizzlin' Skillet | 18.4g |
| Premium Chicken Tenders (4) | 18.6g |
| Honey Mustard Dressing (3 oz) | 18.6g |
| Country-Fried Steak Dinner | 18.7g |
| Waffle Slam | 18.7g |
| Bone-In Wings with Buffalo Sauce (8 pc) | 18.8g |
| T-Bone Steak & Eggs | 18.9g |
| French Toast Slam | 19.3g |
| Crispy Chicken Sandwich | 20.0g |
| Mama's Fried Chicken House Salad | 20.0g |
| Zesty Nachos (Half Order) | 20.1g |
| Spaghetti & Meatballs | 20.2g |
| 55+ Scrambled Eggs & Cheddar Breakfast | 20.2g |
| Berry Stuffed French Toast Slam | 20.2g |
| Thousand Island Dressing (3 oz) | 20.2g |
| Boneless Wings with BBQ Sauce (8 pc) | 20.9g |
| Moons Over My Hammy | 21.2g |
| Cali Club Sandwich | 21.5g |
| 55+ Grilled Cheese Sandwich & Soup | 21.5g |
| Diner Dipper (Boneless Buffalo Wings, 6 pc) | 22.3g |
| Santa Fe Sizzlin' Skillet | 22.4g |
| Premium Chicken Tenders (5) | 23.2g |
| Loaded Veggie Omelette | 24.2g |
| Double Slamburger | 24.5g |
| Lumberjack Slam | 24.9g |
| 55+ Omelette | 24.9g |
| Classic Benny Breakfast | 25.0g |
| Ranch Dressing (3 oz) | 25.2g |
| Maple Stuffed Donut Holes (10 pc) | 25.7g |
| Grand Slam Burrito | 25.8g |
| Crazy Spicy Sizzlin' Skillet | 26.2g |
| Philly Cheesesteak Omelette | 26.5g |
| Double Bourbon Bacon Burger | 26.8g |
| Mile High Denver Omelette | 26.9g |
| Moons Over My Hammy Omelette | 26.9g |
| Bacon Avocado Cheeseburger | 26.9g |
| Oven-Baked Lasagna (with Dinner Bread) | 27.0g |
| Diner Dipper (Cheesy Bacon Ranch Sliders, 2 pc) | 27.2g |
| Premium Chicken Tenders Dinner | 27.3g |
| Grand Slamwich | 29.6g |
| Boneless Wings with Buffalo Sauce (8 pc) | 29.7g |
| Double Cheeseburger | 30.4g |
| All-American Slam | 30.7g |
| Plate Lickin' Chicken Fried Chicken | 30.8g |
| Fried Fish Platter | 31.1g |
| Maple Stuffed Donut Holes (6 pc) | 32.0g |
| Ultimate Omelette | 32.1g |
| Crispy Chicken Bacon Ranch Sandwich | 32.1g |
| Triple Juicy Burger | 33.2g |
| Bone-In Wings with Buffalo Sauce (16 pc) | 35.5g |
| Double Bacon Avocado Cheeseburger | 36.5g |
| Zesty Nachos (Full Order) | 39.5g |
| Southwestern Benny Breakfast | 40.0g |
| Cheesy Bacon Ranch Sliders | 40.4g |
| Boneless Wings with BBQ Sauce (16 pc) | 41.8g |
| Smokehouse Melt | 54.5g |
| Double Flamin' 5-Pepper Burger | 57.0g |
| Boneless Wings with Buffalo Sauce (16 pc) | 59.7g |
Fry Oil History at Denny's
Cooking in trans fat free cooking oil since March 2007.
A Denny's release from March 2007 said the chain had completed the switch to trans fat free cooking oil in all of its restaurants. Denny's also started testing trans fat free margarine and spreads at the same time. Source
Every documented oil switch across the industry lives on the Oil History timeline.
Frequently asked
Does Denny's use seed oils?
Based on our menu research, Denny's cooks with: soybean and canola oil. Across the 229 menu items we analyzed, it averages 10.8g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of D (Very High Risk).
What oil does Denny's cook with?
Our research indicates: Fryer oil is a soybean/canola/cottonseed vegetable blend; griddles are seasoned with the same fryer oil, so griddled items run high. Preparation can vary by location, so treat PUFA numbers as estimates.
Does Denny's use beef tallow?
No. Our research indicates Denny's cooks with soybean and canola oil, not beef tallow. For chains that fry in tallow or other real fats, see Tallow Watch.
Is Denny's seed oil free?
No. Our research indicates Denny's cooks with soybean and canola oil, which includes seed oils. See the lower-PUFA orders above for the cleanest picks.
What is the safest thing to order at Denny's?
Burger Patty Only (No Bun) is the lowest-PUFA item we analyzed at Denny's, at an estimated 1.8g PUFA. See the Safest Orders list on this page for more options.
What should I avoid at Denny's?
Boneless Wings with Buffalo Sauce (16 pc) is the highest-PUFA item we analyzed at Denny's, at an estimated 59.7g PUFA. Fried items and creamy, mayo-based sauces are usually the heaviest.
What are seed oils?
Seed oils — canola, soybean, sunflower, corn, and similar vegetable oils — are extracted from seeds using high heat and chemical solvents. They are very high in polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs), which are unstable at cooking temperatures and can oxidize easily. Many health-conscious eaters choose to minimize seed oils and prefer foods cooked in beef tallow, butter, coconut oil, or olive oil instead. This page shows estimated PUFA grams per menu item to help you make more informed choices. These are estimates — actual values vary by preparation and location. New to the topic? Start with what seed oils are and the complete list, or read the evidence on why people avoid them.
Compare other chains
IHOP · Waffle House · Cracker Barrel · First Watch · Bob Evans · Perkins Restaurant & Bakery
See where Denny's lands on the full Seed Oil Index, or check which chains cook in real fats on Tallow Watch. Wondering about a specific dish instead? The Is It Seed Oil food guide answers it for 200+ everyday foods, and the distributor oils page covers what independent restaurants fry in.