What oil does Ivar's fry in?
Ivar's cooks with Canola in the fryer, in the chain's own words on its nutritionals page: "We only use 0 grams trans fat canola oil". The chain's March 2024 ingredient list (ivars.com/s/ingredient_list03-24.pdf) names the rest: Red Clam Chowder is made with cottonseed oil; the Caesar dressing, the breadings and the corn muffin use soybean oil; the Tartar Sauce is canola. Caveat: the 02-2020 nutrition guide prints about 29% saturated fat on plain fries, which no canola fryer produces, so every deep-fried row is held at its ceiling rather than modelled from canola..
The 5 cleanest things to order at Ivar'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.
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Shrimp Cocktail | 0.3g |
| Crab Cocktail | 1.0g |
| Bowl of Clam Chowder | 3.2g |
| Crab Caesar Salad | 4.0g |
| Grilled Halibut Dinner | 4.0g |
Lower PUFA is cleaner. These are estimates from published nutrition data and disclosed oils; preparation varies by location.
Why the frying oil matters
Most fast-food chains fry in seed oils like soybean, canola, corn, or a blend of them, which are high in polyunsaturated fat (PUFA). A handful still use beef tallow or other stable fats, which are far lower in PUFA. The oil a kitchen fries in is the single biggest driver of how much seed oil ends up on your plate. See the full breakdown on the Ivar's report card, or where it lands on the Seed Oil Index.
Frequently asked
Does Ivar's use beef tallow?
No. Ivar's cooks with Canola in the fryer, in the chain's own words on its nutritionals page: "We only use 0 grams trans fat canola oil". The chain's March 2024 ingredient list (ivars.com/s/ingredient_list03-24.pdf) names the rest: Red Clam Chowder is made with cottonseed oil; the Caesar dressing, the breadings and the corn muffin use soybean oil; the Tartar Sauce is canola. Caveat: the 02-2020 nutrition guide prints about 29% saturated fat on plain fries, which no canola fryer produces, so every deep-fried row is held at its ceiling rather than modelled from canola., not beef tallow. See which chains fry in real fats on Tallow Watch.