Famous Dave's Seed Oil Report Card
Based on our menu research, Famous Dave's cooks with: Smoked/BBQ meats in beef/pork/poultry fat (tallow/lard); fried items and mayo-based sides use soybean/vegetable oil; cornbread uses canola-soybean blend. Across the 91 menu items we analyzed, it averages 9.1g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of D (Very High Risk).
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Safest Orders at Famous Dave'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: Garden Salad + Iced Tea, 1.8g total
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Grilled Pineapple Steaks | 0.0g |
| Collard Greens | 1.0g |
| Down Home Banana Pudding | 1.7g |
| Garden Salad | 1.8g |
| Dave's Award-Winning Chili | 2.2g |
What to Avoid at Famous Dave's
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Onion Straws | 73.7g |
| Onion Strings | 73.7g |
| Sweetwater Catfish Fingers | 30.2g |
| Cajun Chicken Sandwich | 23.3g |
| Remoulade Sauce | 22.0g |
Every Famous Dave's item, ranked
All 91 items we have for Famous Dave's, safest first. Values are estimated grams of seed-oil PUFA per item.
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Grilled Pineapple Steaks | 0.0g |
| Fountain Soda | 0.0g |
| Fountain Drink | 0.0g |
| Rich & Sassy BBQ Sauce | 0.0g |
| Devil's Spit BBQ Sauce | 0.0g |
| Collard Greens | 1.0g |
| Fresh Steamed Broccoli | 1.0g |
| Baked Beans | 1.1g |
| Wilbur Beans | 1.1g |
| Down Home Banana Pudding | 1.7g |
| Garden Salad | 1.8g |
| Dave's Award-Winning Chili | 2.2g |
| Potato Salad | 3.0g |
| Sweet Corn on the Cob | 3.0g |
| Georgia Chopped Pork | 3.0g |
| Garlic Red-Skin Mashed Potatoes | 3.0g |
| Lil' Wilbur Roasted Chicken Kids Meal | 3.0g |
| Lil' Wilbur BBQ Chicken Kids Meal | 3.0g |
| St. Louis-Style Spareribs - 4 Bones | 3.0g |
| Southside BBQ Sauce | 3.0g |
| Buffalo Sauce | 3.9g |
| Devil's Spit Chicken (half) | 4.0g |
| Georgia Mud Sundae | 4.0g |
| Baby Back Ribs - Half Rack | 4.0g |
| St. Louis-Style Spareribs - 6 Bones | 4.0g |
| Texas Beef Brisket | 4.0g |
| Lil' Wilbur Chopped Pork Sandwich Kids Meal | 4.0g |
| Lil' Wilbur Mac & Cheese Kids Meal | 4.1g |
| Creamy Coleslaw | 4.2g |
| Dave's Cheesy Mac & Cheese | 4.5g |
| Chicken Tenders (3 pc) | 4.6g |
| Lil' Wilbur Chicken Tenders Kids Meal | 4.6g |
| Baby Back Ribs (half slab) | 5.0g |
| Bread Pudding | 5.0g |
| Burnt Ends Sandwich | 5.0g |
| Burnt Ends Appetizer | 5.0g |
| Southside Rib Tips | 5.0g |
| St. Louis-Style Spareribs (half slab) | 6.0g |
| BBQ Chicken Sandwich | 6.0g |
| Corn Muffin | 6.0g |
| Baby Back-N-Meat Combo | 6.0g |
| St. Louis-N-Baby Combo | 6.0g |
| Hickory Chicken Sandwich | 6.0g |
| Two-Meat Combo | 6.0g |
| Lil' Wilbur Burger Kids Meal | 6.5g |
| Barbeque Pulled Chicken | 6.7g |
| Brisket Burger | 7.0g |
| Wilbur Burger | 7.0g |
| Baby Back Ribs - Full Rack | 7.0g |
| St. Louis Rib-N-Meat Combo | 7.0g |
| Country-Roasted Chicken | 7.0g |
| Hand Breaded Chicken Tenders | 7.1g |
| Barbeque Chicken | 7.3g |
| Cedar Plank Salmon | 7.5g |
| Smoked Jalapeno Cheddar Sausage | 7.6g |
| Barbeque Pulled Chicken Sandwich | 8.0g |
| St. Louis-Style Spareribs - Full Slab | 8.0g |
| Boneless Chicken Wings - Half Pound | 8.6g |
| Traditional Chicken Wings - Half Pound | 8.8g |
| Devil's Spit Burger | 9.0g |
| Beef Brisket (4 oz) | 9.3g |
| Build Your Own Burger | 9.3g |
| Famous Fries | 9.3g |
| Dave's Award-Winning Bread Pudding | 9.8g |
| Seasoned Fries | 10.0g |
| Coleslaw | 10.0g |
| Dave's Sassy Barbeque Salad | 10.0g |
| Salmon Caesar Salad | 10.0g |
| Dave's Favorite Burger | 10.5g |
| Pulled Pork (4 oz) | 10.7g |
| Southern Catfish (2 pc) | 11.0g |
| Smoked Brisket Egg Rolls | 11.0g |
| Feast For Two | 12.0g |
| Southern Fried Shrimp | 12.0g |
| Texas Beef Brisket Sandwich | 12.0g |
| Georgia Chopped Pork Sandwich | 12.6g |
| Chili Cheese Fries | 14.0g |
| Iris' Down Home Fried Chicken | 14.0g |
| All-American BBQ Feast | 15.0g |
| Ultimate BBQ Burger | 15.5g |
| Comeback Sauce | 15.5g |
| Traditional Chicken Wings - Full Pound | 17.6g |
| Iris' Fried Chicken Feast | 18.0g |
| Boneless Chicken Wings - Full Pound | 18.0g |
| Caesar Salad | 18.6g |
| Chicken Caesar Salad | 20.2g |
| Remoulade Sauce | 22.0g |
| Cajun Chicken Sandwich | 23.3g |
| Sweetwater Catfish Fingers | 30.2g |
| Onion Straws | 73.7g |
| Onion Strings | 73.7g |
Frequently asked
Does Famous Dave's use seed oils?
Based on our menu research, Famous Dave's cooks with: Smoked/BBQ meats in beef/pork/poultry fat (tallow/lard); fried items and mayo-based sides use soybean/vegetable oil; cornbread uses canola-soybean blend. Across the 91 menu items we analyzed, it averages 9.1g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of D (Very High Risk).
What oil does Famous Dave's cook with?
Our research indicates: Smoked/BBQ meats in beef/pork/poultry fat (tallow/lard); fried items and mayo-based sides use soybean/vegetable oil; cornbread uses canola-soybean blend. Preparation can vary by location, so treat PUFA numbers as estimates.
Does Famous Dave's use beef tallow?
Yes, at least for some items. Our research indicates: Smoked/BBQ meats in beef/pork/poultry fat (tallow/lard); fried items and mayo-based sides use soybean/vegetable oil; cornbread uses canola-soybean blend. Beef tallow is far lower in PUFA than seed oils.
Is Famous Dave's seed oil free?
No. Our research indicates Famous Dave's cooks with Smoked/BBQ meats in beef/pork/poultry fat (tallow/lard); fried items and mayo-based sides use soybean/vegetable oil; cornbread uses canola-soybean blend, which includes seed oils. See the lower-PUFA orders above for the cleanest picks.
What is the safest thing to order at Famous Dave's?
Grilled Pineapple Steaks is the lowest-PUFA item we analyzed at Famous Dave's, at an estimated 0.0g PUFA. See the Safest Orders list on this page for more options.
What should I avoid at Famous Dave's?
Onion Straws is the highest-PUFA item we analyzed at Famous Dave's, at an estimated 73.7g 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.
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See where Famous Dave'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.