What oil does TravelCenters of America fry in?
TravelCenters of America cooks with soybean/canola (assumed for fryer/roller-grill and grab-n-go items; TA's official nutrition pages list total fat and saturated fat but do not name the fry oil, so PUFA here is estimated from a soybean-oil-dominant blend, the common commodity fryer oil at US travel centers).
The 5 cleanest things to order at TravelCenters of America
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 |
|---|---|
| Grilled Chicken Dinner | 4.0g |
| Pork Chop Dinner | 4.7g |
| Caesar Salad | 5.0g |
| French Toast Combo | 5.0g |
| Chicken Club Lite Salad | 7.9g |
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 TravelCenters of America report card, or where it lands on the Seed Oil Index.
Frequently asked
Does TravelCenters of America use beef tallow?
No. TravelCenters of America cooks with soybean/canola (assumed for fryer/roller-grill and grab-n-go items; TA's official nutrition pages list total fat and saturated fat but do not name the fry oil, so PUFA here is estimated from a soybean-oil-dominant blend, the common commodity fryer oil at US travel centers), not beef tallow. See which chains fry in real fats on Tallow Watch.