Burger Chain Announces States Where Fries Have Been ‘RFK’d’

Steak ‘n Shake has announced that all its branches in five states are now using beef tallow to cook their fries, a move that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has pushed for.

The burger chain announced on Monday that “100% beef tallow” fries are now available in Ohio, Colorado, Florida, Texas and Oklahoma.

It added that beef tallow fries would be rolled out to all locations across the U.S. within days.

Newsweek has contacted Steak ‘n Shake for comment.

Why It Matters

The health impact of cooking with vegetable oils is a contentious issue. The American Heart Association says there is “no reason” to avoid them.

Speaking to Health.com, Missouri-based dietitian Kristen White said: “Seed oils offer pros and cons. They’re rich in polyunsaturated fats and vitamin E, which are beneficial in moderation.”

However, she added that seed oils are “high in omega-6 fats, which may promote inflammation if consumed in excess, and they can become unstable at high heat, forming harmful byproducts.”

Dr. Christopher Gardner, a professor of medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine, also said of seed oils: “They are not to be feared.”

What To Know

On Monday, Steak ‘n Shake wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “Tallow Fries now in Ohio, Colorado, Florida, Texas and Oklahoma. By March 1 ALL locations. Fries will be RFK’d!”

The post included an image reading: “Fries worth their weight in gold. Made with 100% beef tallow.”

The restaurant chain announced in January that it would start using beef tallow to cook its fries. “Steak n’ Shake to Use 100% Beef Tallow. No Cap,” it wrote on X.

Steak ‘n Shake added: “By the end of February 2025, all locations will use 100% all-natural beef tallow. If veg oil broke your heart, our tallow will make you fall in love again.” It confirmed this week that the deadline had been updated to Saturday, March 1.

It comes after RFK Jr. has been fiercely critical of seed oils in recent months. On October 21, he posted on X that Americans are “being unknowingly poisoned by heavily subsidized seed oils.” He added: “It’s time to Make Frying Oil Tallow Again.”

Meanwhile, he also posted a video on Thanksgiving of himself deep-frying a turkey in beef tallow.

“This is how we cook the MAHA way,” Kennedy said in the video, referencing his “Make America Healthy Again” slogan.

Beef tallow is rendered fat that is made most commonly from the tissue surrounding cows’ organs, before it is cooked down, purified and strained.

What People Are Saying

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wrote on X in October: “Fast Food is a part of American culture. But that doesn’t mean it has to be unhealthy, and that we can’t make better choices. Did you know that McDonald’s used to use beef tallow to make their fries from 1940 until phasing it out in favor of seed oils in 1990? This switch was made because saturated animal fats were thought to be unhealthy, but we have since discovered that seed oils are one of the driving causes of the obesity epidemic. Interestingly enough, this began to drastically rise around the same time fast food restaurants switched from beef tallow to seed oils in their fryers.”

Steak ‘n Shake wrote on X this week: “The only burger chain in America to switch to 100% Beef Tallow. No chemicals, no preservatives. Just pure quality! That’s called leadership.”

Speaking about the health benefits of vegetable oil versus beef tallow, Emma Laing, a University of Georgia nutritional scientist, told Health.com: “Choosing one over the other is nuanced and is dependent on a person’s lifestyle, behavior, and environmental circumstances.”

What Happens Next

Steak n’ Shake has said it will roll out beef tallow fries to all its locations across the U.S. by March 1.

It remains to be seen whether Steak ‘n Shake’s move is the beginning of a broader industry trend toward using beef tallow instead of vegetable oil.

Other restaurant chains have also jumped onboard. Sweetgreen is eliminating seed oils from its menus and using products like olive and avocado oil instead, while Blue Collar Restaurant Group is replacing seed oils with butter and beef tallow, as well as olive and avocado oil.