All 13 fast-casual food packaging we scored fail our PFAS screen
We scored 13 fast-casual food packaging for PFAS forever chemicals and other hazards, then ranked them safest first. Every score below links to the full breakdown of what earned it.
100% of the 13 fast-casual food packaging we scored fail our PFAS and toxin screen.
The safest PFAS-free fast-casual food packaging we have scored
Nothing in this category clears our buy threshold yet. That is the finding, not a gap.
The fast-casual food packaging we would skip
Lowest scoring in this category, worst first.
Burger King
Sandwich Wrapper Cheeseburger Lot Of 2 Vtg 70s Food
Paper with grease-resistant coating (unspecified)
PFAS
Limited concern
Unknown additive content in vintage coating
Moderate concern
Paper substrate degradation over decades
Limited concern
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Limited concern
Skip. Vintage 1970s wrapper likely PFAS-coated for grease protection.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Burger King
Fast Food Wrapping Paper
paper with grease-resistant coating, composition unspecified
PFAS
High concern
Coating degradation and leaching during heat or moisture exposure
Limited concern
Undisclosed chemical additives in coating formulation
Moderate concern
Bioaccumulation risk from repeated exposure
Limited concern
Skip. Grease-resistant coatings often contain PFAS without transparency.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Burger King
1979, Burger King Paper Cheeseburger Wrapper (Scarce / Vintage)
paper with grease-resistant coating (composition unknown)
Unknown grease-resistant coating leachates
Limited concern
Coating degradation and particulate release
High concern
Microbial or mold growth
Limited concern
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from aged coating
Limited concern
Vintage 1979 wrapper. PFAS history in packaging remains unclear.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
What we check on fast-casual food packaging
- Confirmed PFAS, PTFE or fluoropolymer content, which is the heaviest penalty we apply.
- Stain, water or grease resistant treatments, which usually mean fluorinated chemistry.
- Whether the brand discloses what is in the product, or stays silent behind a “clean” claim.
- Independent lab results and certifications where they exist.
Full point-by-point rubric on the methodology page.
The fast-casual food packaging brands that will not say
4 of the brands here publish nothing about PFAS at all. Silence is not evidence of harm, but it is why none of them score well on disclosure.
Burger King, Cava, Chick-fil-A, Panda Express.
Common questions about PFAS-free fast-casual food packaging
Is fast-casual food packaging PFAS free?
Mostly not. Of the 13 fast-casual food packaging we have scored, 100% fail our PFAS and toxin screen, which leaves 0 that pass. The lowest is Burger King Burger King Sandwich Wrapper Cheeseburger Lot Of 2 Vtg 70s Food at 25.
Which fast-casual food packaging should I avoid?
The three lowest scoring we hold are Burger King Burger King Sandwich Wrapper Cheeseburger Lot Of 2 Vtg 70s Food at 25, Burger King Fast Food Wrapping Paper at 25, Burger King 1979, Burger King Paper Cheeseburger Wrapper (Scarce / Vintage) at 25. The problem with the first is that skip. Vintage 1970s wrapper likely PFAS-coated for grease protection.
Which fast-casual food packaging brands will not say whether they use PFAS?
4 of the brands we scored in this category publish nothing about PFAS at all, including Burger King, Cava, Chick-fil-A, Panda Express. Silence is not evidence of harm, but it is the reason those brands cannot score well on disclosure.
Do you lab test fast-casual food packaging?
No. We score from published ingredient lists, materials, certifications, disclosures and third party lab results where they exist. Where a product has been independently tested we use that result and say so.
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Does a particular brand of fast-casual food packaging have PFAS?
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