Making Kennedy Proud Again? New Poll Shows 34% Of Diners More Likely To Try Food Cooked In Beef Tallow

Restaurant company Steak ‘n Shake received praised from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as he pushed forward his Make America Healthy Again mantra.

A new survey shows people may be more interested in trying the cooking method that the restaurant chain is embracing.

What Happened: Kennedy recently traveled to a Steak ‘n Shake restaurant to try their french fries, which are cooked in beef tallow, a food item he has encouraged restaurants to switch to.

Kennedy told Fox News host Sean Hannity that consumers were "raving" about the french fries during an in-person interview at one of the chain's restaurants.

“Steak ‘n Shake just switched out, and people are raving about these french fries,” Kennedy said.

The comments come after Steak ‘n Shake, owned by Biglari Holdings BH, switched from seed oils to beef tallow at all locations.

Benzinga recently surveyed readers to see if they have tried this cooking method or would consider trying after Kennedy's recent blessing.

"Steak ‘n Shake switched to frying with beef tallow, a cooking method supported by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.. What's your reaction?" Benzinga asked.

The results were:

• I'm more likely to try food cooked in beef tallow: 34%
• I don't care what my fries are cooked in: 32%
• I'm less likely to try food cooked in beef tallow: 22%
• I've already tried food cooked in beef tallow: 11%

The poll found that around one-third of people were interested in trying the beef tallow cooking method. Another one-third said they don't care what method is used to cook their fries. Only 22% said they were less likely to try this food cooking method, which might show opposition to Kennedy.

In the poll, 11% of readers said they have already tried the beef tallow cooking method. When taking out these readers, the poll found the following results:

• More likely to try food cooked in beef tallow: 39%
• Don't care: 37%
• Less likely to try food cooked in beef tallow: 25%

The poll shows that Steak ‘n Shake's move and Kennedy's praise has people talking.

Read Also: EXCLUSIVE: Reader Poll Shows Strong Approval Rating For Trump’s First 52 Days In Office, But There’s A Catch

Why It's Important: The restaurant chain's switch has drawn praise from Kennedy and members of Congress. Steak ‘n Shake embraced the strong reception. On its social media platforms, the company posted images with the phrase "Make America Healthy Again" as well as a photo of a customer holding fries in a Tesla vehicle — a potential reference to the EV company that is led by Donald Trump-ally Elon Musk.

Musk previously supported Kennedy’s praise for beef tallow by saying “the fries taste way better” with this cooking method.

Steak ‘n Shake’s current social media strategy and the attention it’s receiving from Kennedy appears to be paying off.

Google trends data shows searches for Steak ‘n Shake at a 12-month high. Searches for “steak n shake beef tallow fries” and “steak n shake beef tallow” increased.

Biglari’s future financials will show whether the new cooking method and social media strategy paid off for shareholders.

Kennedy says he prefers to “incentivize” companies to transition away from processed seed oils, instead of an outright ban.

“People should be able to make their own choice. If you want to eat a donut, or seed oils, you should be able to,” he said.

Kennedy said people should know what’s in their food and the potential health impacts to make an “informed choice.”

During the interview, Kennedy mentioned several other restaurants that have switched from seed oils or are in the process of switching. They include  Sweetgreen SG, Buffalo Wild Wings, Bloomin’ Brands-owned Outback Steakhouse and Restaurant Brands International-owned QSR Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen.

“We want to do everything that we can to incentivize these companies to be transparent, to switch over from ultra-processed food, and to be part of this movement to make America healthier,” Kennedy said.

Popeyes shared with Benzinga that they are not new to the beef tallow cooking method.

"While most other brands are just entering into the beef tallow conversation, Popeyes has been utilizing beef tallow for over 50 years to fry its chicken to perfection. This classic cooking method is one of the reasons Popeyes chicken has such a signature shatter crunch texture and bold, crave-worthy flavor – and it's all thanks to tried-and-true cooking techniques. While others maybe catching on to the benefits of cooking with beef tallow, Popeyes has been serving up crispy perfection since day one," Popeyes said.

Read Next:

• EXCLUSIVE: Trump’s Tesla Purchase Unlikely To Boost Sales As 53% Say ‘Never’

The study was conducted by Benzinga from March 13, 2025, through March 14, 2025. It included the responses of a diverse population of adults 18 or older. Opting into the survey was completely voluntary, with no incentives offered to potential respondents. The study reflects results from 105 adults.