What oil does Tijuana Flats fry in?
Tijuana Flats cooks with Soybean oil in the fryer and canola oil in the rice, per the chain's own per-ingredient nutrition data (api.tijuanaflats.com menuitems/ingredients, components dated to April 2026), which prints polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat: chips, fried tortillas, chicken tenders, the fried salad bowl and hard taco shells run about 50% poly / 20% mono (soybean), the rice about 20% poly / 60% mono (canola). The chain publishes no ingredient statements..
The 5 cleanest things to order at Tijuana Flats
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 |
|---|---|
| Sour Cream | 0.1g |
| Street Taco | 3.0g |
| Salad | 4.0g |
| Salad (Chicken) | 5.0g |
| Veggie Bean Tacos | 5.0g |
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 Tijuana Flats report card, or where it lands on the Seed Oil Index.
Frequently asked
Does Tijuana Flats use beef tallow?
No. Tijuana Flats cooks with Soybean oil in the fryer and canola oil in the rice, per the chain's own per-ingredient nutrition data (api.tijuanaflats.com menuitems/ingredients, components dated to April 2026), which prints polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat: chips, fried tortillas, chicken tenders, the fried salad bowl and hard taco shells run about 50% poly / 20% mono (soybean), the rice about 20% poly / 60% mono (canola). The chain publishes no ingredient statements., not beef tallow. See which chains fry in real fats on Tallow Watch.