McAlister's Deli Seed Oil Report Card
Based on our menu research, McAlister's Deli cooks with: Soybean oil — primary source in mayo, Thousand Island dressing, ranch dressing, and nacho cheese; confirmed in McAlister's allergen/ingredient disclosures. Across the 96 menu items we analyzed, it averages 10.4g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of D (Very High Risk).
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Safest Orders at McAlister's Deli
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: Veggie Spud + Coffee, 1.4g total
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Sour Cream | 0.5g |
| Garden Salad | 1.0g |
| Veggie Spud | 1.4g |
| The New Yorker | 1.7g |
| Veggie Chili (Cup) | 1.7g |
What to Avoid at McAlister's Deli
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad | 44.7g |
| Caesar Salad | 42.4g |
| Spicy Turkey Melt (12-inch) | 37.4g |
| Black Angus King Club | 31.6g |
| Ultimate Nachos | 29.9g |
Every McAlister's Deli item, ranked
All 96 items we have for McAlister's Deli, safest first. Values are estimated grams of seed-oil PUFA per item.
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Fountain Drink | 0.0g |
| McAlister's Famous Sweet Tea | 0.0g |
| Peach Mango Tea | 0.0g |
| McAlister's Lemonade | 0.0g |
| Sour Cream | 0.5g |
| Kids Spud | 0.8g |
| Kids Auntie Anne's Mini Pretzel Dogs | 1.0g |
| Garden Salad | 1.0g |
| Veggie Spud | 1.4g |
| The New Yorker | 1.7g |
| Veggie Chili (Cup) | 1.7g |
| Savannah Chopped Salad | 2.0g |
| Justa Spud | 2.0g |
| Veggie Chili (Bowl) | 2.3g |
| Country Potato Soup (Cup) | 2.4g |
| Chocolate Chip Cookie | 2.7g |
| Southwest Chicken & Avocado Salad | 2.9g |
| Apple Caramel Crisp Cookie | 3.0g |
| Peach Cobbler Cheesecake | 3.0g |
| Butter Pecan Cheesecake | 3.0g |
| Black Angus Roast Beef Spud | 3.0g |
| Kids Turkey Toastie | 3.0g |
| Celebration Cookie | 3.0g |
| Kids Ham Toastie | 3.2g |
| Broccoli and Cheddar Soup (Cup) | 3.3g |
| Chicken Tortilla Soup (Cup) | 3.4g |
| Country Potato Soup (Bowl) | 3.5g |
| Broccoli and Cheddar Soup (Bowl) | 3.7g |
| Loaded Bacon Spud | 3.8g |
| Kids Mac & Cheese | 3.8g |
| Buffalo Chicken Spud | 4.0g |
| Chipotle Chicken & Bacon Spud | 4.0g |
| Kickin Crab Chowder | 4.0g |
| Kids Cheese Toastie | 4.0g |
| Pecanberry Salad | 4.1g |
| Salted Caramel Cookie | 4.1g |
| Chef Salad | 4.3g |
| Grilled Chicken Salad | 4.3g |
| Spud Max | 4.5g |
| Four Cheese Melt | 4.6g |
| Chili (Cup) | 4.6g |
| White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookie | 4.9g |
| Chips | 5.0g |
| Garden Fresh Turkey | 5.0g |
| Kids PB&J Uncrustables | 5.1g |
| Brookie | 5.3g |
| Brownie | 5.5g |
| McAlister's Honey Mustard | 5.5g |
| Chili (Bowl) | 5.7g |
| Grilled Chicken Sandwich | 6.0g |
| Sweet and Smoky Chicken | 6.0g |
| Buffalo Chicken Sandwich | 6.0g |
| Horseradish Roast Beef | 6.0g |
| Chicken Tortilla Soup (Bowl) | 6.4g |
| Mayo | 6.6g |
| Cobbie Salad | 8.0g |
| Chipotle Ranch | 8.4g |
| Sugar Cookie | 8.5g |
| BLT | 9.0g |
| French Dip (12-inch) | 9.4g |
| Chicken Caesar Salad | 10.0g |
| Southwest Chicken Salad | 11.0g |
| Ham & Cheese Melt | 11.7g |
| Buffalo Chicken Nachos | 12.0g |
| Smoky Pepper Jack Turkey | 12.9g |
| Spud Nachos | 13.0g |
| Buffalo Chicken Salad | 13.0g |
| Chicken Bacon Ranch Spud | 13.1g |
| Buttermilk Ranch | 13.2g |
| Reuben | 13.7g |
| Chicken Salad Sandwich | 14.0g |
| Herb Mayo | 14.4g |
| Rachel | 17.1g |
| Spicy Southwest Chicken | 17.5g |
| The Italian (12-inch) | 17.9g |
| McAlister's Club Wrap | 18.4g |
| Harvest Chicken Salad Sandwich | 18.6g |
| Spicy Turkey Melt | 18.7g |
| Grilled Chicken Club | 19.9g |
| McAlister's Club | 20.3g |
| Memphian (12-inch) | 21.2g |
| Grilled Chicken Caesar Wrap | 21.9g |
| The Veggie | 22.2g |
| Colossal Carrot Cake | 22.4g |
| Grilled Chicken King Club | 24.2g |
| King Club | 24.6g |
| Black Angus Club | 24.9g |
| Jalapeno Turkey Crunch | 28.0g |
| Harvest Chicken Salad | 28.8g |
| BLT + Avocado | 29.6g |
| Nacho Basket | 29.6g |
| Ultimate Nachos | 29.9g |
| Black Angus King Club | 31.6g |
| Spicy Turkey Melt (12-inch) | 37.4g |
| Caesar Salad | 42.4g |
| Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad | 44.7g |
Frequently asked
Does McAlister's Deli use seed oils?
Based on our menu research, McAlister's Deli cooks with: Soybean oil — primary source in mayo, Thousand Island dressing, ranch dressing, and nacho cheese; confirmed in McAlister's allergen/ingredient disclosures. Across the 96 menu items we analyzed, it averages 10.4g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of D (Very High Risk).
What oil does McAlister's Deli cook with?
Our research indicates: Soybean oil — primary source in mayo, Thousand Island dressing, ranch dressing, and nacho cheese; confirmed in McAlister's allergen/ingredient disclosures. Preparation can vary by location, so treat PUFA numbers as estimates.
Does McAlister's Deli use beef tallow?
No. Our research indicates McAlister's Deli cooks with Soybean oil — primary source in mayo, Thousand Island dressing, ranch dressing, and nacho cheese; confirmed in McAlister's allergen/ingredient disclosures, not beef tallow. For chains that fry in tallow or other real fats, see Tallow Watch.
Is McAlister's Deli seed oil free?
No. Our research indicates McAlister's Deli cooks with Soybean oil — primary source in mayo, Thousand Island dressing, ranch dressing, and nacho cheese; confirmed in McAlister's allergen/ingredient disclosures, which includes seed oils. See the lower-PUFA orders above for the cleanest picks.
What is the safest thing to order at McAlister's Deli?
Sour Cream is the lowest-PUFA item we analyzed at McAlister's Deli, at an estimated 0.5g PUFA. See the Safest Orders list on this page for more options.
What should I avoid at McAlister's Deli?
Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad is the highest-PUFA item we analyzed at McAlister's Deli, at an estimated 44.7g 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.
Compare other chains
Subway · Jersey Mike's · Jimmy John's · Firehouse Subs · Potbelly · Jason's Deli
See where McAlister's Deli 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.