Chipotle vs Del Taco: which has less seed oil?
Chipotle has less seed oil overall: 2.9 g of polyunsaturated fat per item against 7.1 g at Del Taco. The fryers differ: Chipotle uses high-oleic sunflower and canola oil and Del Taco uses soybean and canola oil. Averages cover every menu item, so the order you build matters more than the logo.
Side by side
| Chipotle | Del Taco | |
|---|---|---|
| Grade | A | C |
| Average per item | 2.9 g | 7.1 g |
| Items counted | 125 | 153 |
| Fryer oil | high-oleic sunflower and canola oil | soybean and canola oil |
| Average main | 3.8 g | 8.7 g |
| Middle main | 4.0 g | 7.9 g |
| Mains under 1 g | 12% | 3% |
| Mains under 3 g | 47% | 16% |
| Mains under 5 g | 57% | 33% |
| Items at 10 g or more | 2% | 29% |
| Cleanest order | High Protein Cup - Steak (0.4 g) | Carne Asada Steak Street Guac'd Up Taco (0.4 g) |
| Item to skip | Chips and Guacamole (Large) (10.3 g) | Flamin' Hot Queso Loaded Nachos (Seasoned Beef) (27.6 g) |
| Mexican items, average | 3.5 g across 5 | 9.1 g across 7 |
| Burrito items, average | 6.3 g across 10 | 9.9 g across 20 |
| Taco items, average | 1.7 g across 16 | 5.3 g across 22 |
| Oil history | April 2015: Chipotle drops soybean oil for sunflower and rice bran oil | No documented oil switch on record yet. |
| More | Report card Fryer oil answer | Report card Fryer oil answer |
Where the gap sits: mexican items average 3.5 g at Chipotle and 9.1 g at Del Taco (5 items against 7); burrito items average 6.3 g at Chipotle and 9.9 g at Del Taco (10 items against 20).
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Build my orderCommon questions
Which has less seed oil, Chipotle or Del Taco?
Chipotle, by 4.2 g per item on average.
What oil do Chipotle and Del Taco cook with?
Chipotle: high-oleic sunflower and canola oil. Del Taco: soybean and canola oil.
What is the cleanest thing to order at Chipotle and at Del Taco?
At Chipotle it is High Protein Cup - Steak (0.4 g). At Del Taco it is Carne Asada Steak Street Guac'd Up Taco (0.4 g).
How much of the Chipotle and Del Taco menus is under 1 g of seed oil fat?
12% of the 58 mains at Chipotle and 3% of the 86 mains at Del Taco have less than 1 g of polyunsaturated fat.