Red Lobster Seed Oil Report Card
Source: Red Lobster Allergen Guide, US Restaurants, October 12, 2026. Our fried items are prepared using an oil blend that contains soybean oil.
Based on our menu research, Red Lobster cooks with: soybean oil. Across the 176 menu items we analyzed, it averages 11.4g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of D (Very High Risk).
What oil does Red Lobster fry in? The full answer
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Safest Orders at Red Lobster
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.
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Shrimp Cocktail | 0.6g |
| Mariner's Seafood Boil | 0.6g |
| Filet Mignon (6 oz) | 0.8g |
| Clam Chowder (cup) | 0.9g |
| Sirloin (7 oz) | 0.9g |
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Build my orderWhat to Avoid at Red Lobster
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Tartar Sauce (8 oz) | 73.2g |
| Sailor's Platter | 66.0g |
| Admiral's Feast | 59.4g |
| Fish and Chips | 54.6g |
| Roasted Garlic Butter Sauce (Whole Seafood Boil) | 53.0g |
Around the world: Red Lobster
Tartar Sauce (8 oz) has 38.4g of PUFA in Canada but 73.2g in the US. Same chain. Why not here?
We have Red Lobster in 2 countries. Here is what it cooks with in each one, and how the same menu items compare.
| Country | Cooks with | Tartar Sauce (8 oz) | Hot Honey Butter Sauce (Whole Seafood Boil) | Lemon Pepper Butter Sauce (Whole Seafood Boil) | OLD BAY & Butter Sauce (Whole Seafood Boil) | RL Signature Butter Sauce (Whole Seafood Boil) | Kids Crispy Chicken Tenders |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. (this page) | soybean oil | 73.2g | 47.3g | 7.9g | 40.0g | 30.5g | 32.4g |
| Canada | canola oil | 38.4g | 22.3g | 44.7g | 42.7g | 40.5g | 11.5g |
Items are matched by name, so portions and recipes can differ between countries. Values are estimated grams of seed-oil PUFA per item. Oil notes are as each country's chain discloses them.
Every Red Lobster item, ranked
All 176 items we have for Red Lobster, safest first. Values are estimated grams of seed-oil PUFA per item.
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Sweet Iced Tea | 0.0g |
| Watermelon Lemonade | 0.0g |
| Mango Lemonade | 0.0g |
| Fountain Drink | 0.0g |
| Cocktail Sauce | 0.0g |
| Boston Iced Tea - Classic Cranberry | 0.0g |
| Pepsi Zero Sugar | 0.0g |
| Dr Pepper | 0.0g |
| MUG Root Beer | 0.0g |
| Tropicana Fruit Punch | 0.0g |
| Boston Iced Tea - Raspberry | 0.0g |
| Kids Coastal Cooler - Raspberry Bay Smoothie | 0.0g |
| Classic Lemonade | 0.0g |
| Kids Lemonade | 0.0g |
| Kids Coastal Cooler - Mango Smoothie | 0.0g |
| Strawberry Lemonade | 0.0g |
| Kids Cranberry Juice | 0.0g |
| Kids Orange Juice | 0.0g |
| Kids Coastal Cooler - Cherry Wave Slushy | 0.0g |
| Starry Lemon Lime | 0.0g |
| Unsweet Iced Tea | 0.0g |
| Mountain Dew | 0.0g |
| Kids Pineapple Juice | 0.0g |
| Kids Raspberry Lemonade | 0.0g |
| Coffee | 0.0g |
| Kids Coastal Cooler - Sunset Strawberry Smoothie | 0.0g |
| Pepsi | 0.0g |
| Coastal Colada Mocktail | 0.0g |
| Kids Milk 1% | 0.0g |
| Boston Iced Tea - Mango | 0.0g |
| Diet Pepsi | 0.0g |
| Strawberry Breeze Mocktail | 0.0g |
| Kids Apple Juice | 0.0g |
| Organic Hot Tea | 0.0g |
| Kids Orange Wedges | 0.0g |
| Pina Colada Sauce | 0.1g |
| Roasted Asparagus | 0.3g |
| Raspberry Fruit Smoothie | 0.3g |
| Strawberry Fruit Smoothie | 0.3g |
| Mango Fruit Smoothie | 0.3g |
| Pina Colada Sauce (8 oz) | 0.4g |
| Kids Surf's Up Sundae | 0.5g |
| Shrimp Cocktail | 0.6g |
| Mariner's Seafood Boil | 0.6g |
| Marinara Sauce | 0.6g |
| Filet Mignon (6 oz) | 0.8g |
| Clam Chowder (cup) | 0.9g |
| Sirloin (7 oz) | 0.9g |
| Seasoned Broccoli | 0.9g |
| Cocktail Sauce (8 oz) | 1.2g |
| Kids Grilled Chicken | 1.3g |
| House Salad | 1.3g |
| Live Maine Lobster | 1.8g |
| Snow Crab Legs (1/2 pound) | 1.8g |
| Simply Steamed Butter (Crab Your Way) | 1.8g |
| Cheddar Bay Biscuit | 1.9g |
| Maine Lobster Tail (add-on) | 1.9g |
| Kids Petite Maine Lobster Tail | 1.9g |
| Baked Potato | 2.4g |
| Kids Grilled Shrimp | 2.4g |
| Key Lime Pie | 2.5g |
| New England Clam Chowder (cup) | 2.9g |
| Crab-Topped Asparagus | 2.9g |
| Surf & Turf (Lobster & Filet Mignon) | 3.2g |
| Mashed Potatoes | 3.2g |
| Classic Cheesecake | 3.3g |
| Surf & Turf (Lobster & Sirloin) | 3.4g |
| Kids Macaroni & Cheese | 3.5g |
| Bacon Mac & Cheese | 3.5g |
| Orzo Rice | 3.6g |
| Cheddar Bay Biscuits (2) | 3.8g |
| New England Clam Chowder (bowl) | 3.8g |
| Lobster Pasta au Gratin | 3.9g |
| Lemon Pepper Butter Sauce (Crab Your Way) | 3.9g |
| Grilled Shrimp Skewers | 4.2g |
| Cajun Butter Sauce (Crab Your Way) | 4.3g |
| Coleslaw | 4.8g |
| Crab-Topped Mashed Potatoes | 5.2g |
| Strawberry Cheesecake Bliss | 5.3g |
| Parmesan-Crusted Chicken | 5.4g |
| Garlic Lover's 6 oz. Filet | 5.9g |
| Lobster Pizza | 6.0g |
| Fully Loaded Baked Potato | 6.4g |
| Walt's Favorite Shrimp | 6.6g |
| Rock Lobster Tail (add-on) | 6.6g |
| Creamy Lobster Mashed Potatoes | 6.7g |
| Garlic Lover's 7 oz. Sirloin | 6.8g |
| Creamy Lobster Baked Potato | 7.0g |
| Seafood-Stuffed Mushrooms | 7.5g |
| OLD BAY & Butter Sauce (Crab Your Way) | 7.6g |
| Cajun Butter Sauce (Whole Seafood Boil) | 7.8g |
| Lemon Pepper Butter Sauce (Whole Seafood Boil) | 7.9g |
| Caesar Salad with Grilled Shrimp | 8.0g |
| Shrimp & Sausage Jambalaya Bowl | 8.0g |
| Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken | 9.0g |
| Caesar Salad with Grilled Salmon | 9.0g |
| Bacon-Wrapped Sea Scallops (add-on) | 9.5g |
| Walt's Favorite Shrimp (Lunch) | 9.6g |
| Shrimp Linguini Alfredo (Lighter Portion) | 9.8g |
| Lobster Dip | 9.9g |
| Seaside Shrimp Trio | 10.0g |
| Atlantic Salmon (grilled) | 10.2g |
| Crispy Brussels Sprouts | 10.2g |
| Brownie Overboard | 10.2g |
| Garlic Shrimp Scampi | 10.8g |
| RL Signature Butter Sauce (Crab Your Way) | 10.9g |
| Lobster Pappardelle Pasta | 11.0g |
| Lobster & Shrimp Linguini (Lighter Portion) | 11.0g |
| Crab & Shrimp Linguini Alfredo (Lighter Portion) | 11.0g |
| Jalapeno Ranch Dipping Sauce | 11.5g |
| French Fries | 12.0g |
| Crispy Dragon Calamari | 12.0g |
| Crab Carbonara | 12.0g |
| Shrimp Scampi Linguini | 12.0g |
| Lobster Lover's Duo | 12.0g |
| Garlic Bread-Crusted Shrimp | 12.0g |
| Tartar Sauce | 12.5g |
| Lobster Bisque (cup) | 12.8g |
| Lobster Flatbread | 13.4g |
| Parrot Isle Coconut Shrimp (entree) | 13.7g |
| Classic Chicken Linguini Alfredo (Lighter Portion) | 13.7g |
| Shrimp Linguini Alfredo (Full) | 14.2g |
| OLD BAY Seasoned Scampi | 14.3g |
| Cajun Chicken Linguini Alfredo (Lighter Portion) | 14.4g |
| Caesar Salad | 14.8g |
| Cheddar Bay Biscuits (half dozen) | 14.8g |
| Caesar Side Salad | 14.8g |
| Sailor's Seafood Boil | 14.9g |
| Kids Golden-Fried Fish | 15.0g |
| Kids Popcorn Shrimp | 15.0g |
| Popcorn Shrimp | 15.6g |
| Hush Puppies | 15.6g |
| Snow Crab (1 lb) with Crispy Potatoes | 15.6g |
| Bairdi Crab (1 lb) with Crispy Potatoes | 16.2g |
| Mozzarella Sticks | 16.8g |
| Mozzarella Cheesesticks | 16.8g |
| Parrot Isle Coconut Shrimp (Lunch) | 18.0g |
| Cajun Chicken Linguini Alfredo | 18.1g |
| Classic Chicken Linguini Alfredo (Full) | 18.1g |
| Bacon-Wrapped Sea Scallops | 18.2g |
| Lobster & Shrimp Linguini (Full) | 18.4g |
| Fried Shrimp Basket | 19.0g |
| Crab Queso | 19.3g |
| Sesame-Soy Salmon Bowl | 19.5g |
| Ultimate Feast | 19.8g |
| Chicken Caesar Bowl | 20.2g |
| Crab & Shrimp Linguini Alfredo (Full) | 20.4g |
| Parrot Isle Coconut Shrimp (appetizer) | 20.7g |
| Chocolate Wave | 21.0g |
| Southwest Shrimp Bowl | 21.0g |
| Garlic Shrimp Scampi (Lunch) | 21.0g |
| Lobster Bisque (bowl) | 23.0g |
| Salmon New Orleans | 23.1g |
| Hot Honey Butter Sauce (Crab Your Way) | 23.5g |
| Roasted Garlic Butter Sauce (Crab Your Way) | 26.9g |
| Popcorn Shrimp with Chesapeake Fries (Lunch) | 27.6g |
| Cheddar Bay Biscuits (dozen) | 28.5g |
| Wild-Caught Crunch-Fried Flounder (Lighter Portion) | 28.8g |
| Cheeseburger | 29.0g |
| Grilled Chicken Sandwich | 30.0g |
| RL Signature Butter Sauce (Whole Seafood Boil) | 30.5g |
| Popcorn Shrimp (appetizer) | 30.6g |
| Kids Crispy Chicken Tenders | 32.4g |
| Grilled Lobster, Shrimp and Salmon | 35.8g |
| OLD BAY & Butter Sauce (Whole Seafood Boil) | 40.0g |
| Fish and Chips (Lighter Portion) | 40.8g |
| Hand-Breaded Calamari | 42.0g |
| Crispy Dragon Shrimp (appetizer) | 43.2g |
| Wild-Caught Crunch-Fried Flounder | 44.4g |
| Hot Honey Butter Sauce (Whole Seafood Boil) | 47.3g |
| Crunch-Fried Flounder Sandwich | 49.8g |
| Roasted Garlic Butter Sauce (Whole Seafood Boil) | 53.0g |
| Fish and Chips | 54.6g |
| Admiral's Feast | 59.4g |
| Sailor's Platter | 66.0g |
| Tartar Sauce (8 oz) | 73.2g |
Fry Oil History at Red Lobster
Cooking in zero trans fat canola oil since December 2006.
On December 13, 2006 Darden said Red Lobster would finish switching to zero trans fat canola frying oil by the end of November 2007. More than 100 restaurants were already using it after about 18 months of testing. Source
Every documented oil switch across the industry lives on the Oil History timeline.
Frequently asked
Does Red Lobster use seed oils?
Based on our menu research, Red Lobster cooks with: soybean oil. Across the 176 menu items we analyzed, it averages 11.4g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of D (Very High Risk).
What oil does Red Lobster cook with?
Our research indicates: Soybean oil (frying); butter (grilled/broiled); shortening blend (biscuits). Preparation can vary by location, so treat PUFA numbers as estimates.
Does Red Lobster use beef tallow?
No. Our research indicates Red Lobster cooks with soybean oil, not beef tallow. For chains that fry in tallow or other real fats, see Tallow Watch.
Is Red Lobster seed oil free?
No. Our research indicates Red Lobster 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 Red Lobster?
Filet Mignon (6 oz) is the lowest-PUFA item we analyzed at Red Lobster, at an estimated 0.8g PUFA. See the Safest Orders list on this page for more options.
What should I avoid at Red Lobster?
Tartar Sauce (8 oz) is the highest-PUFA item we analyzed at Red Lobster, at an estimated 73.2g 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
Raising Cane's · Rax Roast Beef · Red Crab Juicy Seafood · Red Mango · Red Robin · Rise Southern Biscuits & Righteous Chicken
See where Red Lobster 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.