Carl's Jr. Seed Oil Report Card
Based on our menu research, Carl's Jr. cooks with: soybean and canola oil. Across the 97 menu items we analyzed, it averages 8.5g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of D (Very High Risk).
What oil does Carl's Jr. fry in? The full answer
Eating at Carl's Jr. soon? Build your order in the app and see its seed oil total before you pay.
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Safest Orders at Carl's Jr.
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) + Dasani Water, 1.1g total
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Burger Patty Only (No Bun) | 1.1g |
| Big Cheeseburger | 1.3g |
| El Diablo | 4.1g |
| El Diablo - Double | 4.3g |
| Double Cheeseburger | 5.0g |
Build your Carl's Jr. 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 orderWhat to Avoid at Carl's Jr.
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Grilled Cheese Breakfast Sandwich (Sausage) | 24.5g |
| Guacamole Bacon Burger - Triple | 21.8g |
| Guacamole Bacon Burger - Double | 21.4g |
| Charbroiled Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich | 20.6g |
| Guacamole Bacon Burger | 20.3g |
Around the world: Carl's Jr.
Super Star with Cheese has 10.8g of PUFA in Mexico but 13.0g in the US. Same chain. Why not here?
We have Carl's Jr. in 2 countries. Here is what it cooks with in each one, and how the same menu items compare.
| Country | Cooks with | CrissCut Fries | Hand-Breaded Chicken Sandwich | Onion Rings | Loaded Breakfast Burrito | Super Star with Cheese | Famous Star with Cheese |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. (this page) | soybean and canola oil | 9.0g | 18.4g | 17.4g | 13.7g | 13.0g | 11.5g |
| Mexico | Not disclosed | 16.0g | 16.9g | 16.2g | 14.3g | 10.8g | 10.4g |
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 Carl's Jr. item, ranked
All 97 items we have for Carl's Jr., safest first. Values are estimated grams of seed-oil PUFA per item.
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Triple Berry Frozen Lemonade | 0.0g |
| Frozen Lemonade | 0.0g |
| Hand-Crafted Lemonade | 0.0g |
| Soft Drink | 0.0g |
| Dasani Water | 0.0g |
| Simply Orange Juice | 0.0g |
| Spicy Buffalo Dipping Sauce | 0.0g |
| Sweet & Bold BBQ Dipping Sauce | 0.0g |
| Hand-Crafted Strawberry Lemonade | 0.0g |
| 100% Arabica Coffee | 0.0g |
| Decaf Coffee | 0.0g |
| Chocolate Milk | 0.1g |
| 1% Milk | 0.1g |
| Chocolatey Chip Cookies | 0.7g |
| Hand-Scooped Ice-Cream Shake Small | 1.0g |
| Burger Patty Only (No Bun) | 1.1g |
| Big Cheeseburger | 1.3g |
| Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake | 1.7g |
| Strawberry Shake | 1.9g |
| Vanilla Shake | 1.9g |
| Chocolate Shake | 1.9g |
| Hand-Scooped Ice-Cream Shake Large | 2.0g |
| Hand-Scooped Triple Berry Ice-Cream Shake | 2.0g |
| Cookies & Cream Shake | 2.4g |
| Churro Hand-Scooped Ice-Cream Shake | 3.0g |
| Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit | 3.7g |
| El Diablo | 4.1g |
| El Diablo - Double | 4.3g |
| Double Cheeseburger | 5.0g |
| Kids Meal - Hamburger | 5.0g |
| Waffle Fries Small | 5.0g |
| Charbroiled BBQ Chicken Sandwich | 5.5g |
| Chocolate Cake | 5.5g |
| Steak and Egg Burrito | 5.8g |
| Kids Meal - Cheeseburger | 6.0g |
| Biscuit N' Gravy | 6.0g |
| House Dressing Dipping Sauce | 6.0g |
| Bacon Egg and Cheese Burrito | 6.2g |
| El Diablo - Triple | 6.2g |
| Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders 3-Piece | 6.5g |
| Buttermilk Ranch Dipping Sauce | 6.6g |
| Kids Meal - Chicken Stars (4 Piece) | 7.0g |
| Chicken Stars 6-Piece | 7.1g |
| Kids Meal - Chicken Tenders (2 Piece) | 8.0g |
| Waffle Fries | 8.0g |
| Western Bacon Cheeseburger | 8.1g |
| Natural-Cut French Fries Small | 8.1g |
| Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders 5-Piece | 8.2g |
| Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce | 8.4g |
| Double Western Bacon Cheeseburger | 8.5g |
| Hash Rounds Small | 8.7g |
| Sausage Egg & Cheese Biscuit | 8.8g |
| CrissCut Fries | 9.0g |
| A.1. Double Cheeseburger | 9.0g |
| Guacamole Bacon Breakfast Burrito | 9.0g |
| Western Bacon Cheeseburger - Triple | 9.7g |
| The Breakfast Burger | 9.8g |
| Sourdough Star Single | 10.0g |
| Chicken Stars 9-Piece | 10.6g |
| Natural-Cut French Fries Medium | 11.0g |
| The Most American Thickburger | 11.0g |
| Waffle Fries Large | 11.0g |
| Hash Rounds Medium | 11.0g |
| Fried Zucchini | 11.0g |
| French Toast Dips | 11.0g |
| Famous Star with Cheese - Double | 11.1g |
| Famous Star with Cheese | 11.5g |
| Big Carl | 11.5g |
| Monster Biscuit | 11.8g |
| Jalapeno Poppers Bites 6-Piece | 12.0g |
| Big Carl - Double | 12.7g |
| Natural-Cut French Fries Large | 12.8g |
| Super Star with Cheese | 13.0g |
| Sourdough Star Double | 13.0g |
| Cali XL Burger | 13.0g |
| Redhook Beer-Battered Fish Sandwich | 13.0g |
| Famous Star with Cheese - Triple | 13.1g |
| Big Carl - Triple | 13.1g |
| Spicy Chicken Sandwich | 13.3g |
| Loaded Breakfast Burrito | 13.7g |
| California Classic Double Cheeseburger | 14.5g |
| Jalapeno Double Cheeseburger | 14.5g |
| Hash Rounds Large | 15.7g |
| Zucchini Star | 15.9g |
| Sourdough Star Triple | 16.0g |
| Grilled Cheese Breakfast Sandwich (Bacon) | 16.5g |
| Big Country Breakfast Burrito | 16.9g |
| Onion Rings | 17.4g |
| Jalapeno Poppers Bites 9-Piece | 17.5g |
| Charbroiled Chicken Club Sandwich | 17.9g |
| Hand-Breaded Chicken Sandwich | 18.4g |
| Hand-Breaded Bacon Swiss Chicken Sandwich | 18.8g |
| Guacamole Bacon Burger | 20.3g |
| Charbroiled Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich | 20.6g |
| Guacamole Bacon Burger - Double | 21.4g |
| Guacamole Bacon Burger - Triple | 21.8g |
| Grilled Cheese Breakfast Sandwich (Sausage) | 24.5g |
Frequently asked
Does Carl's Jr. use seed oils?
Based on our menu research, Carl's Jr. cooks with: soybean and canola oil. Across the 97 menu items we analyzed, it averages 8.5g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of D (Very High Risk).
What oil does Carl's Jr. cook with?
Our research indicates: soybean and canola blend (confirmed via ingredient/allergen disclosures; PUFA fraction ~0.42). Preparation can vary by location, so treat PUFA numbers as estimates.
Does Carl's Jr. use beef tallow?
No. Our research indicates Carl's Jr. cooks with soybean and canola oil, not beef tallow. For chains that fry in tallow or other real fats, see Tallow Watch.
Is Carl's Jr. seed oil free?
No. Our research indicates Carl's Jr. 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 Carl's Jr.?
Burger Patty Only (No Bun) is the lowest-PUFA item we analyzed at Carl's Jr., at an estimated 1.1g PUFA. See the Safest Orders list on this page for more options.
What should I avoid at Carl's Jr.?
Grilled Cheese Breakfast Sandwich (Sausage) is the highest-PUFA item we analyzed at Carl's Jr., at an estimated 24.5g 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 Carl's Jr. 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.