Waitrose Cafe UK Seed Oil Report Card
Based on our menu research, Waitrose Cafe UK cooks with: rapeseed and sunflower oils — the chips and fries served in the cafes are Waitrose own-label lines that are par-cooked in rapeseed and sunflower oils (Waitrose Chunky Chips, Frites and Essential Oven Chips all state 'cooked in rapeseed and sunflower oils'; Essential Frozen French Fries are 5% sunflower oil), and the same blend carries the battered fish and the kids' goujons and fish fingers; dressings, pesto and mayonnaise are rapeseed-oil based, while butter is used on the toast, brunch plates and in the bakery. Across the 39 menu items we analyzed, it averages 4.7g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of B (Medium Risk).
Ask Waitrose Cafe UK to drop seed oils
Be the first to ask. The running total is public, so every tap adds real pressure.
One tap, anonymous, no signup. We keep each chain's total public so the demand is impossible to ignore.
Safest Orders at Waitrose Cafe UK
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.
Cleanest full order: Bacon in a Roll with Egg + Americano, 4.0g total
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Fresh Fruit Salad | 0.0g |
| Porridge with Honey & Blueberries | 1.0g |
| Carrot & Coriander Soup | 2.0g |
| Portuguese Custard Tart | 2.0g |
| Bircher Muesli | 2.0g |
What to Avoid at Waitrose Cafe UK
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Fish & Chips with Tartare Sauce | 18.0g |
| Kids Fish Fingers with Chips & Peas | 11.0g |
| Kids Chicken Goujons with Chips & Beans | 11.0g |
| Chicken & Pesto Ciabatta | 9.0g |
| Chicken Caesar Salad | 9.0g |
Every Waitrose Cafe UK item, ranked
All 39 items we have for Waitrose Cafe UK, safest first. Values are estimated grams of seed-oil PUFA per item.
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Americano | 0.0g |
| Fresh Fruit Salad | 0.0g |
| Latte | 0.0g |
| Cappuccino | 0.0g |
| Porridge with Honey & Blueberries | 1.0g |
| Sourdough Toast with Butter | 1.0g |
| Carrot & Coriander Soup | 2.0g |
| Portuguese Custard Tart | 2.0g |
| Bircher Muesli | 2.0g |
| Scone with Jam & Clotted Cream | 2.0g |
| Beans on Toast | 2.0g |
| Eton Mess Frappe | 2.0g |
| Scrambled Eggs on Toast | 3.0g |
| Welsh Rarebit with Ham Hock on Toast | 3.0g |
| Cream of Chicken Soup | 3.0g |
| Brioche Custard French Toast | 4.0g |
| Double Chocolate & Orange Cookie | 4.0g |
| Smoky Vegan Chilli Bowl | 4.0g |
| Bacon in a Roll with Egg | 4.0g |
| Cheese Toastie | 4.0g |
| Kids Chocolate Hazelnut Pancakes with Banana | 4.0g |
| Avocado on Toast | 4.0g |
| Kids Margherita Pizza with Salad | 4.0g |
| Sausage in a Roll | 5.0g |
| Eggs Royale with Smoked Salmon | 5.0g |
| Potato Omelette with Chargrilled Peppers & Feta | 5.0g |
| Traditional Small Breakfast | 6.0g |
| Avocado with Bacon on Sourdough Toast | 6.0g |
| Greek Style Salad with Halloumi | 6.0g |
| Sausage & Mash | 6.0g |
| American Style Salt Beef Flatbread | 7.0g |
| Chicken & Pesto Toastie | 8.0g |
| Chicken Hot Plate | 8.0g |
| Chicken & Pesto Ciabatta | 9.0g |
| Chicken Caesar Salad | 9.0g |
| Traditional Large Breakfast | 9.0g |
| Kids Fish Fingers with Chips & Peas | 11.0g |
| Kids Chicken Goujons with Chips & Beans | 11.0g |
| Fish & Chips with Tartare Sauce | 18.0g |
Frequently asked
Does Waitrose Cafe UK use seed oils?
Based on our menu research, Waitrose Cafe UK cooks with: rapeseed and sunflower oils — the chips and fries served in the cafes are Waitrose own-label lines that are par-cooked in rapeseed and sunflower oils (Waitrose Chunky Chips, Frites and Essential Oven Chips all state 'cooked in rapeseed and sunflower oils'; Essential Frozen French Fries are 5% sunflower oil), and the same blend carries the battered fish and the kids' goujons and fish fingers; dressings, pesto and mayonnaise are rapeseed-oil based, while butter is used on the toast, brunch plates and in the bakery. Across the 39 menu items we analyzed, it averages 4.7g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of B (Medium Risk).
What oil does Waitrose Cafe UK cook with?
Our research indicates: rapeseed and sunflower oils — the chips and fries served in the cafes are Waitrose own-label lines that are par-cooked in rapeseed and sunflower oils (Waitrose Chunky Chips, Frites and Essential Oven Chips all state 'cooked in rapeseed and sunflower oils'; Essential Frozen French Fries are 5% sunflower oil), and the same blend carries the battered fish and the kids' goujons and fish fingers; dressings, pesto and mayonnaise are rapeseed-oil based, while butter is used on the toast, brunch plates and in the bakery. Preparation can vary by location, so treat PUFA numbers as estimates.
Does Waitrose Cafe UK use beef tallow?
No. Our research indicates Waitrose Cafe UK cooks with rapeseed and sunflower oils — the chips and fries served in the cafes are Waitrose own-label lines that are par-cooked in rapeseed and sunflower oils (Waitrose Chunky Chips, Frites and Essential Oven Chips all state 'cooked in rapeseed and sunflower oils'; Essential Frozen French Fries are 5% sunflower oil), and the same blend carries the battered fish and the kids' goujons and fish fingers; dressings, pesto and mayonnaise are rapeseed-oil based, while butter is used on the toast, brunch plates and in the bakery, not beef tallow. For chains that fry in tallow or other real fats, see Tallow Watch.
Is Waitrose Cafe UK seed oil free?
No. Our research indicates Waitrose Cafe UK cooks with rapeseed and sunflower oils — the chips and fries served in the cafes are Waitrose own-label lines that are par-cooked in rapeseed and sunflower oils (Waitrose Chunky Chips, Frites and Essential Oven Chips all state 'cooked in rapeseed and sunflower oils'; Essential Frozen French Fries are 5% sunflower oil), and the same blend carries the battered fish and the kids' goujons and fish fingers; dressings, pesto and mayonnaise are rapeseed-oil based, while butter is used on the toast, brunch plates and in the bakery, which includes seed oils. See the lower-PUFA orders above for the cleanest picks.
What is the safest thing to order at Waitrose Cafe UK?
Fresh Fruit Salad is the lowest-PUFA item we analyzed at Waitrose Cafe UK, at an estimated 0.0g PUFA. See the Safest Orders list on this page for more options.
What should I avoid at Waitrose Cafe UK?
Fish & Chips with Tartare Sauce is the highest-PUFA item we analyzed at Waitrose Cafe UK, at an estimated 18.0g PUFA. Fried items and creamy, mayo-based sauces are usually the heaviest.
What are seed oils?
Seed oils — canola, soybean, sunflower, corn, and similar vegetable oils — are extracted from seeds using high heat and chemical solvents. They are very high in polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs), which are unstable at cooking temperatures and can oxidize easily. Many health-conscious eaters choose to minimize seed oils and prefer foods cooked in beef tallow, butter, coconut oil, or olive oil instead. This page shows estimated PUFA grams per menu item to help you make more informed choices. These are estimates — actual values vary by preparation and location. New to the topic? Start with what seed oils are and the complete list, or read the evidence on why people avoid them.
Compare other chains
Vintage Inns · Wagamama · Wahaca · Walkabout · Warrens Bakery · Wasabi
See where Waitrose Cafe UK lands on the full Seed Oil Index, or check which chains cook in real fats on Tallow Watch. Wondering about a specific dish instead? The Is It Seed Oil food guide answers it for 200+ everyday foods, and the distributor oils page covers what independent restaurants fry in.