Taco John's Seed Oil Report Card
Based on our menu research, Taco John's cooks with: soybean. Across the 88 menu items we analyzed, it averages 8.9g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of D (Very High Risk).
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Safest Orders at Taco John's
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: Softshell Beef Taco + Coffee, 2.2g total
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Pico de Gallo | 0.0g |
| Taco Sauce | 0.0g |
| Sour Cream | 0.7g |
| Softshell Taco | 2.2g |
| Super Crispy Beef Taco | 2.2g |
What to Avoid at Taco John's
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Potato Olés Scrambler, Sausage | 33.2g |
| Potato Oles - Large | 33.0g |
| Potato Olés Scrambler, Steak | 32.4g |
| Super Potato Oles - Regular | 31.9g |
| Potato Olés Scrambler, Bacon | 31.3g |
Every Taco John's item, ranked
All 88 items we have for Taco John's, safest first. Values are estimated grams of seed-oil PUFA per item.
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Fountain Drink | 0.0g |
| House Salsa | 0.0g |
| Roasted Corn & Pepper Salsa | 0.0g |
| Pico de Gallo | 0.0g |
| Taco Sauce | 0.0g |
| Super Hot Sauce | 0.0g |
| 1% Lowfat Chocolate Milk | 0.1g |
| 2% Reduced Fat White Milk | 0.3g |
| Red Rice | 0.6g |
| Sour Cream | 0.7g |
| Refried Beans (Side) | 1.4g |
| Refried Beans | 1.4g |
| Guacamole | 1.4g |
| Side Salad | 2.0g |
| Softshell Taco | 2.2g |
| Super Crispy Beef Taco | 2.2g |
| Taco Burger | 2.3g |
| Super Softshell Beef Taco | 2.3g |
| Chicken Snack Quesadilla | 2.6g |
| Softshell Chicken Taco | 2.6g |
| Crispy Taco | 2.9g |
| Super Taco Bravo | 3.2g |
| Cheesy Snack Quesadilla | 3.2g |
| Combination Burrito | 3.3g |
| Super Burrito | 3.5g |
| Jr. Breakfast Burrito, Bacon | 3.6g |
| Four Cheese Quesadilla | 3.7g |
| Jr. Breakfast Burrito, Sausage | 3.7g |
| Jr. Breakfast Burrito, Steak | 3.7g |
| Mexi Rolls - 2 Piece | 3.8g |
| Taco Bravo | 3.9g |
| Mexican Donut Bites | 3.9g |
| Chili | 4.0g |
| Bean Burrito | 4.3g |
| Beef Burrito | 4.4g |
| Nacho Crunch Beef Burrito | 4.8g |
| Nacho Cheese | 5.0g |
| Crispy Chicken Taco, Fiesta Sauce | 5.0g |
| Fiesta Softshell Taco | 5.1g |
| Crispy Chicken Taco, Chipotle Lime | 6.0g |
| Nacho Crunch Chicken Burrito | 6.9g |
| Apple Glazed Fritter | 7.0g |
| Jalapeno Ranch Sauce | 7.0g |
| Four Cheese Chicken Quesadilla | 7.2g |
| Churro | 7.2g |
| Spicy Chorizo Breakfast Burrito | 7.3g |
| Chipotle Lime Sauce | 7.5g |
| Mexi Rolls - 4 Piece | 7.6g |
| Stuffed Grilled Taco | 7.7g |
| Chicken Fajita Burrito | 8.0g |
| Breakfast Burrito | 8.0g |
| Super Potato Oles - Small | 8.0g |
| Four Cheese Steak Quesadilla | 8.7g |
| Bacon Egg & Cheese Burrito | 9.0g |
| Super Nachos - Small | 9.0g |
| Meat & Potato Burrito | 10.0g |
| Spicy Chicken Burrito | 10.0g |
| Sierra Chicken Fillet Sandwich | 10.0g |
| Baja Boneless Wings - Small | 10.0g |
| Scrambler Breakfast Burrito, Steak | 10.8g |
| Meat & Potato Breakfast Burrito, Steak | 10.8g |
| Crunchy Chicken Burrito | 11.0g |
| Sausage Egg & Cheese Burrito | 11.0g |
| Crunchy Chicken Taco | 11.0g |
| Fish Taco | 11.0g |
| Crunchy Chicken | 11.0g |
| Mexi Rolls - 6 Piece | 11.4g |
| Scrambler Breakfast Burrito, Bacon | 11.4g |
| Meat & Potato Breakfast Burrito, Bacon | 11.4g |
| Boss Burrito | 12.1g |
| Meat & Potato Breakfast Burrito, Sausage | 12.4g |
| Ranch Dressing | 12.5g |
| Ground Beef Quesadilla | 13.0g |
| Scrambler Breakfast Burrito, Sausage | 13.3g |
| Chips & Nacho Cheese | 13.6g |
| Chicken Grilled Burrito | 14.1g |
| Baja Boneless Wings - Half Pound | 15.0g |
| Potato Oles - Small | 18.0g |
| Super Nachos - Regular | 18.2g |
| Potato Oles - Medium | 25.2g |
| Chicken Taco Salad | 26.8g |
| Taco Salad | 26.9g |
| Baja Boneless Wings - One Pound | 28.0g |
| Potato Olés Scrambler, Bacon | 31.3g |
| Super Potato Oles - Regular | 31.9g |
| Potato Olés Scrambler, Steak | 32.4g |
| Potato Oles - Large | 33.0g |
| Potato Olés Scrambler, Sausage | 33.2g |
Frequently asked
Does Taco John's use seed oils?
Based on our menu research, Taco John's cooks with: soybean. Across the 88 menu items we analyzed, it averages 8.9g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of D (Very High Risk).
What oil does Taco John's cook with?
Our research indicates: soybean. Preparation can vary by location, so treat PUFA numbers as estimates.
Does Taco John's use beef tallow?
No. Our research indicates Taco John's cooks with soybean, not beef tallow. For chains that fry in tallow or other real fats, see Tallow Watch.
Is Taco John's seed oil free?
No. Our research indicates Taco John's cooks with soybean, which includes seed oils. See the lower-PUFA orders above for the cleanest picks.
What is the safest thing to order at Taco John's?
Pico de Gallo is the lowest-PUFA item we analyzed at Taco John's, at an estimated 0.0g PUFA. See the Safest Orders list on this page for more options.
What should I avoid at Taco John's?
Potato Olés Scrambler, Sausage is the highest-PUFA item we analyzed at Taco John's, at an estimated 33.2g 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
Taco Bell · Chipotle · Qdoba · Moe's Southwest Grill · Del Taco · Taco Cabana
See where Taco John's 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.