What Does Five Guys Fry Their Fries In? The Complete Oil Guide

The Short Answer

Five Guys fries their famous hand-cut fries in 100% refined peanut oil. Unlike many fast food chains that use inflammatory seed oils like soybean or canola oil, Five Guys has stuck with peanut oil since they opened their first location in 1986. This choice makes Five Guys one of the better options among major burger chains for those avoiding seed oils.

Five Guys' Cooking Process Explained

Five Guys takes a unique approach to their french fry preparation that sets them apart from other fast food chains. Their process starts with fresh potatoes delivered to each location rather than frozen pre-cut fries.

Here's how they make their signature fries:

• Hand-cutting: Workers cut whole potatoes throughout the day using a specialized cutting tool
• No blanching: Unlike most chains, Five Guys doesn't pre-blanch their fries
• Double frying method: Fries are cooked twice in peanut oil for optimal crispiness
• Temperature control: Oil is maintained at approximately 345°F for consistent results
• Fresh batches: Small batches are fried throughout the day to ensure freshness

The double-fry method involves an initial fry at a lower temperature to cook the potato through, followed by a second fry at higher heat to achieve that signature crispy exterior. This process takes about 3-5 minutes total.

What Oil Does Five Guys Use?

Five Guys exclusively uses refined peanut oil for all their fried items, including their regular fries, cajun fries, and grilled items that require oil. They prominently display signs in their restaurants alerting customers to their peanut oil use, and you'll often see boxes of peanut oil stacked in the dining area.

The specific characteristics of their peanut oil include:

• Type: Refined peanut oil (not cold-pressed)
• Smoke point: Approximately 450°F, making it ideal for deep frying
• Flavor profile: Neutral taste that doesn't overpower the potato flavor
• Allergen note: Refined peanut oil typically doesn't contain peanut proteins that trigger allergies

Five Guys has maintained this commitment to peanut oil despite industry pressure to switch to cheaper alternatives. Many chains abandoned peanut oil in the 1990s and 2000s due to cost concerns, but Five Guys views it as essential to their product quality.

Is It Seed Oil?

Technically, peanut oil is not a seed oil. Peanuts are legumes that grow underground, not seeds from grasses or plants like canola, soybean, or sunflower. This distinction matters significantly for your health.

Here's why peanut oil is different from inflammatory seed oils:

• Fatty acid composition: Peanut oil contains approximately 46% monounsaturated fat (primarily oleic acid), 32% polyunsaturated fat, and 17% saturated fat
• Omega-6 content: While peanut oil does contain omega-6 fatty acids, the ratio is more balanced than typical seed oils
• Processing: Refined peanut oil undergoes less intensive processing than many seed oils
• Oxidation stability: Higher smoke point and better stability during frying compared to seed oils

From a health perspective, peanut oil sits in a middle ground. It's not as optimal as cooking with saturated fats like tallow or coconut oil, but it's significantly better than the industrial seed oils used by most fast food chains. The monounsaturated fat content, similar to olive oil, provides some oxidative stability during high-heat cooking.

Seed Oil Scout Rating: BETTER OPTION - While not ideal, peanut oil is one of the more acceptable oils for occasional consumption when eating out.

What to Order Instead

If you're strictly avoiding all vegetable oils including peanut oil, Five Guys presents some challenges since most of their menu involves the fryer or grill (which also uses peanut oil). However, there are some strategies to minimize your exposure:

• Bunless burgers: Order your burger wrapped in lettuce instead of a bun
• Skip the fries: This is the biggest source of peanut oil exposure
• Fresh toppings: Load up on fresh vegetables like lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and pickles
• Grilled items consideration: Even grilled burgers are cooked on a flat top seasoned with peanut oil

For those who are comfortable with occasional peanut oil exposure, Five Guys can be a reasonable fast food option. The quality of their beef (no antibiotics, no hormones) and fresh toppings make it possible to construct a relatively healthy meal.

Healthier Alternatives at Other Chains

If you're looking for completely seed oil-free options, consider these alternatives:

Chipotle: Uses rice bran oil for cooking, but you can order oil-free bowls with just meat, vegetables, and guacamole. Their carnitas are cooked in their own fat without added oils.

In-N-Out Burger: Uses sunflower oil for fries (a seed oil), but their burgers can be ordered protein-style (wrapped in lettuce) to avoid oils used on buns.

Local restaurants: Many local establishments still use traditional fats like butter or lard, especially higher-end burger restaurants that advertise grass-fed beef.

Fast casual chains: Places like Shake Shack and Smashburger often use proprietary blends that include seed oils, making them less desirable than Five Guys from an oil perspective.

The key is to research each chain's oil usage and make informed decisions based on your health goals and tolerance for different cooking fats.

The Bottom Line

Five Guys' use of peanut oil puts them ahead of most fast food chains that rely on inflammatory seed oils like soybean, canola, or corn oil. While peanut oil isn't perfect from a health optimization standpoint, it's a significantly better choice than the industrial seed oils that dominate the fast food industry.

The facts are clear: if you're going to eat french fries at a major chain, Five Guys offers one of the better options. Their commitment to fresh-cut potatoes and peanut oil frying creates a product that, while still fried food, avoids the worst offenders in terms of inflammatory oils.

For those following a strict seed oil-free diet, Five Guys presents challenges since peanut oil is used throughout their cooking process. However, for people taking a more moderate approach to avoiding the worst seed oils, Five Guys can fit into an occasional dining-out strategy.

Remember, the goal isn't perfection but making better choices when eating out is necessary. Five Guys' transparency about their peanut oil use and commitment to quality ingredients makes them a more informed choice than chains hiding behind proprietary blend labels.

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