Denny's Seed Oil Report Card
Based on our menu research, Denny's cooks with: Fryer oil is a soybean/canola/cottonseed vegetable blend; griddles are seasoned with the same fryer oil, so griddled items run high.. Across the 57 menu items we analyzed, it averages 9.0g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of D (Very High Risk).
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Safest Orders at Denny'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.
Cleanest full order: 2 Eggs (any style) + Seasonal Fruit, 1.0g total
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Seasonal Fruit | 0.0g |
| Burger Patty Only (No Bun) | 1.8g |
| 2 Eggs (Boiled) | 2.1g |
| Bacon Strips (4) | 3.6g |
| Fit Slam | 4.0g |
What to Avoid at Denny's
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Ranch Dressing (3 oz) | 25.2g |
| Crispy Chicken Sandwich | 20.0g |
| Premium Chicken Tenders (4) | 18.6g |
| Honey Mustard Dressing (3 oz) | 18.6g |
| Country-Fried Steak & Eggs | 18.0g |
Every Denny's item, ranked
All 57 items we have for Denny's, safest first. Values are estimated grams of seed-oil PUFA per item.
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Seasonal Fruit | 0.0g |
| Fresh Sauteed Broccoli | 0.0g |
| Sweet & Tangy BBQ Sauce | 0.0g |
| Bourbon Sauce | 0.0g |
| Brown Gravy | 0.0g |
| Country Gravy | 0.9g |
| New York Style Cheesecake | 1.7g |
| Burger Patty Only (No Bun) | 1.8g |
| Whipped Mashed Potatoes | 2.0g |
| 2 Eggs (Boiled) | 2.1g |
| Oreo Milkshake | 2.2g |
| Kids Mac & Cheese | 3.0g |
| Bacon Strips (4) | 3.6g |
| Fit Slam | 4.0g |
| Kids Jr. Pancakes | 4.0g |
| Garlic Bread | 4.0g |
| Double Berry Banana Pancake Breakfast | 4.5g |
| Hash Browns | 4.6g |
| Buttermilk Pancakes (3pc) | 5.0g |
| Toast with Whipped Margarine | 5.8g |
| Caramel Apple Crisp | 6.0g |
| Buttermilk Pancakes (stack of 2) | 6.0g |
| T-Bone Steak & Eggs | 6.0g |
| Sausage Links (4pc) | 6.3g |
| French Toast (2pc) | 7.0g |
| Buffalo Sauce | 7.0g |
| Blue Cheese Dressing (1.5 oz) | 8.1g |
| Honey Mustard Dressing (1.5 oz) | 9.0g |
| Kids Chicken Tenders | 9.3g |
| All-American Slam | 10.0g |
| The Super Bird | 10.0g |
| Mozzarella Cheese Sticks | 10.0g |
| Build Your Own Burger | 10.0g |
| Moons Over My Hammy | 11.0g |
| Original Grand Slam | 12.0g |
| Cobb Salad | 12.0g |
| Cali Turkey Melt | 12.0g |
| 2 Eggs (Scrambled) | 12.0g |
| 2 Eggs (Fried / Basted) | 12.0g |
| Ranch Dressing (1.5 oz) | 12.6g |
| Wavy Cut Fries | 12.8g |
| French Toast Slam | 13.0g |
| Double Cheeseburger | 13.0g |
| Flamin' 5-Pepper Burger | 14.0g |
| Santa Fe Sizzlin' Skillet | 14.0g |
| Cali Club Sandwich | 14.0g |
| Lumberjack Slam | 15.0g |
| Bourbon Bacon Burger | 15.0g |
| Seasoned Fries | 15.1g |
| Onion Rings | 15.7g |
| Blue Cheese Dressing (3 oz) | 16.2g |
| Country-Fried Steak & Eggs | 18.0g |
| Country-Fried Steak Dinner | 18.0g |
| Premium Chicken Tenders (4) | 18.6g |
| Honey Mustard Dressing (3 oz) | 18.6g |
| Crispy Chicken Sandwich | 20.0g |
| Ranch Dressing (3 oz) | 25.2g |
Fry Oil History at Denny's
Cooking in trans fat free cooking oil since March 2007.
A Denny's release from March 2007 said the chain had completed the switch to trans fat free cooking oil in all of its restaurants. Denny's also started testing trans fat free margarine and spreads at the same time. Source
Every documented oil switch across the industry lives on the Oil History timeline.
Frequently asked
Does Denny's use seed oils?
Based on our menu research, Denny's cooks with: Fryer oil is a soybean/canola/cottonseed vegetable blend; griddles are seasoned with the same fryer oil, so griddled items run high.. Across the 57 menu items we analyzed, it averages 9.0g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of D (Very High Risk).
What oil does Denny's cook with?
Our research indicates: Fryer oil is a soybean/canola/cottonseed vegetable blend; griddles are seasoned with the same fryer oil, so griddled items run high.. Preparation can vary by location, so treat PUFA numbers as estimates.
Does Denny's use beef tallow?
No. Our research indicates Denny's cooks with Fryer oil is a soybean/canola/cottonseed vegetable blend; griddles are seasoned with the same fryer oil, so griddled items run high., not beef tallow. For chains that fry in tallow or other real fats, see Tallow Watch.
Is Denny's seed oil free?
No. Our research indicates Denny's cooks with Fryer oil is a soybean/canola/cottonseed vegetable blend; griddles are seasoned with the same fryer oil, so griddled items run high., which includes seed oils. See the lower-PUFA orders above for the cleanest picks.
What is the safest thing to order at Denny's?
Seasonal Fruit is the lowest-PUFA item we analyzed at Denny's, at an estimated 0.0g PUFA. See the Safest Orders list on this page for more options.
What should I avoid at Denny's?
Ranch Dressing (3 oz) is the highest-PUFA item we analyzed at Denny's, at an estimated 25.2g 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 Denny's 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.