Shake Shack Seed Oil Report Card
Based on our menu research, Shake Shack cooks with: 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.. Across the 51 menu items we analyzed, it averages 5.5g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of B (Medium Risk).
Ask Shake Shack to drop seed oils
2 people have asked so far.
One tap, anonymous, no signup. We keep each chain's total public so the demand is impossible to ignore.
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 |
|---|---|
| Vanilla Custard Cup | 0.8g |
| Chocolate Custard Cup | 1.0g |
| Hamburger | 2.5g |
| Cheese Dog | 2.6g |
| ShackBurger (no ShackSauce) | 2.9g |
What to Avoid at Shake Shack
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Bacon Cheese Fries | 16.2g |
| Avocado Bacon Chicken | 15.9g |
| Chicken Bites (10 pc) | 14.6g |
| Hot Chicken Shack | 14.0g |
| Chicken Shack | 13.3g |
Every Shake Shack item, ranked
All 51 items we have for Shake Shack, safest first. Values are estimated grams of seed-oil PUFA per item.
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Shack-made Lemonade | 0.0g |
| Fifty/Fifty (lemonade + tea) | 0.0g |
| Fountain Soda | 0.0g |
| Organic Apple Juice | 0.0g |
| Fountain Drink | 0.0g |
| BBQ Sauce | 0.0g |
| Cheese Sauce | 0.4g |
| Vanilla Custard Cup | 0.8g |
| Chocolate Custard Cup | 1.0g |
| Vanilla Custard Cone | 1.0g |
| Chocolate Custard Cone | 1.0g |
| Vanilla Shake | 1.9g |
| Strawberry Shake | 1.9g |
| Caramel Shake | 2.0g |
| Kids Cheeseburger | 2.0g |
| Kids Hamburger | 2.0g |
| Black & White Float | 2.0g |
| Sundae | 2.0g |
| Black & White Shake | 2.3g |
| Chocolate Shake | 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 |
| Peanut Butter Shake | 4.0g |
| Cookies & Cream Shake | 4.1g |
| Veggie Shack | 5.7g |
| Kids Chicken Bites (4 pc) | 6.0g |
| ShackSauce | 6.0g |
| ShackBurger | 6.4g |
| SmokeShack | 8.5g |
| Chicken Bites | 9.0g |
| Chicken Bites (6 pc) | 9.0g |
| ShackBurger (double) | 9.1g |
| 'Shroom Burger | 9.4g |
| Shack Stack | 9.6g |
| Honey Mustard Sauce | 10.0g |
| SmokeShack (double) | 11.1g |
| Cheese Fries | 12.3g |
| Avocado Bacon Burger | 12.7g |
| Black Truffle Burger | 13.0g |
| Crinkle Cut Fries | 13.2g |
| Chicken Shack | 13.3g |
| Hot Chicken Shack | 14.0g |
| Chicken Bites (10 pc) | 14.6g |
| Avocado Bacon Chicken | 15.9g |
| Bacon Cheese Fries | 16.2g |
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 for crinkle fries and all fried chicken; ShackSauce is a soybean-oil mayo. Burgers are griddled beef (low PUFA) but most come with ShackSauce.. Across the 51 menu items we analyzed, it averages 5.5g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of B (Medium 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 for crinkle fries and all fried chicken; ShackSauce is a soybean-oil mayo. Burgers are griddled beef (low PUFA) but most come with ShackSauce., 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 for crinkle fries and all fried chicken; ShackSauce is a soybean-oil mayo. Burgers are griddled beef (low PUFA) but most come with ShackSauce., which includes seed oils. See the lower-PUFA orders above for the cleanest picks.
What is the safest thing to order at Shake Shack?
Vanilla Custard Cup is the lowest-PUFA item we analyzed at Shake Shack, at an estimated 0.8g PUFA. See the Safest Orders list on this page for more options.
What should I avoid at Shake Shack?
Bacon Cheese Fries is the highest-PUFA item we analyzed at Shake Shack, at an estimated 16.2g 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
McDonald's · Burger King · Wendy's · Five Guys · Whataburger · Culver's
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.