What oil does Jonathan's Grille fry in?
Jonathan's Grille cooks with Beef tallow in the fryers. Jonathan's Grille's own menu (jonathansgrille.com/menu, read 2026-09-25) prints "***All items fried in beef tallow!", so fried items (fries, chips, tenders, boneless wings, fried pickles, cauliflower, eggrolls, onion rings, bam bam shrimp, fried fish) are scored on beef tallow (about 5% PUFA). The chain publishes no nutrition panel or ingredient statement, and bought-in frozen items (sweet potato fries, onion rings, eggroll wrappers) may be par-fried by the supplier in a seed oil before they reach the tallow fryer, so those are scored a little higher. Most of the PUFA on this menu comes from what is not fried: the mayo-based sauces and dressings (bam bam, chipotle mayo, pesto mayo, spicy and jalapeno ranch, 1000 island, bleu cheese, creamy Italian), the vinaigrettes, pesto, pizza dough and bread, which are scored as soybean oil because the chain names no oil for them. Grilled steaks, prime rib and burgers score low. Every value for this chain is an estimate..
The 5 cleanest things to order at Jonathan's Grille
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 |
|---|---|
| Fresh Fruit | 0.0g |
| Baked Potato | 0.5g |
| Sweet Potato | 0.5g |
| Shrimp Cocktail | 1.0g |
| Crispy Brussel Sprouts | 1.5g |
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 Jonathan's Grille report card, or where it lands on the Seed Oil Index.
Frequently asked
Does Jonathan's Grille use beef tallow?
Yes, at least for some items. Jonathan's Grille uses: Beef tallow in the fryers. Jonathan's Grille's own menu (jonathansgrille.com/menu, read 2026-09-25) prints "***All items fried in beef tallow!", so fried items (fries, chips, tenders, boneless wings, fried pickles, cauliflower, eggrolls, onion rings, bam bam shrimp, fried fish) are scored on beef tallow (about 5% PUFA). The chain publishes no nutrition panel or ingredient statement, and bought-in frozen items (sweet potato fries, onion rings, eggroll wrappers) may be par-fried by the supplier in a seed oil before they reach the tallow fryer, so those are scored a little higher. Most of the PUFA on this menu comes from what is not fried: the mayo-based sauces and dressings (bam bam, chipotle mayo, pesto mayo, spicy and jalapeno ranch, 1000 island, bleu cheese, creamy Italian), the vinaigrettes, pesto, pizza dough and bread, which are scored as soybean oil because the chain names no oil for them. Grilled steaks, prime rib and burgers score low. Every value for this chain is an estimate.. See which chains fry in real fats on Tallow Watch.