Dave's Hot Chicken Seed Oil Report Card
Based on our menu research, Dave's Hot Chicken cooks with: Fries in a soybean-type seed oil blend (basis: 1 tender = 10g PUFA); Dave's sauce, kale slaw and ranch are soybean-mayo based and stack on top.. Across the 52 menu items we analyzed, it averages 19.6g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of F (Extreme Risk).
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Safest Orders at Dave's Hot Chicken
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: Cauli Tender + Bottled Water, 16.8g total
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Strawberries and Creme Slusher | 0.8g |
| Orange Creme Slusher | 0.8g |
| Mac & Cheese | 3.2g |
| Cauli Tender | 16.8g |
| Single Tender | 19.3g |
What to Avoid at Dave's Hot Chicken
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Hot Box Dave's Bites | 149.0g |
| Hot Box Tenders | 55.0g |
| Large Top Loaded Fries | 52.8g |
| Hot Box Sliders | 50.0g |
| #2 Two Sliders w/ Fries | 47.8g |
Every Dave's Hot Chicken item, ranked
All 52 items we have for Dave's Hot Chicken, safest first. Values are estimated grams of seed-oil PUFA per item.
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Frozen Hi-C Orange LavaBurst Slusher | 0.0g |
| Frozen Minute Maid Strawberry Lemonade Slusher | 0.0g |
| Fountain Drink | 0.0g |
| Frozen Hi-C Flashin' Fruit Punch Slusher | 0.0g |
| Mike's Hot Honey Sauce | 0.0g |
| Strawberries and Creme Slusher | 0.8g |
| Orange Creme Slusher | 0.8g |
| Cheese Sauce | 1.0g |
| Chocolate Shake Small | 2.5g |
| Strawberry Shake Small | 2.5g |
| Vanilla Shake Small | 2.5g |
| Oreo Top Loaded Shake | 3.0g |
| Fruity Pebbles Top Loaded Shake | 3.0g |
| M&M Top Loaded Shake | 3.0g |
| Strawberry Shake Regular | 3.1g |
| Vanilla Shake Regular | 3.1g |
| Chocolate Shake Regular | 3.1g |
| Mac & Cheese | 3.2g |
| Chocolate Shake Large | 4.7g |
| Vanilla Shake Large | 4.7g |
| Strawberry Shake Large | 4.7g |
| Honey Mustard | 5.0g |
| Ranch Sauce | 9.0g |
| Dave's Sauce | 10.0g |
| French Fries | 12.0g |
| Cheese Fries | 12.0g |
| Reaper Sauce | 12.0g |
| Ranch | 12.6g |
| Kale Slaw | 15.6g |
| Cauli Tender | 16.8g |
| Side of Dave's Sauce | 16.8g |
| Single Tender | 19.3g |
| Cheese Slider | 20.0g |
| Cauli Slider | 22.2g |
| 10 pc. Cauli Tender Bites | 22.2g |
| Single Slider | 22.3g |
| Small Top Loaded Fries | 23.4g |
| 10 pc. Dave's Bites | 24.2g |
| Single Tender w/ Fries | 30.4g |
| 10 pc. Cauli Tender Bites with Fries | 34.2g |
| #4 Single Slider w/ Fries | 34.3g |
| 2 Cauli Tenders with Fries | 34.8g |
| 10 pc. Dave's Bites with Fries | 36.2g |
| #1 Two Tenders w/ Fries | 39.5g |
| #3 Slider & Tender w/ Fries | 42.5g |
| Regular Top Loaded Fries | 44.4g |
| 2 Cauli Sliders with Fries | 45.0g |
| #2 Two Sliders w/ Fries | 47.8g |
| Hot Box Sliders | 50.0g |
| Large Top Loaded Fries | 52.8g |
| Hot Box Tenders | 55.0g |
| Hot Box Dave's Bites | 149.0g |
Frequently asked
Does Dave's Hot Chicken use seed oils?
Based on our menu research, Dave's Hot Chicken cooks with: Fries in a soybean-type seed oil blend (basis: 1 tender = 10g PUFA); Dave's sauce, kale slaw and ranch are soybean-mayo based and stack on top.. Across the 52 menu items we analyzed, it averages 19.6g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of F (Extreme Risk).
What oil does Dave's Hot Chicken cook with?
Our research indicates: Fries in a soybean-type seed oil blend (basis: 1 tender = 10g PUFA); Dave's sauce, kale slaw and ranch are soybean-mayo based and stack on top.. Preparation can vary by location, so treat PUFA numbers as estimates.
Does Dave's Hot Chicken use beef tallow?
No. Our research indicates Dave's Hot Chicken cooks with Fries in a soybean-type seed oil blend (basis: 1 tender = 10g PUFA); Dave's sauce, kale slaw and ranch are soybean-mayo based and stack on top., not beef tallow. For chains that fry in tallow or other real fats, see Tallow Watch.
Is Dave's Hot Chicken seed oil free?
No. Our research indicates Dave's Hot Chicken cooks with Fries in a soybean-type seed oil blend (basis: 1 tender = 10g PUFA); Dave's sauce, kale slaw and ranch are soybean-mayo based and stack on top., which includes seed oils. See the lower-PUFA orders above for the cleanest picks.
What is the safest thing to order at Dave's Hot Chicken?
Strawberries and Creme Slusher is the lowest-PUFA item we analyzed at Dave's Hot Chicken, at an estimated 0.8g PUFA. See the Safest Orders list on this page for more options.
What should I avoid at Dave's Hot Chicken?
Hot Box Dave's Bites is the highest-PUFA item we analyzed at Dave's Hot Chicken, at an estimated 149.0g 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 Dave's Hot Chicken 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.