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Chain vs chain · Sonic vs Wendy's

Sonic vs Wendy's: which has less seed oil?

Sonic has less seed oil overall: 3.1 g of polyunsaturated fat per item against 4.5 g at Wendy's. 18% of the items at Wendy's have 10 g or more, against 11% at Sonic. Averages cover every menu item, so the order you build matters more than the logo.

Side by side

SonicWendy's
GradeAB
Average per item3.1 g4.5 g
Items counted383223
Fryer oilsoybean oil and vegetable oil blendcanola and cottonseed oil
Average main9.0 g9.6 g
Middle main8.0 g10.2 g
Mains under 1 g2%0%
Mains under 3 g17%7%
Mains under 5 g28%22%
Items at 10 g or more11%18%
Cleanest orderBurger Patty Only (No Bun) (0.8 g)Burger Patty Only (No Bun) (1.1 g)
Item to skipSuperSONIC Bacon Double Cheeseburger (26.8 g)Cobb Salad (20.4 g)
Burger items, average13.0 g across 198.9 g across 22
Fries items, average12.3 g across 89.5 g across 3
Chicken items, average10.2 g across 119.8 g across 21
Oil historyNo documented oil switch on record yet.
August 2006: Wendy's finishes its switch to a non hydrogenated soy and corn oil blend
June 2006: Wendy's switches fries and breaded chicken to a corn and soy blend
MoreReport card
Fryer oil answer
Report card
Fryer oil answer

Where the gap sits: burger items average 8.9 g at Wendy's and 13.0 g at Sonic (19 items against 22); fries items average 9.5 g at Wendy's and 12.3 g at Sonic (8 items against 3).

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Common questions

Which has less seed oil, Sonic or Wendy's?

Sonic, by 1.4 g per item on average.

What oil do Sonic and Wendy's cook with?

Sonic: soybean oil and vegetable oil blend. Wendy's: canola and cottonseed oil.

What is the cleanest thing to order at Sonic and at Wendy's?

At Sonic it is Burger Patty Only (No Bun) (0.8 g). At Wendy's it is Burger Patty Only (No Bun) (1.1 g).

How much of the Sonic and Wendy's menus is under 1 g of seed oil fat?

2% of the 60 mains at Sonic and 0% of the 55 mains at Wendy's have less than 1 g of polyunsaturated fat.

Same numbers as the report cards. How we work it out.

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