Taco Tico Seed Oil Report Card
Based on our menu research, Taco Tico cooks with: soybean oil. Across the 75 menu items we analyzed, it averages 7.3g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of C (High Risk).
What oil does Taco Tico fry in? The full answer
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Safest Orders at Taco Tico
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: Guacamole Salad + Bottled Water, 3.0g total
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Guacamole Salad | 3.0g |
| Tostada (Original) | 4.0g |
| Crunchy Corn Taco | 4.0g |
| Soft Flour Taco | 4.0g |
| Crispy Flour Taco | 4.0g |
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Build my orderWhat to Avoid at Taco Tico
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Taco Salad | 20.0g |
| 6 Pack Hard Tacos | 18.0g |
| 6 Pack Soft Tacos | 18.0g |
| Combo Plate (taco + burrito + rice + beans) | 16.0g |
| Nachos | 12.0g |
Every Taco Tico item, ranked
All 75 items we have for Taco Tico, safest first. Values are estimated grams of seed-oil PUFA per item.
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Bottled Water | 0.0g |
| Fountain Drink | 0.0g |
| Refried Beans | 2.0g |
| Mexican Rice | 2.0g |
| Mexican Rice Side | 3.0g |
| Guacamole Salad | 3.0g |
| Beans & Cheese Side | 4.0g |
| Tostada (Original) | 4.0g |
| Crunchy Corn Taco | 4.0g |
| Soft Flour Taco | 4.0g |
| Crispy Flour Taco | 4.0g |
| Bean Tostada | 4.0g |
| Tortilla Chips | 4.0g |
| Tico De Gallo & Chips | 4.0g |
| Chili & Cheese Side | 4.0g |
| Kids Hard Taco | 4.0g |
| Kids Soft Taco | 4.0g |
| Cinnamon Crustos | 4.0g |
| Soft Taco | 5.0g |
| Cheese Quesadilla | 5.0g |
| Chicken Soft Taco | 5.0g |
| Single Enchilada | 5.0g |
| Single Chicken Enchilada | 5.0g |
| Beef Tostada | 5.0g |
| Chips & Queso | 5.0g |
| Kids Bean Burrito | 5.0g |
| Crispy Taco | 6.0g |
| Burrito (bean) | 6.0g |
| Carnitas Tacos | 6.0g |
| Bean & Cheese Burrito | 6.0g |
| Beef Nachos | 6.0g |
| Deluxe Tostada | 6.0g |
| Regular Tico Tots | 6.0g |
| Burrito (beef) | 7.0g |
| Enchilada | 7.0g |
| Deluxe Enchilada | 7.0g |
| Beef Taco Salad | 7.0g |
| Chicken Taco Salad | 7.0g |
| Meat Lovers Quesadilla | 7.0g |
| Chicken Quesadilla | 7.0g |
| Pizzadia | 7.0g |
| Cheese Tico Tots | 7.0g |
| Cinnamon Crustos (fried pastry) | 8.0g |
| Wonton Tacos | 8.0g |
| Taco Rito | 8.0g |
| Combo Burrito | 8.0g |
| Chicken Burrito | 8.0g |
| Grilled Burrito | 8.0g |
| Sancho | 8.0g |
| Chicken Sancho | 8.0g |
| Double Enchilada | 8.0g |
| Double Chicken Enchilada | 8.0g |
| Beef & Chicken Taco Salad | 8.0g |
| Chili Cheese Tico Tots | 8.0g |
| Taco Burger | 9.0g |
| Tico Tots | 9.0g |
| Chili Burrito | 9.0g |
| Beef & Potato Burrito | 9.0g |
| Deluxe Nachos | 9.0g |
| Super Deluxe Burrito | 10.0g |
| Super Deluxe Sancho | 10.0g |
| Texas Enchilada | 10.0g |
| Enchilada Dinner | 10.0g |
| Sancho (fried burrito) | 11.0g |
| Texas Style Burrito | 11.0g |
| Texas Style Sancho | 11.0g |
| Triple Enchilada | 11.0g |
| Nachos | 12.0g |
| Nachos Supreme (with beef & cheese) | 12.0g |
| Fish Taco | 12.0g |
| Mexican Dinner Platter | 12.0g |
| Combo Plate (taco + burrito + rice + beans) | 16.0g |
| 6 Pack Hard Tacos | 18.0g |
| 6 Pack Soft Tacos | 18.0g |
| Taco Salad | 20.0g |
Frequently asked
Does Taco Tico use seed oils?
Based on our menu research, Taco Tico cooks with: soybean oil. Across the 75 menu items we analyzed, it averages 7.3g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of C (High Risk).
What oil does Taco Tico cook with?
Our research indicates: Soybean oil for all fried items (crispy taco shells, sanchos, taco burgers, tostada shells, cinnamon crustos, nachos chips); beef tallow trace in taco meat only. Preparation can vary by location, so treat PUFA numbers as estimates.
Does Taco Tico use beef tallow?
Yes, at least for some items. Our research indicates: Soybean oil for all fried items (crispy taco shells, sanchos, taco burgers, tostada shells, cinnamon crustos, nachos chips); beef tallow trace in taco meat only. Beef tallow is far lower in PUFA than seed oils.
Is Taco Tico seed oil free?
No. Our research indicates Taco Tico 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 Taco Tico?
Soft Flour Taco is the lowest-PUFA item we analyzed at Taco Tico, at an estimated 4.0g PUFA. See the Safest Orders list on this page for more options.
What should I avoid at Taco Tico?
Taco Salad is the highest-PUFA item we analyzed at Taco Tico, at an estimated 20.0g 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 Taco Tico 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.