Potbelly Seed Oil Report Card
Based on our menu research, Potbelly cooks with: Soybean oil (in mayo and 'Potbelly oil' drizzle); canola/soybean blend in house oil — confirmed in Potbelly allergen guide. Across the 90 menu items we analyzed, it averages 6.4g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of C (High Risk).
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Safest Orders at Potbelly
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 Vegetable Soup + Potbelly Whole Pickle + Coke, 0.0g total
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Garden Vegetable Soup | 0.0g |
| Sweet Heat BBQ | 0.2g |
| Grilled Chicken & Cheddar (Regular) | 1.6g |
| Grilled Cheese (Regular) | 1.6g |
| Dream Bar | 1.8g |
What to Avoid at Potbelly
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Chicken Salad Salad | 32.6g |
| Farmhouse Salad | 30.9g |
| Chicken Bacon Ranch Wrap | 19.9g |
| Southwest Avo Chicken Wrap | 18.5g |
| Chicken Salad (Regular) | 17.9g |
Every Potbelly item, ranked
All 90 items we have for Potbelly, safest first. Values are estimated grams of seed-oil PUFA per item.
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| IBC Cream Soda | 0.0g |
| Fountain Drink | 0.0g |
| Gold Peak Sweet Tea | 0.0g |
| San Pellegrino Blood Orange | 0.0g |
| Garden Vegetable Soup | 0.0g |
| Potbelly Whole Pickle | 0.0g |
| Brown Mustard | 0.0g |
| Red Wine Vinegar | 0.0g |
| Sweet Heat BBQ | 0.2g |
| Chocolate Smoothie | 1.0g |
| Vanilla Smoothie | 1.0g |
| Strawberry Smoothie | 1.0g |
| Broccoli Cheddar Soup | 1.3g |
| Grilled Chicken & Cheddar (Regular) | 1.6g |
| Grilled Cheese (Regular) | 1.6g |
| Dream Bar | 1.8g |
| Chocolate Shake | 1.9g |
| Ice Cream Sandwich | 1.9g |
| Strawberry Shake | 1.9g |
| Vanilla Shake | 2.0g |
| Oatmeal | 2.0g |
| Loaded Baked Potato Soup | 2.1g |
| Grilled Chicken & Cheddar (Skinny) | 2.2g |
| Sugar Cookie | 2.5g |
| Turkey Breast (Skinny) | 2.8g |
| Coleslaw | 3.0g |
| Bagel with Butter | 3.0g |
| Bagel with Plain Cream Cheese | 3.0g |
| Bagel with Herb Cream Cheese | 3.0g |
| Chicken Enchilada Soup | 3.0g |
| Classic Tomato Soup | 3.0g |
| A Wreck (Skinny) | 3.3g |
| Chicken Pot Pie Soup | 3.8g |
| Mac & Cheese | 4.0g |
| Turkey Breast (Regular) | 4.0g |
| Chicken Club (Skinny) | 4.0g |
| Mediterranean Salad | 4.0g |
| Chili | 4.0g |
| Powerhouse Salad | 4.0g |
| Uptown Salad | 4.0g |
| Hot Pepper Ranch | 4.0g |
| Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie | 4.8g |
| Mediterranean (Skinny) | 4.9g |
| Avo Turkey (Skinny) | 4.9g |
| Breakfast Sandwich (Egg & Cheese) | 5.0g |
| Potato Salad | 5.0g |
| Macaroni Salad | 5.0g |
| Chocolate Brownie Cookie | 5.1g |
| Veggie Melt (Skinny) | 5.2g |
| Ham, Mushroom, Egg & Swiss | 5.2g |
| Smoked Ham (Regular) | 5.2g |
| Turkey Breast (Big) | 5.2g |
| OREO Cookie Shake | 5.5g |
| A Wreck (Regular) | 5.8g |
| Roast Beef (Regular) | 5.9g |
| A Wreck Salad | 6.0g |
| Chicken Club (Regular) | 6.5g |
| Mayo | 6.6g |
| BLT | 7.0g |
| Mesquite Bar-B-Que Chips | 7.0g |
| Zapp's Regular Chips | 7.0g |
| Salt & Vinegar Chips | 7.0g |
| Hotter N Hot Jalapeno Chips | 7.0g |
| Mediterranean (Regular) | 7.4g |
| A Wreck (Big) | 7.7g |
| Cubano (Regular) | 8.0g |
| Mama's Meatball (Regular) | 8.6g |
| Pizza Melt (Regular) | 8.6g |
| Italian (Skinny) | 9.0g |
| Horseradish Mayo | 9.0g |
| Bacon, Egg & Cheese Sandwich | 9.1g |
| Avo Turkey (Regular) | 9.4g |
| Veggie Melt (Regular) | 9.6g |
| Sweet Heat Pork BBQ (Regular) | 10.1g |
| BLTA (Regular) | 10.5g |
| Chicken Club (Big) | 10.8g |
| Roasted Garlic Aioli | 11.5g |
| Tuna Salad (Regular) | 12.5g |
| Italian (Regular) | 12.8g |
| Avo Turkey (Big) | 13.0g |
| Sausage, Egg & Cheese Sandwich | 14.7g |
| Prime Rib Steak (Regular) | 14.9g |
| Bag of Mini Cookies | 15.3g |
| Italian (Big) | 16.5g |
| PB&J (Regular) | 16.5g |
| Chicken Salad (Regular) | 17.9g |
| Southwest Avo Chicken Wrap | 18.5g |
| Chicken Bacon Ranch Wrap | 19.9g |
| Farmhouse Salad | 30.9g |
| Chicken Salad Salad | 32.6g |
Frequently asked
Does Potbelly use seed oils?
Based on our menu research, Potbelly cooks with: Soybean oil (in mayo and 'Potbelly oil' drizzle); canola/soybean blend in house oil — confirmed in Potbelly allergen guide. Across the 90 menu items we analyzed, it averages 6.4g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of C (High Risk).
What oil does Potbelly cook with?
Our research indicates: Soybean oil (in mayo and 'Potbelly oil' drizzle); canola/soybean blend in house oil — confirmed in Potbelly allergen guide. Preparation can vary by location, so treat PUFA numbers as estimates.
Does Potbelly use beef tallow?
No. Our research indicates Potbelly cooks with Soybean oil (in mayo and 'Potbelly oil' drizzle); canola/soybean blend in house oil — confirmed in Potbelly allergen guide, not beef tallow. For chains that fry in tallow or other real fats, see Tallow Watch.
Is Potbelly seed oil free?
No. Our research indicates Potbelly cooks with Soybean oil (in mayo and 'Potbelly oil' drizzle); canola/soybean blend in house oil — confirmed in Potbelly allergen guide, which includes seed oils. See the lower-PUFA orders above for the cleanest picks.
What is the safest thing to order at Potbelly?
Garden Vegetable Soup is the lowest-PUFA item we analyzed at Potbelly, at an estimated 0.0g PUFA. See the Safest Orders list on this page for more options.
What should I avoid at Potbelly?
Chicken Salad Salad is the highest-PUFA item we analyzed at Potbelly, at an estimated 32.6g 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 Potbelly 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.