Cafe Rio Seed Oil Report Card
Based on our menu research, Cafe Rio cooks with: soybean and canola oil. Across the 99 menu items we analyzed, it averages 6.1g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of C (High Risk).
What oil does Cafe Rio fry in? The full answer
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Safest Orders at Cafe Rio
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 |
|---|---|
| Shredded Chicken Taco | 4.0g |
| Pork Barbacoa Taco | 4.0g |
| Chile Roasted Beef Taco | 4.0g |
| Fire Grilled Chicken Taco | 4.0g |
| Fire Grilled Salmon Taco | 4.0g |
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Build my orderWhat to Avoid at Cafe Rio
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Chicken Burrito | 14.0g |
| Chicken Quesadilla | 14.0g |
| Shrimp Burrito | 13.0g |
| Chicken Enchiladas | 13.0g |
| Chicken Tacos (3) | 13.0g |
Every Cafe Rio item, ranked
All 99 items we have for Cafe Rio, safest first. Values are estimated grams of seed-oil PUFA per item.
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Pico de Gallo | 0.0g |
| Horchata | 0.0g |
| Mint Limeade | 0.0g |
| Blueberry Mint Limeade | 0.0g |
| Fountain Drink | 0.0g |
| Green Chile Sauce | 0.0g |
| Salsa Fresca | 0.0g |
| Sour Cream | 0.1g |
| Guacamole | 0.4g |
| Black Beans | 0.6g |
| 6 inch Flour Tortilla | 0.6g |
| Pinto Beans | 0.9g |
| Rice | 0.9g |
| Famous Tres Leches | 0.9g |
| Shredded Jack Cheese | 0.9g |
| Red Chile Sauce | 1.0g |
| Cheddar Jack Blend | 1.0g |
| Cilantro Lime Rice | 1.2g |
| Cilantro Lime Dressing | 1.2g |
| 12 inch Flour Tortilla | 1.5g |
| Elotes | 2.0g |
| Grilled Fajita Veggies | 2.0g |
| Chocolate Flan | 2.0g |
| Coconut Flan | 2.0g |
| Chips & Salsa | 3.6g |
| Chips & Queso | 3.8g |
| Chips & Guacamole | 4.0g |
| Shredded Chicken Taco | 4.0g |
| Pork Barbacoa Taco | 4.0g |
| Chile Roasted Beef Taco | 4.0g |
| Fire Grilled Chicken Taco | 4.0g |
| Fire Grilled Salmon Taco | 4.0g |
| Cheese Enchilada | 4.0g |
| Kids Cheese Quesadilla Meal | 4.0g |
| Chips & Elotes | 5.0g |
| Fire Grilled Steak Taco | 5.0g |
| Shredded Chicken Enchilada | 5.0g |
| Pork Barbacoa Enchilada | 5.0g |
| Fire Grilled Chicken Enchilada | 5.0g |
| Shredded Chicken Tostada | 5.0g |
| Pork Barbacoa Tostada | 5.0g |
| Kids Chicken Quesadilla Meal | 5.0g |
| Kids Beef Quesadilla Meal | 5.0g |
| Tortilla Soup | 5.9g |
| Double Shredded Chicken Taco | 6.0g |
| Double Pork Barbacoa Taco | 6.0g |
| Veggie Salad | 6.0g |
| Fire Grilled Steak Enchilada | 6.0g |
| Shredded Cheese Quesadilla | 6.0g |
| Fire Grilled Chicken Tostada | 6.0g |
| Grilled Salmon Tostada | 6.0g |
| Kids Grilled Chicken Quesadilla Meal | 6.0g |
| Beans Rice & Cheese Burrito | 7.0g |
| Shredded Chicken Salad | 7.0g |
| Shredded Chicken Bowl | 7.0g |
| Shredded Chicken Quesadilla | 7.0g |
| Fire Grilled Steak Tostada | 7.0g |
| Fresh Lime Pie | 7.0g |
| Shredded Chicken Burrito | 8.0g |
| Double Fire Grilled Steak Taco | 8.0g |
| Pork Barbacoa Salad | 8.0g |
| Chile Roasted Beef Salad | 8.0g |
| Fire Grilled Chicken Salad | 8.0g |
| Fire Grilled Salmon Salad | 8.0g |
| Pork Barbacoa Bowl | 8.0g |
| Chile Roasted Beef Bowl | 8.0g |
| Fire Grilled Chicken Bowl | 8.0g |
| Fire Grilled Salmon Bowl | 8.0g |
| Pork Barbacoa Quesadilla | 8.0g |
| Fire Grilled Chicken Quesadilla | 8.0g |
| Vegetarian Nachos | 8.0g |
| Sweet Pork Salad | 9.0g |
| Creamy Tomatillo Dressing | 9.0g |
| Pork Barbacoa Burrito | 9.0g |
| Chile Roasted Beef Burrito | 9.0g |
| Fire Grilled Chicken Burrito | 9.0g |
| Fire Grilled Salmon Burrito | 9.0g |
| Fire Grilled Steak Salad | 9.0g |
| Fire Grilled Steak Bowl | 9.0g |
| Fire Grilled Steak Quesadilla | 9.0g |
| Shredded Chicken Nachos | 9.0g |
| Pork Barbacoa Nachos | 9.0g |
| Sweet Pork Burrito | 10.0g |
| Sweet Pork Tacos (3) | 10.0g |
| Fire Grilled Steak Burrito | 10.0g |
| Fire Grilled Chicken Nachos | 10.0g |
| Steak Salad | 11.0g |
| Sweet Pork Enchiladas | 11.0g |
| Fire Grilled Steak Nachos | 11.0g |
| Steak Burrito | 12.0g |
| Chicken Salad | 12.0g |
| Sweet Pork Quesadilla | 12.0g |
| Coconut Shrimp Tacos | 12.0g |
| Baja Citrus Shrimp Tacos | 12.0g |
| Shrimp Burrito | 13.0g |
| Chicken Enchiladas | 13.0g |
| Chicken Tacos (3) | 13.0g |
| Chicken Burrito | 14.0g |
| Chicken Quesadilla | 14.0g |
Frequently asked
Does Cafe Rio use seed oils?
Based on our menu research, Cafe Rio cooks with: soybean and canola oil. Across the 99 menu items we analyzed, it averages 6.1g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of C (High Risk).
What oil does Cafe Rio cook with?
Our research indicates: soybean/canola blend for cooking (the chain's April 2025 nutrition sheet footnotes that its only soy-derived ingredient is highly refined soybean oil); creamy dressings on a soybean-oil mayo base. The flour tortillas are NOT a soybean-oil product: the chain's own panel prints 7 g saturated on 14 g fat (50%) for the 12-inch tortilla with a vegetarian mark and 0 g trans, which reads as a palm-type shortening. Preparation can vary by location, so treat PUFA numbers as estimates.
Does Cafe Rio use beef tallow?
No. Our research indicates Cafe Rio cooks with soybean and canola oil, not beef tallow. For chains that fry in tallow or other real fats, see Tallow Watch.
Is Cafe Rio seed oil free?
No. Our research indicates Cafe Rio 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 Cafe Rio?
Shredded Chicken Taco is the lowest-PUFA item we analyzed at Cafe Rio, at an estimated 4.0g PUFA. See the Safest Orders list on this page for more options.
What should I avoid at Cafe Rio?
Chicken Burrito is the highest-PUFA item we analyzed at Cafe Rio, 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 Cafe Rio 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.