Washington Restaurants

What are the odds on local restaurants using trans fat for their fries?

There's this local restaurant/take out place called the Spiedie and Rib Pit that I like to get spiedies (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiedies) and fries from...I usually never eat french fries, except when I go out to eat, but I'm worried that they might be using partially hydrogenated vegetable oil to cook their fries....I don't know if that stuff is just used by big chains like McD's and BK or if they use it to save money at most if not all restaurants for fries. If you could shed any light on this I'd appreciate it. And do you think that if I called and asked, they'd tell me if they used it or not? I live in upstate NY and I just wish they would issue a statewide ban on trans fat instead of just the city...it's not fair. Finally they pass some legislation I agree with downstate but it does not effect us. I figured they would...I mean not only does it make fries taste better (crispier) but it also lasts longer and so it saves money. Only about $1,000 a year but if we spread the word enough about how dangerous and unhealthy trans fat really is, it will put pressure on them to change because they may lose much more than $1000 a year on lost customers versus changing to a healthier type of oil. I called and some girl answered...she was clueless. I asked when a manager would be there and she said on Monday, so I'll try back then. I wonder if he/she will even know.

Public Comments

very extremely likely. It makes it taste better so restaurants use it
Calling them is your best bet - they won't knowingly lie to you..
In Brookline Mass and in NYC they have made a law saying you can NOT use trans-fats in a restaurant's cooking. Maybe you should try there for eating.