What oil does McDonald's fry in?
McDonald's fries in canola and soybean oil.
In detail: canola-corn-soybean oil blend with natural beef flavoring (fries); no US beef tallow switch as of 2026 despite 2025 speculation.
Ordering at McDonald's? Build your meal in the app and see its seed oil total before you pay.
Build my orderMcDonald's at a glance
| Fry oil (US) | Canola and soybean oil |
| Seed oils | Yes |
| Beef tallow | No |
| Peanut oil | No |
| Seed oil grade | A (2.9 g average per item, 255 items) |
| Is it a seed oil? | Canola oil: Yes · Soybean oil: Yes |
The 5 cleanest things to order at McDonald'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 |
|---|---|
| Burger Patty Only (No Bun) | 0.4g |
| Fruit & Maple Oatmeal | 1.0g |
| Cheeseburger | 1.6g |
| Hamburger | 2.1g |
| Bagel (Plain) | 2.1g |
Lower PUFA is cleaner. These are estimates from published nutrition data and disclosed oils; preparation varies by location.
Build your McDonald'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 orderMcDonald's fry oil in other countries
McDonald's states its fryer oil in 39 countries, and it is not the same everywhere.
- Canola (rapeseed) and sunflower oil: Australia, Bahrain, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, Mauritius, Netherlands, New Caledonia, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, United Arab Emirates
- Canola (rapeseed) oil: Israel, New Zealand, Singapore, Trinidad and Tobago
- Sunflower oil: Azerbaijan, Georgia, Spain
- Canola (rapeseed), soybean and corn oil: Canada
- Palm and canola (rapeseed) oil: Fiji
- Palm oil: Indonesia
- Beef tallow and palm oil: Japan
How McDonald's has changed its frying oil
By May 2008 every McDonald's in the US and Canada was frying in the new canola, corn and soy blend, covering fries, hash browns, chicken, fish and biscuits. Baked goods, pies and cookies were set to follow by the end of the year. Source
On January 30, 2007 McDonald's confirmed it had finally picked a trans fat free oil, a canola based blend that also has corn and soy oil in it. The oil was already in more than 1,200 US restaurants and was being phased in everywhere else. Source
McDonald's said in September 2002 it would move to a fry oil with much less trans fat by early 2003. The switch did not happen on that timeline, and in February 2005 the company paid 8.5 million dollars to settle lawsuits over how it handled the delay. Source
After eight years of study and a loud public campaign over saturated fat, McDonald's said on July 23, 1990 that it would cook fries in vegetable oil instead of beef tallow. The change was phased in across US stores by the end of that year. Source
Every documented oil switch across the industry lives on the Oil History timeline.
What oil do other chains like McDonald's use?
- What oil does Burger King use? Corn and cottonseed oil
- What oil does Wendy's use? Canola and cottonseed oil
- What oil does Five Guys use? Peanut oil
- What oil does In-N-Out Burger use? Sunflower oil
- What oil does Whataburger use? Soybean oil and vegetable oil blend
- What oil does Culver's use? Canola oil
- What oil does Shake Shack use? Soybean oil
- What oil does Smashburger use? Beef tallow
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 McDonald's report card, or where it lands on the Seed Oil Index. See which chains fry in real fats on Tallow Watch.
Frequently asked
What oil does McDonald's fry in?
McDonald's fries in canola and soybean oil. In detail: canola-corn-soybean oil blend with natural beef flavoring (fries); no US beef tallow switch as of 2026 despite 2025 speculation.
Does McDonald's use seed oils?
Yes. McDonald's fries in canola and soybean oil. Its seed oil grade is A, about 2.9 g of polyunsaturated fat per menu item.
Does McDonald's use beef tallow?
No. McDonald's fries in canola and soybean oil, not beef tallow.
Does McDonald's use peanut oil?
Not that we can find. McDonald's fries in canola and soybean oil. If you have a peanut allergy, ask the restaurant directly, because oils and suppliers can vary by location.
What is the lowest seed oil order at McDonald's?
Burger Patty Only (No Bun) (0.4 g of polyunsaturated fat). Next: Cheeseburger (1.6 g) and Double Cheeseburger (3.0 g).
Which McDonald's item has the most seed oil?
Spicy Chicken McNuggets (40 Piece), at about 67.1 g of polyunsaturated fat as listed.