A&W Seed Oil Report Card
Based on our menu research, A&W cooks with: Fryer oil is high-oleic canola, not soybean. A&W's own ingredient statement on every fried item in its Interactive Nutrition Menu (awrestaurants.com/nutrition, data feed generated 2026-08-03) reads "Canola Oil: High Oleic Canola Oil and Dimethylpolysiloxane". Soybean oil remains in the buns and the mayo-style sauces.. Across the 99 menu items we analyzed, it averages 5.0g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of B (Medium Risk).
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Safest Orders at A&W
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: Corn Dog Nuggets 5 Piece + A&W Root Beer Regular, 3.6g total
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Marinara | 0.5g |
| Waffle Cone (Soft Serve) | 1.0g |
| M&M Polar Swirl (12 oz) | 1.4g |
| Onion Rings (Regular) | 1.6g |
| M&M Polar Swirl (16 oz) | 1.7g |
What to Avoid at A&W
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Dill Pickle Ranch Cheese Curds Large | 14.0g |
| Seafood Fish Sandwich | 13.2g |
| Papa Sauce | 13.0g |
| Spicy Papa Sauce | 13.0g |
| Pork Tenderloin Sandwich | 12.8g |
Every A&W item, ranked
All 99 items we have for A&W, safest first. Values are estimated grams of seed-oil PUFA per item.
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| A&W Root Beer Zero Sugar Regular | 0.0g |
| Kids Apple Sauce | 0.0g |
| Fountain Drink | 0.0g |
| A&W Root Beer Regular | 0.0g |
| A&W Root Beer Large | 0.0g |
| Ketchup | 0.0g |
| A&W Root Beer Float Regular | 0.3g |
| Ice Cream Cone Kids | 0.3g |
| Ice Cream Cone Regular | 0.4g |
| A&W Root Beer Float Large | 0.5g |
| Cheese Sauce | 0.5g |
| Marinara | 0.5g |
| Mustard | 0.5g |
| Chocolate Sundae | 0.6g |
| Hot Caramel Sundae | 0.6g |
| A&W Root Beer Cream Freeze Regular | 0.6g |
| Strawberry Sundae | 0.6g |
| Hot Fudge Sundae | 0.8g |
| Waffle Cone (Soft Serve) | 1.0g |
| Hot Fudge Shake Regular | 1.0g |
| Coney Sauce | 1.0g |
| Strawberry Shake Regular | 1.1g |
| Root Beer Shake Regular | 1.1g |
| A&W Root Beer Cream Freeze Large | 1.1g |
| Vanilla Shake Regular | 1.1g |
| Chocolate Shake Regular | 1.2g |
| M&M Polar Swirl (12 oz) | 1.4g |
| Vanilla Shake Large | 1.5g |
| Strawberry Shake Large | 1.5g |
| Onion Rings (Regular) | 1.6g |
| Chocolate Shake Large | 1.6g |
| M&M Shake Regular | 1.6g |
| M&M Polar Swirl (16 oz) | 1.7g |
| Oreo Shake Regular | 1.8g |
| Cookie Dough Polar Swirl (12 oz) | 1.8g |
| Kids Fries | 2.0g |
| Cookie Dough Shake Regular | 2.0g |
| Cookie Dough Polar Swirl (16 oz) | 2.0g |
| Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders 1 Piece | 2.2g |
| Oreo Polar Swirl (16 oz) | 2.3g |
| Oreo Polar Swirl (12 oz) | 2.4g |
| Fries Regular | 3.1g |
| Onion Rings (Large) | 3.2g |
| Corn Dog Nuggets 5 Piece | 3.6g |
| Chili Cheese Fries Regular | 3.6g |
| Cheese Fries Regular | 3.6g |
| Reese's Shake Regular | 3.9g |
| Cheese Curds (Regular) | 4.0g |
| Reese's Polar Swirl (12 oz) | 4.1g |
| Fries Large | 4.3g |
| Reese's Polar Swirl (16 oz) | 4.3g |
| Hot Dog | 5.0g |
| Cheeseburger Single | 5.0g |
| Mushroom Onion Melt Single | 5.0g |
| Kids Hot Dog | 5.0g |
| Coney Cheese Dog | 5.2g |
| Hamburger Single | 5.5g |
| Chili Dog | 5.8g |
| Coney Dog | 5.8g |
| Texas Toast Melt Single | 6.1g |
| Cheese Fries Large | 6.2g |
| Chili Cheese Fries Large | 6.3g |
| Chicken Strips (3 pc) | 6.4g |
| Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders 3 Piece | 6.4g |
| Hamburger Double | 6.5g |
| Spicy Papa Grilled Chicken Sandwich | 6.6g |
| Corn Dog | 7.0g |
| Spicy Papa Chicken Sandwich | 7.0g |
| 3 Piece Pub Battered Cod | 7.0g |
| Corn Dog Nuggets 10 Piece | 7.4g |
| Papa Burger Single | 7.6g |
| Spicy Papa Burger Single | 7.6g |
| Bacon Cheeseburger Single | 7.7g |
| Bacon & Swiss Burger with Garlic Aioli Single | 8.0g |
| BBQ Bacon Crunch Burger Single | 8.0g |
| Cheese Curds (Large) | 8.0g |
| Cheeseburger Double | 8.2g |
| Mushroom Onion Melt Double | 8.2g |
| Seafood Fried Shrimp | 8.3g |
| Tartar Sauce | 9.0g |
| Texas Toast Melt Double | 9.4g |
| Grilled Chicken Filet Sandwich | 9.6g |
| Deluxe Grilled Chicken Sandwich | 9.6g |
| Footlong Coney Dog | 10.0g |
| Dill Pickle Ranch Cheese Curds Regular | 10.0g |
| Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders 5 Piece | 10.7g |
| Spicy Crispy Chicken Sandwich | 11.0g |
| Bacon & Swiss Burger with Garlic Aioli Double | 11.0g |
| Bacon Cheeseburger Double | 11.1g |
| Crispy Chicken Sandwich | 11.2g |
| Deluxe Crispy Chicken Sandwich | 11.2g |
| BBQ Bacon Crunch Burger Double | 11.3g |
| Spicy Papa Burger Double | 11.7g |
| Papa Burger Double | 11.7g |
| Pork Tenderloin Sandwich | 12.8g |
| Papa Sauce | 13.0g |
| Spicy Papa Sauce | 13.0g |
| Seafood Fish Sandwich | 13.2g |
| Dill Pickle Ranch Cheese Curds Large | 14.0g |
Frequently asked
Does A&W use seed oils?
Based on our menu research, A&W cooks with: Fryer oil is high-oleic canola, not soybean. A&W's own ingredient statement on every fried item in its Interactive Nutrition Menu (awrestaurants.com/nutrition, data feed generated 2026-08-03) reads "Canola Oil: High Oleic Canola Oil and Dimethylpolysiloxane". Soybean oil remains in the buns and the mayo-style sauces.. Across the 99 menu items we analyzed, it averages 5.0g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of B (Medium Risk).
What oil does A&W cook with?
Our research indicates: Fryer oil is high-oleic canola, not soybean. A&W's own ingredient statement on every fried item in its Interactive Nutrition Menu (awrestaurants.com/nutrition, data feed generated 2026-08-03) reads "Canola Oil: High Oleic Canola Oil and Dimethylpolysiloxane". Soybean oil remains in the buns and the mayo-style sauces.. Preparation can vary by location, so treat PUFA numbers as estimates.
Does A&W use beef tallow?
No. Our research indicates A&W cooks with Fryer oil is high-oleic canola, not soybean. A&W's own ingredient statement on every fried item in its Interactive Nutrition Menu (awrestaurants.com/nutrition, data feed generated 2026-08-03) reads "Canola Oil: High Oleic Canola Oil and Dimethylpolysiloxane". Soybean oil remains in the buns and the mayo-style sauces., not beef tallow. For chains that fry in tallow or other real fats, see Tallow Watch.
Is A&W seed oil free?
No. Our research indicates A&W cooks with Fryer oil is high-oleic canola, not soybean. A&W's own ingredient statement on every fried item in its Interactive Nutrition Menu (awrestaurants.com/nutrition, data feed generated 2026-08-03) reads "Canola Oil: High Oleic Canola Oil and Dimethylpolysiloxane". Soybean oil remains in the buns and the mayo-style sauces., which includes seed oils. See the lower-PUFA orders above for the cleanest picks.
What is the safest thing to order at A&W?
Marinara is the lowest-PUFA item we analyzed at A&W, at an estimated 0.5g PUFA. See the Safest Orders list on this page for more options.
What should I avoid at A&W?
Dill Pickle Ranch Cheese Curds Large is the highest-PUFA item we analyzed at A&W, at an estimated 14.0g 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
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See where A&W 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.