The oil that Wendy's fries their fries in is a vegetable oil blend, which is primarily canola oil, that is often also mixed with corn oil, soybean oil or cottonseed oils and sometimes with the addition of hydrogenated soybean oil and anti-foaming agents for stability and texture.
Wendy's has an emphasis on sustainable sourcing for any palm oil used in their overall supply chain.
The main oils that Wendy's uses for their fries is Canola, soybean, corn and cottonseed oil.
And the oils that Wendy's uses is a blend of oils that can also include hydrogenated soybean oil and an anti-foaming agent called dimethylpolysiloxane.
And all Wendy's fries are cooked in the same oils that other items containing wheat, milk and fish are cooked in, which also poses a risk of cross contamination for people with severe allergies.
Wendy's also focuses on responsible sourcing, particularly for palm oil that is used in other products, and uses sustainable practices where possible.
The exact blend of oils that Wendy's uses has also evolved and older sources also mention 100 % soy oils, but modern blends of cooking oils are also more complex.
McDonald's fries are fried in a blend of canola oil, corn oil, and soybean oils with added beef flavoring, which is hydrolyzed wheat and milk, for the classic taste of McDonald's fries.
Before the year 1990, McDonald's fried their fries in lard which is why the McDonald's fries tasted so much better in those days.
McDonald's also uses dextrose for their fries, which is a type of sugar that is added to the coating for a hint of sweetness and to help with browning of the fries.
McDonald's also uses a precise amount of salt when cooking their fries which also enhances all the other flavors.
And the McDonald's fries are also par-fried, frozen and then fried again in the McDonald's restaurants to achieve their signature texture.
Originally, McDonald's used a mix of beef tallow also known as beef fat and vegetable oil for frying their fries, which gave them a rich flavor.
But in 1990, McDonald's removed the beef tallow and lard and added natural beef flavoring to their oil blend to maintain the beloved taste.