Popeyes Seed Oil Report Card
Based on our menu research, Popeyes cooks with: beef tallow blended with vegetable oils (canola/soybean) for fried chicken and cajun fries; blend can vary by location. Across the 70 menu items we analyzed, it averages 7.8g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of C (High Risk).
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Safest Orders at Popeyes
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: Chicken Leg + Coca-Cola, 3.0g total
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Jalapeno Pepper | 0.0g |
| BoldBQ | 0.0g |
| Sweet Heat | 0.0g |
| Chicken Leg | 3.0g |
| Chopper's Cupcake | 3.0g |
What to Avoid at Popeyes
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Coleslaw Large | 22.2g |
| 4Pc Classic Signature Chicken | 22.0g |
| 4Pc Spicy Signature Chicken | 22.0g |
| 12Pc Bone-In Wings | 19.2g |
| 3Pc Signature Chicken, Classic or Spicy (Mixed: breast + thigh + leg) | 19.0g |
Every Popeyes item, ranked
All 70 items we have for Popeyes, safest first. Values are estimated grams of seed-oil PUFA per item.
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Hi-C Flashin' Fruit Punch | 0.0g |
| Mango Sweet Tea | 0.0g |
| Frozen Strawberry Lemonade | 0.0g |
| Fountain Drink | 0.0g |
| Frozen Mango Premium Lemonade | 0.0g |
| Chilled Mango Premium Lemonade | 0.0g |
| Chilled Strawberry Lemonade | 0.0g |
| Jalapeno Pepper | 0.0g |
| Minute Maid Lemonade | 0.0g |
| BoldBQ | 0.0g |
| Sweet Heat | 0.0g |
| Cocktail Sauce | 0.0g |
| Corn on the Cob | 1.0g |
| Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Cup | 1.3g |
| 1Pc Tender Kids Meal | 1.5g |
| Mashed Potatoes with Cajun Gravy Regular | 1.9g |
| 1Pc Leg Kids Meal | 2.8g |
| Chicken Leg | 3.0g |
| Chopper's Cupcake | 3.0g |
| Bayou Buffalo | 3.0g |
| Mashed Potatoes with Cajun Gravy Large | 3.4g |
| Cinnamon Apple Pie | 3.5g |
| Biscuit | 3.7g |
| Chicken Wing | 3.8g |
| Cajun Fries Regular | 3.8g |
| Homestyle Mac & Cheese (Regular) | 3.9g |
| Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie | 4.3g |
| Mardi Gras Mustard | 4.5g |
| 3pc Tenders | 4.8g |
| 8Pc Butterfly Shrimp | 5.3g |
| Blackened Ranch | 6.0g |
| Signature Sauce | 6.0g |
| Wild Honey Mustard | 6.0g |
| Honey BBQ Chicken Sandwich | 6.0g |
| Red Beans & Rice Regular | 6.8g |
| Coleslaw Regular | 7.2g |
| Homestyle Mac & Cheese Large | 7.4g |
| Chicken Breast (Spicy or Classic) | 7.5g |
| Buttermilk Ranch | 7.5g |
| Nuggets (8 pc) | 8.0g |
| 5Pc Tenders | 8.0g |
| Blackened Ranch Wrap | 8.4g |
| Chicken Thigh | 8.5g |
| 6Pc Boneless Wings | 8.5g |
| Fried Pickles | 9.0g |
| 6Pc Bone-In Wings | 9.6g |
| 4Pc Boneless Kids Meal | 10.0g |
| Honey BBQ Bacon & Cheese Chicken Sandwich | 10.1g |
| Cajun Fries Large | 10.3g |
| 2Pc Signature Chicken, Classic or Spicy (White: breast + wing) | 11.3g |
| 2Pc Signature Chicken, Classic or Spicy (Dark: thigh + leg) | 11.5g |
| Spicy Chicken Wrap | 11.7g |
| Classic Chicken Wrap | 12.5g |
| Spicy Flounder Fish Sandwich | 13.0g |
| Classic Flounder Fish Sandwich | 13.0g |
| Flounder Fish Sandwich | 14.0g |
| Shrimp Tackle Box | 14.0g |
| 3Pc Signature Chicken, Classic or Spicy (White: breast + 2 wings) | 15.0g |
| Spicy Chicken Sandwich | 15.2g |
| Classic Chicken Sandwich | 15.2g |
| 3Pc Signature Chicken, Classic or Spicy (Dark: wing + thigh + leg) | 15.3g |
| 12Pc Boneless Wings | 17.0g |
| Red Beans & Rice Large | 18.6g |
| Spicy Bacon & Cheese Chicken Sandwich | 18.9g |
| Classic Bacon & Cheese Chicken Sandwich | 18.9g |
| 3Pc Signature Chicken, Classic or Spicy (Mixed: breast + thigh + leg) | 19.0g |
| 12Pc Bone-In Wings | 19.2g |
| 4Pc Classic Signature Chicken | 22.0g |
| 4Pc Spicy Signature Chicken | 22.0g |
| Coleslaw Large | 22.2g |
Fry Oil History at Popeyes
Cooking in reduced trans fat shortening since May 2007.
By May 2007 Popeyes had rolled out zero gram trans fat biscuits to all 1,878 of its US restaurants and brought its fries down to one gram per serving. The core fried chicken still carried up to 1.5 grams of artificial trans fat while the company kept testing a new shortening for it. Source
Every documented oil switch across the industry lives on the Oil History timeline.
Frequently asked
Does Popeyes use seed oils?
Based on our menu research, Popeyes cooks with: beef tallow blended with vegetable oils (canola/soybean) for fried chicken and cajun fries; blend can vary by location. Across the 70 menu items we analyzed, it averages 7.8g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of C (High Risk).
What oil does Popeyes cook with?
Our research indicates: beef tallow blended with vegetable oils (canola/soybean) for fried chicken and cajun fries; blend can vary by location. Preparation can vary by location, so treat PUFA numbers as estimates.
Does Popeyes use beef tallow?
Yes, at least for some items. Our research indicates: beef tallow blended with vegetable oils (canola/soybean) for fried chicken and cajun fries; blend can vary by location. Beef tallow is far lower in PUFA than seed oils.
Is Popeyes seed oil free?
No. Our research indicates Popeyes cooks with beef tallow blended with vegetable oils (canola/soybean) for fried chicken and cajun fries; blend can vary by location, which includes seed oils. See the lower-PUFA orders above for the cleanest picks.
What is the safest thing to order at Popeyes?
Jalapeno Pepper is the lowest-PUFA item we analyzed at Popeyes, at an estimated 0.0g PUFA. See the Safest Orders list on this page for more options.
What should I avoid at Popeyes?
Coleslaw Large is the highest-PUFA item we analyzed at Popeyes, at an estimated 22.2g 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 Popeyes 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.