What oil does Yocco's fry in?
Yocco's cooks with Sunflower oil, from the restaurant's own printed menu: "We fry in 100% Sunflower Oil." Yocco's ("The Hot Dog King", about 5 Lehigh Valley, PA locations since 1922) deep-fries its crinkle-cut fries, Mrs. T's pierogies, beer-battered onion rings, crispy chicken and Atlantic cod in it. The menu does not say whether it is regular (high-linoleic) or high-oleic sunflower, so it is scored as regular sunflower, the higher-PUFA end. The signature hot dogs (Hatfield beef and pork, cooked well done), cheesesteaks and burgers come off the grill. Yocco's publishes no nutrition panel, so every value for this restaurant is an estimate..
The 5 cleanest things to order at Yocco'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 |
|---|---|
| Mello Yellow | 0.0g |
| Extra Cheese | 0.3g |
| Chili Sauce (side) | 0.3g |
| Pudding Cup | 0.5g |
| Sauteed Mushrooms | 1.0g |
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 Yocco's report card, or where it lands on the Seed Oil Index.
Frequently asked
Does Yocco's use beef tallow?
No. Yocco's cooks with Sunflower oil, from the restaurant's own printed menu: "We fry in 100% Sunflower Oil." Yocco's ("The Hot Dog King", about 5 Lehigh Valley, PA locations since 1922) deep-fries its crinkle-cut fries, Mrs. T's pierogies, beer-battered onion rings, crispy chicken and Atlantic cod in it. The menu does not say whether it is regular (high-linoleic) or high-oleic sunflower, so it is scored as regular sunflower, the higher-PUFA end. The signature hot dogs (Hatfield beef and pork, cooked well done), cheesesteaks and burgers come off the grill. Yocco's publishes no nutrition panel, so every value for this restaurant is an estimate., not beef tallow. See which chains fry in real fats on Tallow Watch.