Does Buffalo Wild Wings Use Beef Tallow? | Frying Oil Facts

Yes—its published allergen guide says some fried items are cooked in beef shortening, a rendered beef fat often called tallow.

If you’re asking this, you’re not alone. The cooking fat behind a basket of wings can matter for taste, dietary rules, and allergies. It can also change which sides feel like safe picks.

Buffalo Wild Wings has talked about its frying setup in the same place it lists allergens. That’s the cleanest place to start, since it’s written for guests, not rumor threads.

What Beef Tallow Means In A Fryer

Beef tallow is rendered beef fat. It’s solid at room temperature, then melts into a clear, golden cooking fat when warmed. In fryers, it can deliver a crisp shell and a meaty, savory edge that’s hard to miss once you know it.

Restaurants don’t always label it as “tallow.” You’ll also see terms like beef fat, beef shortening, or shortening with beef flavor. The label matters, since each phrase can point to a slightly different blend.

Beef Tallow Vs. Beef Shortening

In plain terms, tallow is the rendered fat itself. “Beef shortening” is a common food-service label that can mean tallow, a tallow blend, or a shortening product made with beef fat as the main animal ingredient. The goal is steady frying, repeat batches, and a consistent bite.

If you’re deciding what to eat, treat “beef shortening” as a strong signal that beef fat is in the fryer. That’s the phrase Buffalo Wild Wings uses in its allergen document.

Why Fry Fat Labels Can Feel Confusing

Menu boards are built for speed. They list flavors, not fryer chemistry. Allergen documents, instead, get into prep methods because that’s where cross-contact can happen.

Buffalo Wild Wings Beef Tallow In Fryers And Frying Fat

Buffalo Wild Wings publishes an Allergen & Preparation Guide that flags which items are fried and how the kitchen is set up. In that guide, the frying column is labeled “Fried (In Beef Shortening),” and the notes state that beef shortening is used to fry products.

To see the current wording straight from the chain, open the Allergen & Preparation Guide and scroll to the prep notes near the end.

That same document also says fryers are shared, which matters if you’re avoiding certain allergens or animal ingredients. Shared fryers can move traces from one fried item to another, even when the second item has a clean ingredient list on paper.

If you want the freshest version before you order, the chain’s Nutrition, Allergen, & Preparation page is the hub that links out to the latest guides and any location-specific notes.

What “Yes” Means For Your Order

When people ask “does the restaurant use beef tallow,” they’re often trying to answer one of three questions. Is the fryer animal-based, are any fried items off-limits for a meat-free diet, and will a shared fryer create a problem for an allergy?

The chain’s wording points to beef fat being part of its frying setup for items marked as fried. That can rule out a lot of staples for vegetarians and vegans, even if the item itself looks plant-based.

Fried Items And Prep Notes At A Glance

The fastest way to use an allergen guide is to think in categories. Wings and tenders live in the fryer lane. Salads, veggie sticks, and many sauces live in the bowl lane. Sides can land in either lane.

The table below mirrors the way the guide labels items: look for the “Fried (In Beef Shortening)” mark, then read the prep notes about shared equipment.

How To Read The Fried Column Fast

Start with the item name, then scan for the “Fried (In Beef Shortening)” cue. In the guide, a mark in that column means the item is cooked in the fryer, using beef shortening as the fry medium. If your goal is to avoid beef fat, that single column answers more than the ingredient list on a menu board.

Next, read the prep notes at the end of the guide. Buffalo Wild Wings says the kitchen uses shared fryers and shared tools in normal operations. That’s a big deal for allergy-driven orders and for anyone trying to avoid animal ingredients by contact, not just by recipe.

Last, treat limited-time items and test items as their own check. If an item isn’t listed, call the store and ask how it’s cooked that day.

Online ordering screens don’t show fryer fat. The guide does. If you order for a group, share this detail so nobody gets surprised at pickup.

Menu Item Or Category	How The Guide Flags It	What That Means For Beef Tallow Questions
Traditional Wings	Marked as fried in beef shortening	Expect contact with beef fat in the fryer, then a sauce or dry rub after frying.
Boneless Wings	Marked as fried in beef shortening	Same fryer lane as other fried items, with shared equipment notes.
Cauliflower Wings	Marked as fried in beef shortening	Plant-based base, but fryer fat and shared fryers can make it non-vegetarian.
Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders	Marked as fried in beef shortening	Classic deep-fried prep, so beef fat contact is part of the cook.
French Fries	Marked as fried in beef shortening	Even a simple side can be cooked in beef fat at this chain.
Potato Wedges	Marked as fried in beef shortening	Same situation as fries: fryer fat drives the answer.
Tots	Marked as fried in beef shortening	Fried item, so treat it as cooked in beef fat unless the guide changes.
Onion Rings	Marked as fried in beef shortening	Deep-fried side, so beef fat contact is part of the prep.
Chips And Salsa	Marked as fried in beef shortening	Fried chips can surprise people; check the guide if you order them often.

Items That May Skip The Fryer

Not everything at a wing spot goes into a fryer. Veggie sticks, many salads, and some sandwiches can avoid the frying station. Still, check how the item is prepared at the store you’re ordering from.

Watch The Sauces And Dressings

Even when the fryer uses beef fat, sauces can contain refined vegetable oils. The allergen guide mentions soybean oil in some sauces and dressings. So “fried in beef shortening” and “contains soy oil” can both be true for the same plate.

Why A Chain Chooses Beef Fat For Frying

Beef fat frying is a classic for a reason. Tallow holds heat well, browns evenly, and brings a savory note that pairs with salty seasoning.

What It Does To Flavor And Texture

Tallow-fried food often tastes richer, even with the same seasoning. You can notice it on fries, onion rings, and any breaded item that comes out with a browned, crisp shell.

What It Means For People Avoiding Beef

If you don’t eat beef for religious or personal reasons, fryer fat is part of the ingredient story. A fryer that uses beef fat can make fried items a no-go even when the item contains no meat on its own.

If you’ve got an allergy to mammal products, ask the store about frying fat and shared fryers before you place an order. A label that reads “no beef in the ingredients” doesn’t protect you from fryer contact.

How To Confirm Frying Fat At Your Local Store

Step-By-Step Check

1. Open the newest allergen and prep guide from the chain’s nutrition page.
2. Find the item you want, then read across the prep columns, not just the allergen dots.
3. Scan the prep notes for shared fryers, shared bowls, and shared utensils.
4. If your need is strict, call the store and ask what fat is in the fryer today.

Questions That Get A Clear Answer

Staff can answer fast when your question is tight. Try a short script like these, then pause and let them check.

• “Is your fryer filled with beef shortening today?”
• “Are fries and wings cooked in the same fryer?”
• “Do you have any separate fryers, or is everything shared?”
• “Can you bake or grill the wings instead of frying?”

Question To Ask	Answer That Changes Your Choice	Safer Move
“Is the fryer beef shortening?”	If yes, fried items contact beef fat	Pick grilled, baked, or non-fried menu items
“Are all fryers shared?”	If yes, cross-contact can happen	Avoid fried items if you have a strict allergy
“Can wings be baked?”	If yes, you can skip the fryer	Order baked or grilled, then choose sauce with care
“Do you have a separate gluten-free fryer?”	If no, fried items can pick up gluten traces	Go with items cooked off the frying station

Ordering Tips For Common Diet Needs

Vegetarian Or Vegan

If you’re strict vegetarian or vegan, treat the fried lane as off-limits when the fryer uses beef fat. That can include fries, onion rings, and cauliflower wings, even when the base ingredient is plant-based.

Look for options that are grilled, baked, or assembled cold. Then check sauces, since creamy dressings and sweet sauces often contain dairy, eggs, or honey.

Alpha-Gal Or Mammal Allergy

Mammal allergies can be tricky since contact can happen through cooking fat, not just the meat itself. If you react to beef or other mammal products, ask about beef shortening in the fryer and shared equipment before ordering.

If the store can bake or grill the wings, that can cut risk. Still, shared bowls and shared tongs can be an issue, so make the call based on how strict your reaction history is.

Halal Or Kosher Style Eating

Beef fat in a shared fryer can clash with halal or kosher rules, depending on how you practice. If you follow strict rules, ask about fryer fat and shared tools before ordering.

If You Want The Tallow Style At Home

If you like the flavor tallow brings, you can cook wings at home with tallow in a deep pot. Keep batches small and hold the oil around 350°F so the skin crisps instead of steaming.

After frying, drain on a rack, then sauce in a clean bowl. That keeps the coating crisp and stops excess fat from pooling.

What To Do Before You Hit “Place Order”

If you just want a straight answer, the chain’s allergen guide points to beef shortening being used for frying. That’s the practical meaning behind the tallow question.

Then, make your call with these quick checks.

• Read the newest allergen and prep guide, not a screenshot from last year.
• Assume fryers are shared unless the store tells you otherwise.
• If your need is strict, call the store and ask what fat is in the fryer today.
• Build your order around grilled, baked, or cold items when you need to avoid beef fat.