Though it might seem obvious that french fries are vegetarian, that’s not always the case. McDonald’s infamously used to cook its fries in beef tallow, for example, before the chain was pressured to stop the practice during the health crazed 1990s.
Now, it seems as though beef tallow is back. As part of the revamped food pyramid, the Department of Agriculture says “When cooking with or adding fats to meals, prioritize oils with essential fatty acids, such as olive oil. Other options can include butter or beef tallow.”
If you’re one of the people that mourned the demise of McDonald’s beef tallow fries, there are still places where you can get your meaty french fry fix. These fast-food and casual restaurant chains still cook their fries in beef tallow, or a mix that includes beef tallow. (Vegetarians, beware!)
Smashburger
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Burgers with smashed, crispy beef patties and fries are the heart of the Smashburger menu. The chain started in Denver in just 2007, and it’s grown to over 200 locations. The chain’s thin, skin-on fries are “fried in beef tallow,” according to the nutrition information on the Smashburger website. Tots, sweet potato waffle fries, and even the crispy brussels sprouts are all fried in beef tallow as well.
Popeyes
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If you “love that chicken from Popeyes” then you’ve probably loved the Cajun fries, too. Turns out, there’s beef tallow in the chain’s fryers, a fact that’s been verified by purported Popeyes employees on Reddit, and by the chain itself to another publication. Yes, that means the chicken is probably fried in beef tallow, too. (We’ve reached out to the chain for confirmation, but have not heard back at the time of publishing.)
Outback Steakhouse
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It probably makes sense for a steakhouse chain like Outback to deep fry in beef tallow, considering how many people go to the chain looking for beef. The allergen chart published on Outback’s website confirms it: fries have “ingredients fried in shared fryer in beef tallow.” And you know what else that means? The Bloomin’ Onions are, too. No wonder they’re so delicious.
Buffalo Wild Wings
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Interestingly, another chicken chain is on this list. BW3’s uses “beef shortening” in its deep fryers, according to the allergen and preparation guide on its website. So it’s not just the french fries that are cooked in beef fat, it’s the wings, potato wedges, tots, and housemade tortilla chips. That includes the “cauliflower wings,” which are normally seen as a vegetarian alternative to chicken wings. Yikes.
Portillo’s
Ann S. / Yelp
Though it’s not a huge chain, Chicago-based Portillo’s is growing steadily, bringing Italian beef, Chicago-style hotdogs, and chocolate cake shakes to nine other states. Along with your meal, you can get crinkle cut fries, and according to the nutrition and allergen information on the chain’s website, they’re “cooked in a blend of vegetable oil and beef tallow.” That goes for the onion rings, too.
Steak ‘n Shake
Lisa P. / Yelp
The chain announced in February 2025 that it would be switching seed oils for 100% beef tallow in its fryers. The rollout is complete, and now Steak ‘n Shake’s fries, onion rings, and chicken tenders are all cooked in beef tallow.
Other Chains
Wilder Shaw / Cheapism
There are rumors and reports of other chains, including Checkers/Rally’s and Bojangles using beef tallow to cook french fries, but we could not independently verify that information. We’ve reached out to the media contacts at both chains for clarification, and will update the story if necessary.
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