Shake Shack Seed Oil Report Card
Based on our menu research, Shake Shack cooks with: soybean oil. Across the 129 menu items we analyzed, it averages 6.2g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of C (High Risk).
What oil does Shake Shack fry in? The full answer
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Safest Orders at Shake Shack
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 |
|---|---|
| Veggie Shack (double) | 2.2g |
| Grilled Cheese | 2.4g |
| Hamburger | 2.5g |
| Cheese Dog | 2.6g |
| ShackBurger (no ShackSauce) | 2.9g |
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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 Shake Shack
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Black Truffle Parmesan Fries | 28.7g |
| Spicy Fries with Ranch | 22.2g |
| Spicy Cheese Fries with Ranch | 21.9g |
| West Coast Loaded Fries | 20.4g |
| Onion Rings | 19.8g |
Around the world: Shake Shack
Chicken Shack has 9.0g of PUFA in the UK but 13.3g in the US. Same chain. Why not here?
We have Shake Shack in 4 countries. Here is what it cooks with in each one, and how the same menu items compare.
| Country | Cooks with | Cheese Fries | 'Shroom Burger | Chicken Shack | ShackBurger | Hot Dog | Cheeseburger |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. (this page) | soybean oil | 12.3g | 9.4g | 13.3g | 6.4g | 2.9g | 2.9g |
| Singapore | soybean oil | 14.0g | 10.0g | 14.0g | 5.5g | 2.0g | 3.2g |
| UK | rapeseed oil | 9.0g | 8.0g | 9.0g | 5.0g | 1.0g | 3.0g |
| United Arab Emirates | soybean oil | 18.4g | 16.2g | 13.7g | 5.6g | 3.6g | 1.7g |
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 Shake Shack item, ranked
All 129 items we have for Shake Shack, safest first. Values are estimated grams of seed-oil PUFA per item.
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Organic Apple Juice | 0.0g |
| Fountain Soda | 0.0g |
| Fountain Drink | 0.0g |
| Shack-made Lemonade | 0.0g |
| Fifty/Fifty (lemonade + tea) | 0.0g |
| BBQ Sauce | 0.0g |
| Coke Zero (Small) | 0.0g |
| Organic Iced Tea (Large) | 0.0g |
| Diet Coke (Large) | 0.0g |
| Coke (Small) | 0.0g |
| Root Beer (Large) | 0.0g |
| Diet Coke (Small) | 0.0g |
| Shack2O Water | 0.0g |
| Sprite (Small) | 0.0g |
| Fanta Orange (Large) | 0.0g |
| Dr Pepper (Large) | 0.0g |
| Fanta Orange (Small) | 0.0g |
| Dr Pepper (Small) | 0.0g |
| Root Beer (Small) | 0.0g |
| Sprite (Large) | 0.0g |
| Coke Zero (Large) | 0.0g |
| Strawberry Lemonade (Small) | 0.0g |
| Ginger Ale (Small) | 0.0g |
| Coke (Large) | 0.0g |
| Ginger Ale (Large) | 0.0g |
| Sparkling Shack2O Water | 0.0g |
| Organic Iced Tea (Small) | 0.0g |
| Strawberry Lemonade (Large) | 0.0g |
| Cheese Sauce | 0.4g |
| Vanilla Custard Cup | 0.8g |
| Root Beer Float | 0.8g |
| Creamsicle Float | 0.8g |
| Vanilla & Chocolate Custard Cup (Single) | 0.9g |
| Chocolate Custard Cup | 1.0g |
| Vanilla Custard Cone | 1.0g |
| Chocolate Custard Cone | 1.0g |
| Vanilla Custard Cup (double) | 1.3g |
| Vanilla & Chocolate Custard Cup (Double) | 1.5g |
| Chocolate Custard Cup (double) | 1.6g |
| Vanilla Shake | 1.9g |
| Strawberry Shake | 1.9g |
| Coffee Shake | 1.9g |
| Caramel Shake | 2.0g |
| Kids Hamburger | 2.0g |
| Kids Cheeseburger | 2.0g |
| Black & White Float | 2.0g |
| Sundae | 2.0g |
| Vanilla & Chocolate Shake | 2.2g |
| Veggie Shack (double) | 2.2g |
| Black & White Shake | 2.3g |
| Tropical Mango Shake with Passionfruit Boba | 2.3g |
| Chocolate Shake | 2.4g |
| Grilled Cheese | 2.4g |
| Hamburger | 2.5g |
| Cheese Dog | 2.6g |
| ShackBurger (no ShackSauce) | 2.9g |
| Hot Dog | 2.9g |
| Shack-cago Dog | 2.9g |
| Cheeseburger | 2.9g |
| Shack Attack Concrete | 3.0g |
| Oreo Concrete | 3.0g |
| Bacon Cheese Dog | 3.7g |
| Peanut Butter Shake | 4.0g |
| Cheeseburger (double) | 4.0g |
| Toasted Marshmallow S'mores Shake | 4.0g |
| Cookies & Cream Shake | 4.1g |
| Mac & Cheese | 4.3g |
| Veggie Shack Lettuce Wrap (Single) | 4.5g |
| Bacon Cheeseburger (Single) | 4.9g |
| Veggie Shack | 5.7g |
| Bacon Cheeseburger (Double) | 5.9g |
| Black Truffle Shroom Burger | 5.9g |
| Kids Chicken Bites (4 pc) | 6.0g |
| ShackSauce | 6.0g |
| Hamburger (double) | 6.2g |
| Crispy Onion Cheese Dog | 6.2g |
| Veggie Shack Lettuce Wrap (Double) | 6.3g |
| ShackBurger | 6.4g |
| Cheeseburger (triple) | 6.5g |
| ShackBurger Lettuce Wrap (Single) | 6.9g |
| SmokeShack Lettuce Wrap (Single) | 8.1g |
| SmokeShack | 8.5g |
| Bacon Cheeseburger (Triple) | 8.5g |
| Avocado Bacon Burger Lettuce Wrap (Single) | 8.9g |
| Chicken Bites | 9.0g |
| Chicken Bites (6 pc) | 9.0g |
| ShackBurger (double) | 9.1g |
| Hamburger (triple) | 9.2g |
| 'Shroom Burger | 9.4g |
| Gluten-Free ShackBurger (Single) | 9.4g |
| ShackBurger Lettuce Wrap (Double) | 9.5g |
| Shack Stack | 9.6g |
| Black Truffle Shack Stack | 9.6g |
| West Coast Chicken Sandwich | 9.7g |
| Honey Mustard Sauce | 10.0g |
| SmokeShack Lettuce Wrap (Double) | 10.7g |
| West Coast Burger (Single) | 10.9g |
| SmokeShack (double) | 11.1g |
| Biscoff Cookie Butter Tiramisu Shake | 11.1g |
| Avocado Bacon Burger Lettuce Wrap (Double) | 11.5g |
| West Coast Burger (Double) | 12.0g |
| Gluten-Free ShackBurger (Double) | 12.0g |
| Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Shake | 12.1g |
| ShackBurger Lettuce Wrap (Triple) | 12.1g |
| Cheese Fries | 12.3g |
| BLT | 12.4g |
| ShackBurger (triple) | 12.5g |
| Big Shack | 12.6g |
| Avocado Bacon Burger | 12.7g |
| Black Truffle Burger | 13.0g |
| Gluten-Free ShackBurger (Triple) | 13.1g |
| Crinkle Cut Fries | 13.2g |
| Chicken Shack | 13.3g |
| SmokeShack Lettuce Wrap (Triple) | 13.3g |
| SmokeShack (triple) | 13.7g |
| Hot Chicken Shack | 14.0g |
| Avocado Bacon Burger Lettuce Wrap (Triple) | 14.2g |
| Chicken Bites (10 pc) | 14.6g |
| West Coast Burger (Triple) | 14.6g |
| Avocado Bacon Burger (double) | 15.4g |
| Avocado Bacon Chicken | 15.9g |
| Bacon Cheese Fries | 16.2g |
| Avocado Bacon Burger (triple) | 18.0g |
| Chicken Shack Lettuce Wrap | 18.0g |
| Onion Rings | 19.8g |
| West Coast Loaded Fries | 20.4g |
| Spicy Cheese Fries with Ranch | 21.9g |
| Spicy Fries with Ranch | 22.2g |
| Black Truffle Parmesan Fries | 28.7g |
Fry Oil History at Shake Shack
Starting September 18, 2023 Shake Shack fried everything in Zero Acre oil instead of soybean oil at its Hudson Yards and Battery Park City locations. It was a two store test tied to NYC Climate Week and covered crinkle cut fries, the Chicken Shack, Chicken Bites and the fried veggie items. Source
Every documented oil switch across the industry lives on the Oil History timeline.
Frequently asked
Does Shake Shack use seed oils?
Based on our menu research, Shake Shack cooks with: soybean oil. Across the 129 menu items we analyzed, it averages 6.2g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of C (High Risk).
What oil does Shake Shack cook with?
Our research indicates: Soybean oil for crinkle fries and all fried chicken; ShackSauce is a soybean-oil mayo. Burgers are griddled beef (low PUFA) but most come with ShackSauce. Preparation can vary by location, so treat PUFA numbers as estimates.
Does Shake Shack use beef tallow?
No. Our research indicates Shake Shack cooks with soybean oil, not beef tallow. For chains that fry in tallow or other real fats, see Tallow Watch.
Is Shake Shack seed oil free?
No. Our research indicates Shake Shack 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 Shake Shack?
Hot Dog is the lowest-PUFA item we analyzed at Shake Shack, at an estimated 2.9g PUFA. See the Safest Orders list on this page for more options.
What should I avoid at Shake Shack?
Black Truffle Parmesan Fries is the highest-PUFA item we analyzed at Shake Shack, at an estimated 28.7g 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 Shake Shack 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.