McDonald's vs Sonic: which has less seed oil?
This one is close. McDonald's averages 2.9 g of polyunsaturated fat per item and Sonic averages 3.1 g, so neither has a real edge on seed oil overall. Averages cover every menu item, so the order you build matters more than the logo.
Side by side
| McDonald's | Sonic | |
|---|---|---|
| Grade | A | A |
| Average per item | 2.9 g | 3.1 g |
| Items counted | 255 | 383 |
| Fryer oil | canola and soybean oil | soybean oil and vegetable oil blend |
| Average main | 10.7 g | 9.0 g |
| Middle main | 7.9 g | 8.0 g |
| Mains under 1 g | 2% | 2% |
| Mains under 3 g | 14% | 17% |
| Mains under 5 g | 25% | 28% |
| Items at 10 g or more | 7% | 11% |
| Cleanest order | Burger Patty Only (No Bun) (0.4 g) | Burger Patty Only (No Bun) (0.8 g) |
| Item to skip | Spicy Chicken McNuggets (40 Piece) (67.1 g) | SuperSONIC Bacon Double Cheeseburger (26.8 g) |
| Chicken items, average | 20.8 g across 9 | 10.2 g across 11 |
| Burger items, average | 4.8 g across 9 | 13.0 g across 19 |
| Oil history | May 2008: McDonald's fries go trans fat free in the US and Canada January 2007: McDonald's settles on a canola based fry oil | No documented oil switch on record yet. |
| More | Report card Fryer oil answer | Report card Fryer oil answer |
Where the gap sits: chicken items average 10.2 g at Sonic and 20.8 g at McDonald's (9 items against 11); burger items average 4.8 g at McDonald's and 13.0 g at Sonic (9 items against 19).
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Build my orderCommon questions
Which has less seed oil, McDonald's or Sonic?
McDonald's, by 0.2 g per item on average, which is close enough to call it level.
What oil do McDonald's and Sonic cook with?
McDonald's: canola and soybean oil. Sonic: soybean oil and vegetable oil blend.
What is the cleanest thing to order at McDonald's and at Sonic?
At McDonald's it is Burger Patty Only (No Bun) (0.4 g). At Sonic it is Burger Patty Only (No Bun) (0.8 g).
How much of the McDonald's and Sonic menus is under 1 g of seed oil fat?
2% of the 51 mains at McDonald's and 2% of the 60 mains at Sonic have less than 1 g of polyunsaturated fat.