Yes, KFC reuses its cooking oil but filters it regularly and changes it periodically (often weekly or bi-weekly), with used oil typically recycled into biodiesel or animal feed, not for cooking other items, ensuring quality while managing waste effectively.
Our food waste is also collected for recycling and nearly all our used cooking oil is converted into biodiesel. We're making great progress with our packaging.
Nah…
The potatoes we use to make our famous chips generally come from Tassie and Victoria and the high-oleic canola oil we use for cooking them is also Australian-grown.
“ Recycling our used cooking oil is common practice across many of our markets, however in the UK, Switzerland and the Netherlands we are working to close the loop and create a circular solution for cooking oil.
Modern KFC frying oil: KFC transitioned decades ago away from animal fats for frying and now uses refined vegetable oils (commonly soybean, canola, or a blend). Ingredient statements and supplier disclosures list vegetable oils rather than pork fat or lard.
The unhealthiest KFC item varies, but often includes high-calorie, high-fat options like the Family Potato Salad (over 1,200 calories/serving) or the Famous Bowl (around 710 calories), while large fried chicken pieces or loaded burgers (like the Zinger Tower) also rank high for fat and sodium, though chicken skin itself has unsaturated fats, making preparation key.
Different from typical hydrogenated soybean oil, the low-linolenic variety has less linolenic acid. Although it is an essential omega-6 fatty acid, linoleic acid consumed in more than small amounts can contribute to high cholesterol, inflammation, obesity, and heart disease.
Once at the restaurant our fries are simply cooked in dedicated frying vats in a non-hydrogenated blend of sunflower and rapeseed oil which is 100 percent suitable for vegetarians (McDonald's French Fries are officially accredited by the Vegetarian Society).
In general, restaurants should expect to change fryer oil every 3 to 7 days. However, you need to adjust based on real-world kitchen factors: 🔥 High-volume kitchens (100+ orders/day) should change oil every 2 to 3 days. Heavy use breaks down oil faster due to constant heat stress and food debris.
As a result, our restaurants waste less than 1% of edible food stock. Unfortunately we can't send cooked food to be eaten elsewhere as this would breach our food safety policies, but we do send all leftover food for composting, rendering or anaerobic digestion.
The dishes of KFC are mostly deep-fried and are made using tons of oil. So, the regular consumption of KFC can make you gain weight. Therefore, continuous consumption of fast food, chicken, and meat that too with excess oil can lead to heart and fat-related issues.
KFC Australia is primarily owned and operated by Collins Foods Limited, an ASX-listed company that holds the largest number of KFC franchises in the country, alongside Taco Bell restaurants, with operations also in Europe. While KFC is a global brand (owned by Yum! Brands), Collins Foods is the key franchisee and operator for most Australian locations, acting as a major business entity for the brand Down Under.
How to Defeat the 6 Enemies of Frying Oil
Many items seem recyclable but aren't, including soft plastics (chip bags, bread bags), soiled paper/cardboard (greasy pizza boxes, paper towels, tissues), small items (bottle caps, straws), ceramics/Pyrex, batteries, Styrofoam, nappies, and some mixed-material containers (coffee cups with plastic lining), as these contaminate loads or jam machinery, requiring special disposal.
Deep frying food not only adds calories; reusing the same oil for frying, a common practice in both homes and restaurants, removes many of the oil's natural antioxidants and health benefits. Oil that is reused also can contain harmful components such as acrylamide, trans fat, peroxides and polar compounds.
KFC Switches to Low Lin Soy Oil. Kentucky Fried Chicken announced Monday that they will switch from vegetable oil to low-linolenic soybean oil.
On an average, the oil is changed as needed but it is filtered daily to keep it fresh and then topped up with new oil throughout the day.
No, McDonald's Milkshakes do not contain pork fat. There are no meat based products in McDonald's milkshakes and they have been approved as suitable for vegetarians.
Our World Famous Fries® are made from quality potatoes, including Russet Burbank, Ranger Russet, Umatilla Russet and the Shepody. The suppliers we work with first peel, cut and blanche the potatoes.
Cooked In Vegetable Oil (Soybean Oil, Vegetable Oil [May Contain One Or More Of The Following: Canola, Corn, Or Cottonseed], Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Dimethylpolysiloxane [Anti-Foaming Agent]). Seasoned With Sea Salt. COOKED IN THE SAME OIL AS MENU ITEMS THAT CONTAIN WHEAT, MILK, AND FISH. Salt: Sea Salt.
KFC's 7-Minute Policy, primarily in India, is an Express Pick-up service promising orders ready in 7 minutes or less for app/kiosk orders, with a free piece of chicken if they fail, ensuring speed and signature taste, but it's a limited-time offer or specific to certain locations/promotions. It's part of KFC's focus on quick, convenient service, backed by safety measures during its launch, and relies on customers showing the confirmation SMS to claim the offer.
The healthiest options at KFC are grilled chicken, especially drumsticks or breasts, paired with low-calorie sides like corn on the cob, green beans, or a house/Caesar salad (with light dressing or none), plus swapping fries for options like coleslaw or baked beans, to keep fat and calories lower while boosting protein. Avoid deep-fried items and sugary drinks for a healthier meal.
We use fresh wholesome chicken across all our restaurants. 100% of our chicken on the bone is from British and Irish farms. And when it comes to eggs, 100% of all ingredient and processed egg used within KFC UK & Ireland products is sourced from cage free systems. We don't use any fresh shell eggs.