Wendy's Seed Oil Report Card
Based on our menu research, Wendy's cooks with: canola and cottonseed oil. Across the 220 menu items we analyzed, it averages 4.4g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of B (Medium Risk).
What oil does Wendy's fry in? The full answer
Compare Wendy's with: Burger King · McDonald's · Sonic
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Safest Orders at Wendy'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: Burger Patty Only (No Bun) + Plain Baked Potato + Watermelon Lemonade (Small), 1.1g total
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Burger Patty Only (No Bun) | 1.1g |
| Jr. Cheeseburger | 1.5g |
| Oatmeal Bar | 2.0g |
| Jr. Hamburger | 2.1g |
| Grilled Chicken Sandwich | 3.0g |
Build your Wendy's order
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 Wendy's
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Cobb Salad | 20.4g |
| Pretzel Bacon Pub Triple Cheeseburger | 18.1g |
| 4 Pc. Tenders | 16.3g |
| Pretzel Bacon Pub Chicken Sandwich | 16.1g |
| Pretzel Bacon Pub Double Cheeseburger | 15.8g |
Around the world: Wendy's
Cinnabon Pull Apart has 3.0g of PUFA in El Salvador but 13.0g in the US. Same chain. Why not here?
We have Wendy's in 17 countries. Here is what it cooks with in each one, and how the same menu items compare.
| Country | Cooks with | Baconator Fries | Baconator | Dave's Triple | Breakfast Baconator | Dave's Double | Cinnabon Pull Apart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. (this page) | vegetable oil | 9.8g | 11.2g | 12.2g | 8.8g | 9.3g | 13.0g |
| Aruba | Not disclosed | 10.0g | 6.0g | 6.5g | 7.0g | 5.0g | 4.0g |
| Bahamas | soybean oil | n/a | 13.2g | 14.9g | 10.5g | 11.9g | n/a |
| Canada | soybean, canola and corn oil | 8.4g | 12.1g | 13.0g | 9.9g | 10.1g | 5.2g |
| Cayman Islands | soybean oil | n/a | 14.8g | 14.9g | 10.5g | 11.9g | 3.7g |
| Dominican Republic | Not disclosed | n/a | 14.5g | 15.5g | 14.0g | 14.0g | n/a |
| El Salvador | Not disclosed | n/a | 6.5g | 7.5g | 7.0g | 6.0g | 3.0g |
| Georgia | Not disclosed | n/a | 6.0g | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Guam | Not disclosed | 9.0g | 6.0g | 6.5g | 7.0g | 5.0g | 4.0g |
| Honduras | Not disclosed | n/a | n/a | n/a | 14.0g | n/a | 3.0g |
| Jamaica | Not disclosed | 10.0g | 7.5g | n/a | n/a | 7.5g | n/a |
| Mexico | Not disclosed | n/a | 8.0g | 9.0g | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| New Zealand | Not disclosed | 3.5g | 4.1g | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Panama | Not disclosed | n/a | 6.5g | 7.5g | n/a | n/a | 4.0g |
| Puerto Rico | Not disclosed | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 4.0g |
| Trinidad and Tobago | Not disclosed | n/a | 6.0g | 6.5g | 7.0g | 5.0g | 4.0g |
| UK | rapeseed and sunflower oil | 7.6g | 8.2g | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
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 Wendy's item, ranked
All 220 items we have for Wendy's, safest first. Values are estimated grams of seed-oil PUFA per item.
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Plain Baked Potato | 0.0g |
| Apple Bites | 0.0g |
| Fountain Drink | 0.0g |
| Cold Brew | 0.0g |
| Hot Sauce | 0.0g |
| Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce | 0.0g |
| Honey BBQ Dipping Sauce | 0.0g |
| Watermelon Sparkling Energy | 0.0g |
| Watermelon Lemonade (Small) | 0.0g |
| Sprite Watermelon (Large) | 0.0g |
| Diet Dr Pepper (Small) | 0.0g |
| Pure Life Bottled Water | 0.0g |
| Dr Pepper (Medium) | 0.0g |
| Barq's Root Beer (Large) | 0.0g |
| Pineapple Mango Lemonade (Small) | 0.0g |
| All-Natural Lemonade (Large) | 0.0g |
| Diet Coke (Large) | 0.0g |
| Diet Dr Pepper (Large) | 0.0g |
| Hi-C Flashin' Fruit Punch (Medium) | 0.0g |
| Hi-C Flashin' Fruit Punch (Large) | 0.0g |
| Watermelon Lemonade (Large) | 0.0g |
| All-Natural Lemonade (Medium) | 0.0g |
| Sprite Watermelon (Medium) | 0.0g |
| Simply Orange Juice | 0.0g |
| Dr Pepper (Large) | 0.0g |
| Fanta Orange (Small) | 0.0g |
| Regular Hot Coffee (Medium) | 0.0g |
| Strawberry Lemonade (Small) | 0.0g |
| Pineapple Mango Lemonade (Large) | 0.0g |
| Coca-Cola (Large) | 0.0g |
| Diet Dr Pepper (Medium) | 0.0g |
| Fanta Orange (Large) | 0.0g |
| Pineapple Citrus Sparkling Energy (Small) | 0.0g |
| Pineapple Mango Lemonade (Medium) | 0.0g |
| Sprite Watermelon (Small) | 0.0g |
| Diet Coke (Medium) | 0.0g |
| Sprite (Medium) | 0.0g |
| Hi-C Flashin' Fruit Punch (Small) | 0.0g |
| All-Natural Lemonade (Small) | 0.0g |
| Coca-Cola Zero Sugar (Medium) | 0.0g |
| Dr Pepper (Small) | 0.0g |
| Barq's Root Beer (Small) | 0.0g |
| Watermelon Lemonade (Medium) | 0.0g |
| Minute Maid Light Lemonade (Medium) | 0.0g |
| Minute Maid Light Lemonade (Large) | 0.0g |
| Regular Hot Coffee (Large) | 0.0g |
| Diet Coke (Small) | 0.0g |
| Barq's Root Beer (Medium) | 0.0g |
| Honest Kids Fruit Punch | 0.0g |
| Regular Hot Coffee (Small) | 0.0g |
| Coca-Cola (Small) | 0.0g |
| Coca-Cola Zero Sugar (Small) | 0.0g |
| Strawberry Lemonade (Large) | 0.0g |
| Sprite (Large) | 0.0g |
| Fanta Orange (Medium) | 0.0g |
| Minute Maid Light Lemonade (Small) | 0.0g |
| Strawberry Lemonade (Medium) | 0.0g |
| Coca-Cola (Medium) | 0.0g |
| Coca-Cola Zero Sugar (Large) | 0.0g |
| Sprite (Small) | 0.0g |
| Pineapple Citrus Sparkling Energy (Medium) | 0.0g |
| Baked Potato w/ Sour Cream | 0.1g |
| Sour Cream and Chive Baked Potato | 0.1g |
| Milk | 0.1g |
| Chocolate Milk | 0.1g |
| Vanilla Frothy Coffee (Small) | 0.2g |
| Chocolate Frothy Coffee (Small) | 0.2g |
| Caramel Frothy Coffee (Small) | 0.2g |
| Cold Brew with Cream and Sugar (Small) | 0.2g |
| Classic Chocolate Frosty (Junior) | 0.3g |
| Vanilla Frosty (Junior) | 0.3g |
| Chocolate Frothy Coffee (Medium) | 0.4g |
| Caramel Frothy Coffee (Medium) | 0.4g |
| Vanilla Frothy Coffee (Medium) | 0.4g |
| Cold Brew with Cream and Sugar (Medium) | 0.4g |
| Strawberry Vanilla Frosty Swirl (Small) | 0.4g |
| Strawberry Chocolate Frosty Swirl (Small) | 0.4g |
| Classic Chocolate Frosty (Small) | 0.5g |
| Vanilla Frosty (Small) | 0.5g |
| Caramel Vanilla Frosty Swirl (Small) | 0.5g |
| Caramel Chocolate Frosty Swirl (Small) | 0.5g |
| Classic Chocolate Frosty Medium | 0.6g |
| Vanilla Frothy Coffee (Large) | 0.6g |
| Caramel Frothy Coffee (Large) | 0.6g |
| Chocolate Frothy Coffee (Large) | 0.6g |
| Caramel Vanilla Frosty Swirl (Medium) | 0.6g |
| Strawberry Chocolate Frosty Swirl (Medium) | 0.6g |
| Vanilla Frosty (Medium) | 0.6g |
| Cold Brew with Cream and Sugar (Large) | 0.6g |
| Strawberry Vanilla Frosty Swirl (Medium) | 0.6g |
| Small Chili | 0.7g |
| Cheddar Cheese Sauce | 0.7g |
| Caramel Chocolate Frosty Swirl (Medium) | 0.7g |
| Caramel Crunch Vanilla Frosty Fusion (Small) | 0.7g |
| Strawberry Chocolate Frosty Swirl (Large) | 0.7g |
| Strawberry Vanilla Frosty Swirl (Large) | 0.7g |
| Chili Cheese Baked Potato | 0.8g |
| Classic Chocolate Frosty Large | 0.8g |
| Caramel Crunch Chocolate Frosty Fusion (Medium) | 0.8g |
| Caramel Chocolate Frosty Swirl (Large) | 0.8g |
| Caramel Vanilla Frosty Swirl (Large) | 0.8g |
| Vanilla Frosty (Large) | 0.8g |
| Large Chili | 1.0g |
| Orange Dream Frosty Small | 1.0g |
| Banana Frosty Swirl | 1.0g |
| Caramel Crunch Chocolate Frosty Fusion (Small) | 1.0g |
| Burger Patty Only (No Bun) | 1.1g |
| Caramel Crunch Vanilla Frosty Fusion (Medium) | 1.1g |
| Caramel Crunch Chocolate Frosty Fusion (Large) | 1.1g |
| Cheese Baked Potato | 1.1g |
| Caramel Crunch Vanilla Frosty Fusion (Large) | 1.2g |
| Apple Crumble Vanilla Frosty Fusion (Small) | 1.2g |
| Jr. Cheeseburger | 1.5g |
| Kids' Cheeseburger | 1.5g |
| Bacon Cheese Baked Potato | 1.7g |
| Oatmeal Bar | 2.0g |
| Orange Dream Frosty Medium | 2.0g |
| Apple Crumble Vanilla Frosty Fusion (Medium) | 2.0g |
| Jr. Hamburger | 2.1g |
| Kids' Hamburger | 2.1g |
| Apple Crumble Vanilla Frosty Fusion (Large) | 2.8g |
| Grilled Chicken Sandwich | 3.0g |
| Double Stack | 3.5g |
| Apple Pecan Salad | 4.0g |
| Grilled Chicken Wrap | 4.2g |
| Bacon Double Stack | 4.4g |
| 4 Pc. Spicy Chicken Nuggets | 4.4g |
| Kids' 4 Pc. Spicy Nuggets | 4.4g |
| Egg and Cheese Biscuit | 4.5g |
| 4pc Nuggets | 4.6g |
| 4 Pc. Crispy Chicken Nuggets | 4.6g |
| Kids' 4 Pc. Nuggets | 4.6g |
| Bacon Egg and Swiss Croissant | 4.8g |
| Sausage Gravy and Biscuit | 4.8g |
| Bacon Egg and Cheese Biscuit | 5.0g |
| Jr. Cheeseburger Deluxe | 5.0g |
| Natural-Cut Fries Junior | 5.2g |
| Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce | 5.4g |
| Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger | 6.0g |
| Cookie Dough Frosty Fusion (Vanilla, Medium) | 6.4g |
| Sausage Biscuit | 6.5g |
| Cookie Dough Frosty Fusion (Vanilla, Small) | 6.6g |
| Dave's Single | 6.7g |
| Nuggets (6 pc) | 6.9g |
| 6 Pc. Crispy Chicken Nuggets | 6.9g |
| Natural-Cut Fries Small | 7.0g |
| Bacon Egg and Cheese English Muffin | 7.0g |
| Sausage and Cheese English Muffin | 7.0g |
| Cookie Dough Frosty Fusion (Vanilla, Large) | 7.2g |
| Cookie Dough Frosty Fusion (Chocolate, Small) | 7.3g |
| Seasoned Potatoes | 7.5g |
| Big Bacon Classic | 7.6g |
| 6 Pc. Spicy Chicken Nuggets | 7.7g |
| Wendy's Signature Dipping Sauce | 7.8g |
| Crispy Chicken BLT | 7.9g |
| Creamy Ranch Dipping Sauce | 7.9g |
| Chocolate Chunk Cookie | 8.0g |
| Butter Sugar Cookie | 8.0g |
| OREO Brownie Vanilla Frosty Fusion (Small) | 8.0g |
| Kids' 2 Pc. Tenders | 8.2g |
| Son of Baconator | 8.3g |
| Sausage Egg and Swiss Croissant | 8.4g |
| Honey Butter Biscuit | 8.5g |
| Sausage Egg and Cheese Biscuit | 8.6g |
| OREO Brownie Chocolate Frosty Fusion (Small) | 8.7g |
| Pub Fries | 8.7g |
| Breakfast Baconator | 8.8g |
| Crispy Chicken Sandwich | 8.9g |
| Loaded Nacho Cheeseburger | 9.0g |
| Cheese Fries | 9.1g |
| Cookie Dough Frosty Fusion (Chocolate, Medium) | 9.1g |
| OREO Brownie Chocolate Frosty Fusion (Medium) | 9.1g |
| OREO Brownie Vanilla Frosty Fusion (Medium) | 9.1g |
| Dave's Double | 9.3g |
| Natural-Cut Fries Medium | 9.3g |
| Brownie Batter Chocolate Frosty Swirl (Small) | 9.4g |
| Brownie Batter Vanilla Frosty Swirl (Small) | 9.4g |
| Brownie Batter Vanilla Frosty Swirl (Medium) | 9.4g |
| Scorchin' Hot Dipping Sauce | 9.6g |
| Baconator Fries | 9.8g |
| Breakfast Burrito, Bacon | 10.1g |
| Big Bacon Classic Double | 10.2g |
| Chili Fries | 10.2g |
| Brownie Batter Chocolate Frosty Swirl (Large) | 10.2g |
| OREO Brownie Chocolate Frosty Fusion (Large) | 10.2g |
| Brownie Batter Chocolate Frosty Swirl (Medium) | 10.2g |
| Brownie Batter Vanilla Frosty Swirl (Large) | 10.2g |
| Homestyle French Toast Sticks 4 Pc. | 10.4g |
| Cookie Dough Frosty Fusion (Chocolate, Large) | 11.1g |
| Baconator | 11.2g |
| OREO Brownie Vanilla Frosty Fusion (Large) | 11.3g |
| 10pc Nuggets | 11.5g |
| 10 Pc. Crispy Chicken Nuggets | 11.5g |
| Parmesan Caesar Salad | 11.6g |
| Pretzel Baconator | 12.0g |
| Loaded Nacho Double Cheeseburger | 12.0g |
| Taco Salad | 12.0g |
| Pretzel Bacon Pub Cheeseburger | 12.0g |
| Dave's Triple | 12.2g |
| Natural-Cut Fries Large | 12.2g |
| Breakfast Burrito, Sausage | 12.2g |
| Spicy Asiago Ranch Club Sandwich | 12.3g |
| 3 Pc. Tenders | 12.3g |
| 10 Pc. Spicy Chicken Nuggets | 13.0g |
| Ghost Pepper Ranch Chicken Sandwich | 13.0g |
| Crispy Panko Fish Sandwich | 13.0g |
| Cinnabon Pull Apart | 13.0g |
| Big Bacon Classic Triple | 13.1g |
| Asiago Ranch Chicken Sandwich | 13.5g |
| Chicken Biscuit with Honey Butter | 13.5g |
| Spicy Chicken Sandwich | 13.8g |
| Classic Chicken Sandwich | 14.0g |
| Loaded Nacho Triple Cheeseburger | 15.0g |
| Maple Bacon Chicken Croissant | 15.0g |
| Homestyle French Toast Sticks 6 Pc. | 15.7g |
| Pretzel Bacon Pub Double Cheeseburger | 15.8g |
| Pretzel Bacon Pub Chicken Sandwich | 16.1g |
| 4 Pc. Tenders | 16.3g |
| Pretzel Bacon Pub Triple Cheeseburger | 18.1g |
| Cobb Salad | 20.4g |
Fry Oil History at Wendy's
Cooking in non hydrogenated soy and corn oil blend since June 2006.
Wendy's said in June 2006 it would convert, and announced on August 24, 2006 that all of its US restaurants were done. Fries and breaded chicken went from partially hydrogenated oil to a soy and corn blend with zero grams of trans fat per serving. Source
Wendy's announced the change on June 8, 2006 after about a year of testing in Florida, North Carolina, West Virginia and Ontario. Rollout to all 6,300 US and Canadian restaurants started that August and cut trans fat in those items by about 95 percent. Source
Wendy's moved off beef tallow around 1990, in the same wave that pushed McDonald's and Burger King to switch. Sourcing for the exact month is weak, so the year is the best anchor here. Source
Every documented oil switch across the industry lives on the Oil History timeline.
Frequently asked
Does Wendy's use seed oils?
Based on our menu research, Wendy's cooks with: canola and cottonseed oil. Across the 220 menu items we analyzed, it averages 4.4g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of B (Medium Risk).
What oil does Wendy's cook with?
Our research indicates: vegetable oil blend — soybean, canola and/or cottonseed (fries, fried chicken). Preparation can vary by location, so treat PUFA numbers as estimates.
Does Wendy's use beef tallow?
No. Our research indicates Wendy's cooks with canola and cottonseed oil, not beef tallow. For chains that fry in tallow or other real fats, see Tallow Watch.
Is Wendy's seed oil free?
No. Our research indicates Wendy's cooks with canola and cottonseed oil, which includes seed oils. See the lower-PUFA orders above for the cleanest picks.
What is the safest thing to order at Wendy's?
Burger Patty Only (No Bun) is the lowest-PUFA item we analyzed at Wendy's, at an estimated 1.1g PUFA. See the Safest Orders list on this page for more options.
What should I avoid at Wendy's?
Cobb Salad is the highest-PUFA item we analyzed at Wendy's, at an estimated 20.4g 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 · Five Guys · In-N-Out Burger · Whataburger · Culver's
See where Wendy'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.