Zaxby's Seed Oil Report Card
Source: Zaxby's Nutrition and Allergen Guide, November 2025. Zaxbys menu items are fried in a blend of highly refined soybean oil. The FDA does not include this type of highly refined oil in its definition of a “major food allergen”.
Based on our menu research, Zaxby's cooks with: soybean oil. Across the 106 menu items we analyzed, it averages 14.9g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of F (Extreme Risk).
What oil does Zaxby's fry in? The full answer
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Safest Orders at Zaxby'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: Blue Zalad (Garden) + Fountain Drink, 6.7g total
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Blue Zalad (Garden) | 6.7g |
| House Zalad (Garden) | 6.8g |
| Blue Zalad (Grilled) | 7.1g |
| House Zalad (Grilled) | 7.2g |
| Single Nibbler | 7.8g |
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Build my orderWhat to Avoid at Zaxby's
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Zax Sauce (16 oz) | 124.8g |
| Ranch Sauce (8 oz) | 61.6g |
| Zax Sauce (8 oz) | 61.2g |
| Spicy Zax Sauce (8 oz) | 53.4g |
| Chicken Finger Plate (6) | 49.8g |
Every Zaxby's item, ranked
All 106 items we have for Zaxby's, safest first. Values are estimated grams of seed-oil PUFA per item.
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Fountain Drink | 0.0g |
| Handcrafted Lemonade | 0.0g |
| Frozen Lemonade | 0.0g |
| Frozen Strawberry Lemonade | 0.0g |
| BBQ Sauce | 0.0g |
| Wimpy Sauce | 0.0g |
| Tongue Torch Sauce | 0.0g |
| BBQ Sauce (8 oz) | 0.0g |
| Lemon Pepper Dry Rub | 0.0g |
| Handcrafted Strawberry Lemonade (Medium) | 0.0g |
| Handcrafted Strawberry Lemonade (Small) | 0.0g |
| Handcrafted Peach Sweet Tea (Small) | 0.0g |
| Handcrafted Peach Sweet Tea (Medium) | 0.0g |
| Handcrafted Peach Sweet Tea (Large) | 0.0g |
| Gallon of Sweet Tea | 0.0g |
| Gallon of Unsweet Tea | 0.0g |
| Apple Juice | 0.0g |
| Milk | 0.1g |
| Handcrafted Strawberry Lemonade (Large) | 0.2g |
| Teriyaki Sauce | 0.3g |
| Insane Sauce | 0.5g |
| Nuclear Sauce | 0.6g |
| Sweet & Spicy Sauce | 0.6g |
| Garlic Parmesan Dry Rub | 0.6g |
| Vanilla Milkshake | 0.9g |
| Strawberry Milkshake | 0.9g |
| Chocolate Milkshake | 1.0g |
| Birthday Cake Milkshake | 1.0g |
| Wimpy Sauce (8 oz) | 1.2g |
| Original Sauce | 1.5g |
| Tongue Torch Sauce (8 oz) | 1.5g |
| Teriyaki Sauce (8 oz) | 1.8g |
| Nuclear Sauce (8 oz) | 2.1g |
| Chocolate Chip Cookies | 2.6g |
| Sweet & Spicy Sauce (8 oz) | 3.6g |
| Texas Toast | 4.2g |
| Asian Slaw | 4.2g |
| Citrus Vinaigrette | 5.4g |
| Coleslaw Regular | 6.0g |
| Blue Zalad (Garden) | 6.7g |
| Fried Cheesecake Bites | 6.8g |
| House Zalad (Garden) | 6.8g |
| Buffalo Garlic Blaze Sauce | 7.0g |
| Blue Zalad (Grilled) | 7.1g |
| Veggie Egg Rolls | 7.2g |
| House Zalad (Grilled) | 7.2g |
| Crinkle Fries Regular | 7.7g |
| Single Nibbler | 7.8g |
| 5 Piece Traditional Wings | 8.0g |
| Kidz Nibbler Meal | 8.0g |
| Blue Cheese Dressing | 8.1g |
| Spicy Mushrooms | 9.0g |
| Ranch Sauce | 9.5g |
| Zax Sauce | 9.5g |
| Spicy Zax Sauce | 9.6g |
| Hot Honey Mustard Sauce | 9.6g |
| Crinkle Fries | 10.0g |
| Chicken Fingerz (5 pc) | 10.0g |
| Tater Chips | 10.0g |
| Coleslaw Small | 10.2g |
| Asian Zensation Zalad (Garden) | 10.2g |
| Grilled Chicken Sandwich | 10.9g |
| Asian Zensation Zalad (Grilled) | 11.4g |
| Fried White Cheddar Bites | 11.6g |
| Onion Rings | 12.0g |
| Crinkle Fries Large | 12.7g |
| Chicken Fingerz (4 pc) | 13.0g |
| 5 Piece Boneless Wings | 13.2g |
| House Zalad (Fried) | 13.7g |
| Chicken Fajita Quesadilla | 14.0g |
| Grilled Cheese Kids Meal | 15.6g |
| Signature Sandwich | 15.7g |
| 10 Piece Traditional Wings | 16.0g |
| Chicken Bacon Ranch Quesadilla | 16.0g |
| Blue Zalad (Fried) | 16.4g |
| Honey Mustard Sauce | 16.5g |
| Asian Zensation Zalad (Fried) | 17.4g |
| Spicy Signature Sandwich | 17.8g |
| Fried Pickles | 18.6g |
| Kickin Chicken Sandwich | 19.3g |
| Chicken Fingerz Kids Meal | 21.0g |
| 10 Piece Chicken Fingerz Box | 24.0g |
| Great 8 Boneless Wings Meal | 24.0g |
| 2 Nibblerz | 24.6g |
| 10 Piece Boneless Wings | 26.4g |
| Buffalo Garlic Blaze Sauce (8 oz) | 28.7g |
| Big Zax Snak Meal | 28.8g |
| Traditional Wings Meal (5 Piece) | 30.1g |
| 3 Nibblerz | 31.5g |
| Boneless Wings Meal (5 Piece) | 31.8g |
| Chicken Bacon Ranch Loaded Fries | 35.1g |
| Chicken Finger Plate (4) | 36.0g |
| Cobb Zalad (Garden) | 36.0g |
| Cobb Zalad (Grilled) | 37.0g |
| Chicken Finger Plate (5) | 38.4g |
| Hot Honey Mustard Sauce (8 oz) | 39.0g |
| Coleslaw Large | 41.4g |
| Honey Mustard Sauce (8 oz) | 45.0g |
| Cobb Zalad (Fried) | 46.0g |
| Wings and Things Meal (Traditional) | 46.5g |
| Chicken Finger Plate (6) | 49.8g |
| Wings and Things Meal (Boneless) | 49.8g |
| Spicy Zax Sauce (8 oz) | 53.4g |
| Zax Sauce (8 oz) | 61.2g |
| Ranch Sauce (8 oz) | 61.6g |
| Zax Sauce (16 oz) | 124.8g |
Frequently asked
Does Zaxby's use seed oils?
Based on our menu research, Zaxby's cooks with: soybean oil. Across the 106 menu items we analyzed, it averages 14.9g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of F (Extreme Risk).
What oil does Zaxby's cook with?
Our research indicates: soybean oil (confirmed in Zaxby's allergen/ingredient disclosures); PUFA fraction 0.55 for fried items; sauces are soybean mayo-based, PUFA fraction 0.65–0.72. Preparation can vary by location, so treat PUFA numbers as estimates.
Does Zaxby's use beef tallow?
No. Our research indicates Zaxby's cooks with soybean oil, not beef tallow. For chains that fry in tallow or other real fats, see Tallow Watch.
Is Zaxby's seed oil free?
No. Our research indicates Zaxby's 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 Zaxby's?
Grilled Chicken Sandwich is the lowest-PUFA item we analyzed at Zaxby's, at an estimated 10.9g PUFA. See the Safest Orders list on this page for more options.
What should I avoid at Zaxby's?
Zax Sauce (16 oz) is the highest-PUFA item we analyzed at Zaxby's, at an estimated 124.8g 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.
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See where Zaxby'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.