5 Chain Restaurants Where the Fries are Actually Fried in Beef Tallow
When it comes to chain restaurants, a good burger is a pretty reliable staple you can count on. What pairs well with a burger? Salty, flavorful french fries. There are quite a few spots Eat This, Not That has called out for their delicious fries, but these five take it a step further, paying close attention to the cooking process. Some use specialty oils, like peanut oil, while others take it a step further by using beef tallow. Either way, what you cook them in makes a massive difference, and these five chain restaurants are big fans of the beef tallow method to give their fries a leg up in the competitive restaurant market.
Smashburger
At Smashburger, they want their fries to come out hot, crispy and flavorful for their customers. “We currently use butter on the grill, beef tallow/canola oil in our fryers, and a blended oil on our Smash Fries,” the company says on their website. Customers definitely seem to notice, really enjoying the fries, along with other menu items. “We were starving! We stopped at Smashburger. The food was awesome! We had burgers, fries and shakes,” a review on Yelp said.
Steak ‘n Shake
At Steak ‘n Shake they cook fries, among other items, in beef tallow. “Our fries, tots, onion rings, and chicken tenders are cooked in 100% beef tallow at our restaurants. The beef tallow contains no additives, preservatives, or chemicals. We have also worked with our manufacturer of fries and tots, at a considerable cost to us, to completely eliminate the vegetable oil formerly used to par-fry the product prior to freezing it and shipping it to us,” the company says on their website. Now they can officially say that their beef tallow fries and tots are free of seed oil.
Popeyes
Popeyes doesn’t seem to directly advertise it on their website, but according to the Popeyes Menu USA Blog, “Popeyes does use beef tallow in its frying process. Unlike many fast-food chains that have transitioned to fully vegetable-based oils, Popeyes incorporates a blend of beef tallow and vegetable oils to maintain its bold taste and signature crunch.”
Buffalo Wild Wings
At Buffalo Wild Wings, the company fries many of their menu items in beef shortening to preserve the quality and flavor, and customers notice. “After a few short minutes my chicken and fries came out hot and fresh. Not only is the food and service great, so are the prices. I will be a repeat customer,” a Google review said.
Outback Steakhouse
Food Republic reported that Outback Steakhouse is one of a select few restaurants that prioritizes using beef shortening. “A handful of fast casual dining chains also use tallow. Outback Steakhouse uses the fat to prepare quite a few things on the menu, including fries, chicken wings, and the famous Bloomin’ Onion,” the article said.