Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is heaping praise on fast food burger chain Steak ‘n Shake for transitioning from seed oils to 100% beef tallow in their french fries. Speaking to Fox News host Sean Hannity on Monday, RFK celebrated the restaurant’s move away from plant-based fry oils–which he has long linked to the obesity and chronic disease epidemics–in favor of rendered fat.
“Steak ‘n Shake just switched out, and people are raving about these french fries,” Kennedy told Hannity during an interview at a Florida Steak ‘n Shake.
“It’s a completely different experience,” the HHS secretary said of the fries, which the company now makes with beef tallow in place of vegetable oil.
“The customers are raving about it,” he continued. “Steak and Shake has been great. We’re very grateful to them for RFKing the french fries.”
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This shift, announced earlier this month, has been met with enthusiasm from customers, leading to a surge in popularity for the nearly century-old burger chain.
Kennedy has long advocated against the use of seed oils in processed foods, seeing it as a contributing factor in the nation’s declining health. Highlighting Steak ‘n Shake’s example, he emphasized the need for informed consumer choices without imposing government mandates. Instead, he expressed a desire to incentivize other companies to adopt similar healthier practices while maintaining that individuals should have the freedom to choose their diets.
“I have a libertarian outlook,” he told Hannity. “People should be able to make their own choices. If you want to eat a donut, or seed oils, you should be able to.”
“You should be able to exercise informed choice,” he added. “You should know what that product is, what’s in your food and what the health impacts are. That’s all we’re going to do.”
This initiative is a critical part of RFK’s broader ‘Make America Healthy Again’ campaign. The Trump administration supports transparency in food production and aims to encourage the food industry to embrace natural ingredients.
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