What oil does Wendy's fry in?
Wendy's fries in canola and cottonseed oil.
In detail: vegetable oil blend — soybean, canola and/or cottonseed (fries, fried chicken).
Ordering at Wendy's? Build your meal in the app and see its seed oil total before you pay.
Build my orderWendy's at a glance
| Fry oil (US) | Canola and cottonseed oil |
| Seed oils | Yes |
| Beef tallow | No |
| Peanut oil | No |
| Seed oil grade | B (4.4 g average per item, 220 items) |
| Is it a seed oil? | Canola oil: Yes · Cottonseed oil: Yes |
The 5 cleanest things to order at Wendy'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.
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Burger Patty Only (No Bun) | 1.1g |
| Jr. Cheeseburger | 1.5g |
| Oatmeal Bar | 2.0g |
| Jr. Hamburger | 2.1g |
| Grilled Chicken Sandwich | 3.0g |
Lower PUFA is cleaner. These are estimates from published nutrition data and disclosed oils; preparation varies by location.
Build your Wendy's order
Pick your meal, sides, sauces and drink in the app and see your seed oil total before you order. It logs to your day in one tap. Free on iPhone and Android.
Build my orderWendy's fry oil in other countries
Wendy's states its fryer oil in 4 countries, and it is not the same everywhere.
- Canola (rapeseed), soybean, corn and cottonseed oil: Bahamas, Canada, Cayman Islands
- Canola (rapeseed) and sunflower oil: UK
How Wendy's has changed its frying oil
Wendy's said in June 2006 it would convert, and announced on August 24, 2006 that all of its US restaurants were done. Fries and breaded chicken went from partially hydrogenated oil to a soy and corn blend with zero grams of trans fat per serving. Source
Wendy's announced the change on June 8, 2006 after about a year of testing in Florida, North Carolina, West Virginia and Ontario. Rollout to all 6,300 US and Canadian restaurants started that August and cut trans fat in those items by about 95 percent. Source
Wendy's moved off beef tallow around 1990, in the same wave that pushed McDonald's and Burger King to switch. Sourcing for the exact month is weak, so the year is the best anchor here. Source
Every documented oil switch across the industry lives on the Oil History timeline.
What oil do other chains like Wendy's use?
- What oil does McDonald's use? Canola and soybean oil
- What oil does Burger King use? Corn and cottonseed oil
- What oil does Five Guys use? Peanut oil
- What oil does In-N-Out Burger use? Sunflower oil
- What oil does Whataburger use? Soybean oil and vegetable oil blend
- What oil does Culver's use? Canola oil
- What oil does Shake Shack use? Soybean oil
- What oil does Smashburger use? Beef tallow
Why the frying oil matters
Most fast-food chains fry in seed oils like soybean, canola, corn, or a blend of them, which are high in polyunsaturated fat (PUFA). A handful still use beef tallow or other stable fats, which are far lower in PUFA. The oil a kitchen fries in is the single biggest driver of how much seed oil ends up on your plate. See the full breakdown on the Wendy's report card, or where it lands on the Seed Oil Index. See which chains fry in real fats on Tallow Watch.
Frequently asked
What oil does Wendy's fry in?
Wendy's fries in canola and cottonseed oil. In detail: vegetable oil blend — soybean, canola and/or cottonseed (fries, fried chicken).
Does Wendy's use seed oils?
Yes. Wendy's fries in canola and cottonseed oil. Its seed oil grade is B, about 4.4 g of polyunsaturated fat per menu item.
Does Wendy's use beef tallow?
No. Wendy's fries in canola and cottonseed oil, not beef tallow.
Does Wendy's use peanut oil?
Not that we can find. Wendy's fries in canola and cottonseed oil. If you have a peanut allergy, ask the restaurant directly, because oils and suppliers can vary by location.
What is the lowest seed oil order at Wendy's?
Burger Patty Only (No Bun) (1.1 g of polyunsaturated fat). Next: Jr. Cheeseburger (1.5 g) and Grilled Chicken Sandwich (3.0 g).
Which Wendy's item has the most seed oil?
Cobb Salad, at about 20.4 g of polyunsaturated fat as listed.