What this guide covers: Seed oil usage in Shake Shack's menu items, based on their published allergen and ingredient documentation. This guide does not evaluate overall nutrition, calories, or other health factors.
Shake Shack uses canola oil as their frying medium. Canola oil is refined from rapeseed and is approximately 21% linoleic acid (omega-6). Their beef patties contain no added oil per their ingredient documentation, but the bun and ShackSauce both list soybean oil.
What oil Shake Shack uses
Shake Shack's fryer runs on canola oil. This applies to their fries, cheese fries, and any other fried menu items. Canola oil is produced from a genetically modified strain of rapeseed and refined using heat and chemical processing. It is high in omega-6 polyunsaturated fat.
Their published ingredient documentation also lists soybean oil in the bun and in ShackSauce. Soybean oil is one of the highest omega-6 seed oils, at approximately 54% linoleic acid per USDA FoodData Central data.
No seed oil in the ingredient list
✓ = does not list seed oil as an ingredient per published documentation. Cross-contact from shared cooking surfaces is not accounted for.
- ✓Beef patty 100% beef with no added oil listed in the ingredient documentation.
- ✓American cheese Processed cheese with no seed oil listed as a primary ingredient.
- ✓Lettuce and tomato No oil. Plain produce.
Contains seed oil
✗ = contains or is cooked in seed oil per published ingredient documentation.
- ✗Fries Cooked in canola oil.
- ✗Cheese fries Cooked in canola oil.
- ✗Potato bun Soybean oil listed as an ingredient.
- ✗ShackSauce Soybean oil listed as a primary ingredient.
- ✗Most other sauces Soybean oil appears in most condiment ingredient lists.
About Shake Shack's ingredient documentation
Shake Shack publishes their allergen and ingredient information on their website. Formulations can change. The data on this page reflects their published documentation at the time of research. Verify directly at shakeshack.com before making decisions based on this guide.
Our Pick
Fatworks Pasture-Raised Beef Tallow
What McDonald's used to fry in before 1990. If you want the flavor of restaurant-quality fries at home without canola oil, beef tallow is the traditional fat. Works at 375°F, the standard fry temperature.
Frequently asked questions
Does Shake Shack use seed oils?
Yes. Shake Shack uses canola oil for frying their fries and other fried items per their published ingredient documentation. Canola oil is extracted from rapeseed and is high in omega-6 linoleic acid, classifying it as a seed oil.
What oil does Shake Shack fry in?
Shake Shack uses canola oil in their fryers. This is documented in their published allergen and ingredient information. The fries, cheese fries, and any fried items are cooked in canola oil.
Does the Shake Shack burger patty have seed oils?
The Shake Shack beef patty itself contains beef and no added oil per their published ingredient documentation. However, the bun contains soybean oil. Sauces (ShackSauce) list soybean oil as a primary ingredient.
Is there anything at Shake Shack without seed oil?
Per Shake Shack's published ingredient information, the beef patty itself contains no added seed oil. However, cross-contact from shared cooking surfaces exists. The bun, sauces, and all fried items contain seed oils. If you want to minimize seed oil at Shake Shack, order a burger without a bun and without ShackSauce, understanding that cross-contact may still occur.
Where can I find Shake Shack's ingredient list?
Shake Shack publishes their allergen and ingredient information at shakeshack.com. Look for the 'Allergens and Nutrition' section or contact their customer service for the current full ingredient documentation.
Sources
- Shake Shack -- Allergen and Nutrition Information -- Primary source for oil usage and ingredient documentation
- USDA FoodData Central -- Canola Oil and Soybean Oil nutrient profiles -- Source for omega-6 linoleic acid percentages
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