The Short Answer: No Beef Tallow at Raising Cane's
Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers does not use beef tallow in any of its menu items. The chain relies entirely on seed oils, specifically soybean oil and canola oil, for all of its cooking and frying needs.
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For those hoping to find a tallow-friendly fast food option, Raising Cane's is not the answer. Despite growing consumer interest in traditional animal fats like beef tallow, the chain has not made any moves in that direction.
What Oils Does Raising Cane's Actually Use?
Raising Cane's keeps its menu famously simple: chicken fingers, crinkle-cut fries, Texas toast, coleslaw, and Cane's sauce. But that simplicity does not extend to healthier cooking fats. Every fried item on the menu is cooked in seed oils.
- Soybean Oil: The primary frying oil used across the menu, including chicken fingers and fries.
- Canola Oil: Also present in various preparations and the signature Cane's sauce.
Even the Texas toast contains soybean oil in the bread itself, making it nearly impossible to avoid seed oils at this restaurant.
Why Doesn't Raising Cane's Use Beef Tallow?
Like most fast food chains, Raising Cane's switched to vegetable oils decades ago when the food industry moved away from animal fats. The reasons were primarily economic: seed oils are significantly cheaper than beef tallow and have a longer shelf life in commercial fryers.
Some fast food chains have started experimenting with tallow again as consumer awareness grows around the health concerns of seed oils. However, Raising Cane's has not indicated any plans to make this switch.
The Health Perspective
Beef tallow is a stable saturated fat that has been used for cooking for centuries. Unlike polyunsaturated seed oils, tallow does not oxidize easily at high frying temperatures, which means fewer harmful byproducts like aldehydes and lipid peroxides.
The seed oils used at Raising Cane's are high in omega-6 fatty acids, which can contribute to inflammation when consumed in excess. This is a concern for health-conscious diners who eat out frequently.
Alternatives for Tallow Lovers
If you are specifically looking for restaurants that cook with beef tallow, your best bet is to check the Seed Oil Scout app for verified restaurant data in your area. Some independent burger joints and newer fast-casual concepts have started using tallow for frying, but major chains like Raising Cane's have not followed suit.
For the most current information on cooking oils at Raising Cane's and thousands of other restaurants, download the Seed Oil Scout app. 🫡