O'Charley's Seed Oil Report Card
Based on our menu research, O'Charley's cooks with: soybean/vegetable oil (frying); butter on rolls. Across the 118 menu items we analyzed, it averages 13.3g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of F (Extreme Risk).
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Safest Orders at O'Charley'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: Nashville Deviled Eggs + Iced Tea, 2.0g total
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Baked Potato | 0.6g |
| Grilled Asparagus | 1.6g |
| Slow Roasted Prime Rib 8 oz | 2.0g |
| Filet Mignon | 2.0g |
| Nashville Deviled Eggs | 2.0g |
What to Avoid at O'Charley's
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Hand-Breaded Catfish Dinner | 74.4g |
| Southern Pecan Chicken Tender Salad | 58.8g |
| Southern Fried Chicken Salad | 55.2g |
| Fish & Chips | 54.6g |
| Garlic Steak Pasta | 53.3g |
Every O'Charley's item, ranked
All 118 items we have for O'Charley's, safest first. Values are estimated grams of seed-oil PUFA per item.
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Seasoned Green Beans | 0.0g |
| Fountain Drink | 0.0g |
| Tender Sauce, Chipotle | 0.5g |
| Baked Potato | 0.6g |
| Mashed Sweet Potatoes | 1.0g |
| Kids Sundae Dessert | 1.4g |
| Grilled Asparagus | 1.6g |
| Slow Roasted Prime Rib 8 oz | 2.0g |
| Filet Mignon | 2.0g |
| Nashville Deviled Eggs | 2.0g |
| Cream of Tomato Basil Soup Cup | 2.0g |
| Bourbon Glazed Collard Greens | 2.0g |
| Kids Pasta with Marinara | 2.0g |
| Chicken Harvest Soup Cup | 2.0g |
| Tender Sauce, Buffalo | 2.0g |
| Seasoned Rice Pilaf | 2.4g |
| House Salad | 2.6g |
| Yeast Rolls Basket | 3.0g |
| Overloaded Potato Soup Cup | 3.0g |
| Bourbon Grilled Salmon 6 oz | 3.0g |
| French Silk Pie | 3.0g |
| Bone-In Ribeye Steak | 3.0g |
| Kids Grilled Chicken Meal | 3.0g |
| Bacon & Bourbon Glazed Filet | 3.0g |
| Chicken Tortilla Soup Cup | 3.0g |
| Kids Macaroni and Cheese | 3.6g |
| Mashed Potatoes | 4.0g |
| Dinner Rolls with Butter | 4.0g |
| Goo Goo Crunch Pie | 4.0g |
| Kids Grilled Cheese Sandwich | 4.0g |
| Brownie Lovers Brownie | 4.0g |
| Mint Brownie Blast Pie | 4.0g |
| Barrel House Pork Chops | 4.0g |
| Bourbon Grilled Salmon 9 oz | 4.0g |
| Grilled Top Sirloin 6 oz | 4.2g |
| California Chicken Salad Full | 4.5g |
| Grilled Chicken Dinner | 4.9g |
| California Chicken Salad Half | 5.0g |
| Steak & Garlic Shrimp | 5.0g |
| Thick-Cut Potato Chips | 5.0g |
| Santa Fe Tilapia | 5.0g |
| Overloaded Potato Soup Bowl | 5.0g |
| Slow Roasted Prime Rib 12 oz | 5.7g |
| Southwest Black Bean Burger | 6.0g |
| Loaded Baked Potato | 6.0g |
| Baby Back Ribs (half rack) | 6.5g |
| Mac & Cheese Side | 6.7g |
| BLTC Sandwich | 7.0g |
| Open Faced Prime Rib Sandwich | 7.0g |
| Cedar-Planked Salmon | 7.5g |
| Hot Fudge Brownie Sundae | 7.8g |
| Chicken Pot Pie | 8.0g |
| Carolina BBQ Chicken Sandwich | 8.0g |
| Cajun BBQ Prime Rib Sandwich | 8.0g |
| Kids Corn Dog Bites | 8.0g |
| BLTC Sandwich with Fried Egg | 8.0g |
| Smashed Potatoes | 8.3g |
| Grilled Top Sirloin 12 oz | 8.3g |
| Grilled Salmon | 8.4g |
| Ooey Gooey Caramel Pie | 8.4g |
| Prime Rib Steakhouse Burger | 9.0g |
| Cinnamon Sugar Donuts | 9.0g |
| Southern Coleslaw | 9.0g |
| Chips & Spicy White Queso | 9.9g |
| Southern Pecan Pie | 10.0g |
| Nashville Hot Chicken Sliders | 10.0g |
| Wild West Burger | 10.0g |
| Spicy Jack Cheese Wedges | 10.0g |
| Savannah Crab Cake Dinner | 10.0g |
| Kids Cheeseburger Meal | 10.9g |
| Kids Fried Shrimp Basket | 11.0g |
| Steakhouse Wedge Salad with Steak | 11.0g |
| Chipotle Chicken Tenders Appetizer | 12.0g |
| Kids Chicken Tenders Meal | 12.0g |
| Southern Fried Chicken Breast | 12.0g |
| Southern Fried Chicken Sandwich | 12.0g |
| Steakhouse Wedge Salad with Chicken | 12.0g |
| Ranch Dressing | 12.0g |
| Spinach & Artichoke Dip | 12.6g |
| Nashville Fried Chicken Breast | 13.0g |
| Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich | 13.0g |
| Baby Back Ribs Full Rack | 13.0g |
| BBQ Ribs & Chicken Tenders | 13.0g |
| French Fries | 14.0g |
| Buffalo Chicken Tender Dinner | 14.0g |
| Chipotle Chicken Tender Dinner | 14.0g |
| Tender Sauce, Smokey Honey BBQ | 14.5g |
| Nashville Hot Chicken Dinner | 15.0g |
| Classic Cheeseburger | 16.3g |
| Sweet Potato Fries | 17.4g |
| Tender Sauce, Honey Boom Boom | 18.5g |
| Honey Mustard Dressing | 18.5g |
| Mushroom Swiss Burger | 19.0g |
| Country Apple Pie | 19.0g |
| Bacon Cheeseburger | 20.0g |
| Better Cheddar Bacon Burger | 20.0g |
| New Orleans Cajun Shrimp Pasta | 20.4g |
| Caesar Salad | 20.6g |
| Chipotle Chicken Tenders | 22.0g |
| New Orleans Cajun Chicken Pasta | 23.1g |
| Chicken Sandwich | 24.0g |
| Fried Shrimp | 28.0g |
| Half Club Sandwich | 28.5g |
| Buttermilk Fried Shrimp Dinner | 29.4g |
| Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad | 29.9g |
| Chicken Tenders Dinner | 34.7g |
| Buffalo Chicken Tenders Appetizer | 35.0g |
| Original Chicken Tenders Appetizer | 36.0g |
| Loaded Potato Skins | 37.4g |
| Overloaded Potato Skins | 37.4g |
| Club Sandwich | 40.8g |
| Top Shelf Combo Appetizer | 47.1g |
| Nashville Hot Chicken Tenders | 48.0g |
| Garlic Steak Pasta | 53.3g |
| Fish & Chips | 54.6g |
| Southern Fried Chicken Salad | 55.2g |
| Southern Pecan Chicken Tender Salad | 58.8g |
| Hand-Breaded Catfish Dinner | 74.4g |
Frequently asked
Does O'Charley's use seed oils?
Based on our menu research, O'Charley's cooks with: soybean/vegetable oil (frying); butter on rolls. Across the 118 menu items we analyzed, it averages 13.3g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of F (Extreme Risk).
What oil does O'Charley's cook with?
Our research indicates: soybean/vegetable oil (frying); butter on rolls. Preparation can vary by location, so treat PUFA numbers as estimates.
Does O'Charley's use beef tallow?
No. Our research indicates O'Charley's cooks with soybean/vegetable oil (frying); butter on rolls, not beef tallow. For chains that fry in tallow or other real fats, see Tallow Watch.
Is O'Charley's seed oil free?
No. Our research indicates O'Charley's cooks with soybean/vegetable oil (frying); butter on rolls, which includes seed oils. See the lower-PUFA orders above for the cleanest picks.
What is the safest thing to order at O'Charley's?
Baked Potato is the lowest-PUFA item we analyzed at O'Charley's, at an estimated 0.6g PUFA. See the Safest Orders list on this page for more options.
What should I avoid at O'Charley's?
Hand-Breaded Catfish Dinner is the highest-PUFA item we analyzed at O'Charley's, at an estimated 74.4g 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 O'Charley'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.