Mendocino Farms Seed Oil Report Card
Based on our menu research, Mendocino Farms cooks with: soybean oil. Across the 107 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 Mendocino Farms fry in? The full answer
Eating at Mendocino Farms soon? Build your order in the app and see its seed oil total before you pay.
Build my orderAsk Mendocino Farms to drop seed oils
4 people have asked so far.
One tap, anonymous, no signup. We keep each chain's total public so the demand is impossible to ignore.
Safest Orders at Mendocino Farms
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: 1/2 The Farm Club + Bottled Water, 7.8g total
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Greek Lemon Chicken & Farro Soup (Cup) | 0.9g |
| Tomato Basil Soup (Cup) | 1.4g |
| Greek Lemon Chicken & Farro Soup (Bowl) | 1.8g |
| Tomato Basil Soup (Bowl) | 2.7g |
| Artisan Greens & Roasted Beet Salad | 5.0g |
Build your Mendocino Farms 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 Mendocino Farms
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Spicy Curried Couscous (Large) | 43.2g |
| Not So Fried Chicken Sandwich | 28.8g |
| The Happy Hippie | 28.2g |
| Chimichurri Steak & Bacon | 26.8g |
| Chicken Parm Dip | 24.1g |
Every Mendocino Farms item, ranked
All 107 items we have for Mendocino Farms, safest first. Values are estimated grams of seed-oil PUFA per item.
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Fountain Drink | 0.0g |
| Bottled Water | 0.0g |
| Tangy BBQ Sauce | 0.0g |
| Passion Fruit Black Tea - Unsweetened | 0.0g |
| Housemade Lemonade | 0.0g |
| Pomegranate Mint Lemonade | 0.0g |
| Iced Tea | 0.0g |
| Kid's Apples | 0.0g |
| Organic Valley Milk | 0.1g |
| Get Your Greens | 0.2g |
| Pomodoro Sauce | 0.4g |
| Guava Lemonade | 0.5g |
| Jalapeno Salsa Verde | 0.6g |
| Greek Lemon Chicken & Farro Soup (Cup) | 0.9g |
| Tomato Basil Soup (Cup) | 1.4g |
| Greek Lemon Chicken & Farro Soup (Bowl) | 1.8g |
| Tomato Basil Soup (Bowl) | 2.7g |
| Basil Pesto-Balsamic Vinaigrette (1 fl oz) | 3.2g |
| Chocolate Chip Cookie | 3.4g |
| Oatmeal Raisin Cookie | 3.5g |
| Basil Pesto Shells (Small) | 3.6g |
| Quinoa Side Salad | 4.0g |
| Artisan Greens & Roasted Beet Salad | 5.0g |
| Mac & Cheese | 5.0g |
| Brownie | 5.0g |
| Ham & Gruyere Grilled Cheese | 5.0g |
| Caprese Sandwich | 5.0g |
| Thai Almond Dressing (2 fl oz) | 5.1g |
| Southern Potato Salad (Small) | 5.4g |
| Brie & Apple Sandwich | 6.0g |
| House-made Coleslaw | 6.0g |
| Mac Daddy Tempeh Club | 6.0g |
| Kale & Apple Rainbow Salad (Small) | 6.0g |
| Kid's Grilled Cheddar Cheese Sandwich | 6.2g |
| Smoked BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich | 7.0g |
| Spicy Lemongrass Steak Banh Mi | 7.0g |
| Modern Tuna Melt | 7.0g |
| Kid's Grilled Turkey & Cheddar Sandwich | 7.2g |
| Basil Pesto Shells (Medium) | 7.3g |
| Kid's Peanut Butter & Strawberry Jelly | 7.4g |
| Kid's Crispy Chicken Tenders | 7.5g |
| Miso Mustard Sesame Dressing (2 fl oz) | 7.6g |
| Mustard Shallot Vinaigrette (2 fl oz) | 7.7g |
| 1/2 The Farm Club | 7.8g |
| Prosciutto & Fresh Mozzarella Sandwich | 8.0g |
| Braised Beef Short Rib Sandwich | 8.0g |
| BBQ Chicken & Kale Caesar Salad | 8.0g |
| Pork Belly Banh Mi | 8.0g |
| Steak BLT | 8.0g |
| Ginger Ponzu Dressing (2 fl oz) | 8.0g |
| Vegan Ranch | 8.3g |
| Basil Dijon Vinaigrette (2 fl oz) | 8.3g |
| Grilled Salmon Salad | 9.0g |
| 1/2 Vegan Banh Mi | 9.0g |
| Farmhouse Vinaigrette (2 fl oz) | 9.0g |
| Chipotle Vinaigrette (2 fl oz) | 9.3g |
| Thai Mango Wrap | 9.5g |
| Herb Buttermilk Ranch | 9.5g |
| Avocado & Wheatberry Salad | 10.0g |
| BLTA Sandwich | 10.0g |
| Baja Green Goddess Dressing (2 fl oz) | 10.1g |
| Rustic Red Wine Vinaigrette (2 fl oz) | 10.2g |
| Southern Potato Salad (Medium) | 10.6g |
| Thai Mango Salad | 10.8g |
| Spicy Curried Couscous (Small) | 10.8g |
| 1/2 Turkey Avo Salsa Verde | 10.9g |
| Market Club Sandwich | 11.0g |
| 1/2 Chicken Pesto Caprese | 11.1g |
| 1/2 Vegetarian Pesto Caprese | 11.3g |
| Chen's Crispy Rice Salad (with Chicken) | 11.6g |
| Kale & Apple Rainbow Salad (Medium) | 11.9g |
| Chicken Milanese Sandwich | 12.0g |
| Fajita Steak Salad | 12.3g |
| Chen's Crispy Rice Wrap | 12.5g |
| The Seasonal GOAT Salad | 12.7g |
| Tuna Salad Sandwich | 13.0g |
| Tuscan Pesto Salad | 13.9g |
| Fajita Steak Wrap | 14.0g |
| Avocado & Quinoa Superfood Ensalada | 14.2g |
| Basil Pesto Shells (Large) | 14.2g |
| 1/2 "Not So Fried" Chicken | 14.4g |
| Not So Fried Chicken Salad Style | 14.7g |
| Chen's Crispy Rice Salad (with Tofu) | 14.7g |
| Golden State Cobb Salad | 15.0g |
| The Modern Caesar | 15.5g |
| The Farm Club | 15.7g |
| Avocado & Quinoa Superfood Ensalada Wrap | 16.4g |
| The Modern Caesar Wrap | 17.1g |
| Vegan Banh Mi | 17.4g |
| Golden State Cobb Wrap | 17.6g |
| Prosciutto & Chicken | 17.9g |
| Baja Green Goddess Salad | 18.3g |
| Classic Caesar Dressing (2 fl oz) | 20.4g |
| Baja Green Goddess Wrap | 20.8g |
| Southern Potato Salad (Large) | 21.4g |
| Spicy Curried Couscous (Medium) | 21.6g |
| Peruvian Steak Sandwich | 21.8g |
| Heirloom BLT | 21.8g |
| Chicken Pesto Caprese | 22.1g |
| Turkey Avo Salsa Verde | 22.2g |
| Vegetarian Pesto Caprese | 23.4g |
| Kale & Apple Rainbow Salad (Large) | 23.8g |
| Chicken Parm Dip | 24.1g |
| Chimichurri Steak & Bacon | 26.8g |
| The Happy Hippie | 28.2g |
| Not So Fried Chicken Sandwich | 28.8g |
| Spicy Curried Couscous (Large) | 43.2g |
Frequently asked
Does Mendocino Farms use seed oils?
Based on our menu research, Mendocino Farms cooks with: soybean oil. Across the 107 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 Mendocino Farms cook with?
Our research indicates: Soybean-based mayo/aioli for most spreads; olive oil vinaigrettes on some salads; canola oil in some house dressings. Preparation can vary by location, so treat PUFA numbers as estimates.
Does Mendocino Farms use beef tallow?
No. Our research indicates Mendocino Farms cooks with soybean oil, not beef tallow. For chains that fry in tallow or other real fats, see Tallow Watch.
Is Mendocino Farms seed oil free?
No. Our research indicates Mendocino Farms cooks with soybean oil, which includes seed oils. See the lower-PUFA orders above for the cleanest picks.
What is the safest thing to order at Mendocino Farms?
Greek Lemon Chicken & Farro Soup (Bowl) is the lowest-PUFA item we analyzed at Mendocino Farms, at an estimated 1.8g PUFA. See the Safest Orders list on this page for more options.
What should I avoid at Mendocino Farms?
Spicy Curried Couscous (Large) is the highest-PUFA item we analyzed at Mendocino Farms, at an estimated 43.2g 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
Me-n-Ed's Pizzeria · Mellow Mushroom · Menchie's · Metro Diner · Mighty Taco · Milano's Italian Restaurant (Jacksonville, FL)
See where Mendocino Farms 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.