Filet-O-Fish
The Filet-O-Fish is a fish sandwich menu item offered by the McDonald's Corporation, featuring a breaded and fried fillet made from wild-caught Alaskan pollock sourced from sustainable fisheries, topped with melted American cheese and creamy tartar sauce, all served on a soft steamed bun. Introduced nationally in 1965 as the first non-hamburger item on McDonald's core menu, it was originally priced at $0.29 and designed to appeal to customers abstaining from meat.[1] The sandwich's creation traces back to 1962, when Cincinnati-area McDonald's franchise owner Lou Groen developed it to counter declining Friday sales during Lent, a period when many Catholics avoided beef due to religious observances.[2] Groen, who opened the first McDonald's in the Cincinnati region in 1959, proposed the item to corporate leadership amid opposition from McDonald's CEO Ray Kroc, who favored a meatless alternative called the Hula Burger—a grilled pineapple slice with cheese on a bun.[3] To resolve the debate, Kroc agreed to a Friday sales test at Groen's location in Monfort Heights, Ohio; the Filet-O-Fish outsold the Hula Burger 350 to 6, securing its place on the menu.[1] Since its nationwide rollout, the Filet-O-Fish has become a perennial favorite, particularly during Lent, when approximately 25% of annual U.S. sales occur as consumers seek non-meat options.[1] McDonald's sources its pollock from Marine Stewardship Council-certified fisheries to ensure sustainability, with the fish deboned, skinned, and formed into patties before breading and par-frying.[4] Variations, such as the Double Filet-O-Fish with two fillets, are available in select markets, and the item remains a staple in over 100 countries, adapting to local tastes while maintaining its core recipe.[5]History
Creation and early development
The Filet-O-Fish sandwich was invented in 1962 by Lou Groen, a McDonald's franchisee who opened the chain's first restaurant in the Cincinnati area at 5425 West North Bend Road in North College Hill, Ohio.[1] Groen developed the item to counteract sharp declines in Friday sales at his location, where a significant Catholic population abstained from eating beef during Lent and on Fridays as a religious observance.[6] His restaurant's sales dropped sharply on those days, prompting him to seek a non-beef alternative that aligned with local customs.[7] Groen pitched the sandwich idea to McDonald's corporate leadership in Chicago, but founder Ray Kroc initially rejected it, preferring his own prototype—a grilled pineapple and cheese sandwich called the Hula Burger—as a meatless option.[1] To resolve the impasse, Kroc agreed to a sales test at select locations on Good Friday, April 20, 1962, pitting the Filet-O-Fish against the Hula Burger to determine which would perform better.[6] The test overwhelmingly favored Groen's creation, with over 350 Filet-O-Fish sandwiches sold compared to just six Hula Burgers, securing its place on the menu.[3] During early testing at Groen's restaurant, the Filet-O-Fish consisted of a halibut fillet that was breaded, fried until golden, and placed on a steamed bun with tartar sauce and a slice of American cheese.[6] Groen sourced the halibut from a local supplier and refined the recipe over several prototypes to achieve a crispy exterior and moist interior, drawing inspiration from seafood dishes popular in the region.[2] The cheese was added to enhance flavor and melt during preparation, while the tartar sauce provided a tangy complement to the mild fish.[8] The sandwich made its debut sale on February 13, 1962, at Groen's McDonald's, where it quickly gained traction among customers seeking a Lenten-friendly fast-food option.[6] Initial customer feedback was positive, with the item helping to stabilize Friday traffic and sales at the location, which led to its gradual adoption in other Cincinnati-area McDonald's outlets shortly thereafter.[9]National rollout and key milestones
Following successful tests at regional locations in Cincinnati, Ohio, the Filet-O-Fish was rolled out nationally across U.S. McDonald's restaurants in 1965, marking the chain's first non-hamburger menu item.[6] In 2013, McDonald's transitioned to using exclusively wild-caught Alaskan pollock for the Filet-O-Fish to support sustainable fishing practices, coinciding with the sandwich earning Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification for its fish sourcing.[1][6] In 2021, McDonald's US achieved 100% MSC-certified wild-caught Alaskan pollock for the Filet-O-Fish. Globally, as of 2024, 96% of fish is sourced from sustainably managed wild-caught fisheries, verified annually against McDonald's Sustainable Fisheries Standard (with MSC certification optional), with continued efforts to improve amid rising demand.[10][11] During the 1980s, McDonald's intensified advertising efforts for the Filet-O-Fish, particularly targeting the Lenten season to capitalize on seasonal demand among consumers observing meatless Fridays.[12] In 2013, the company reintroduced regional advertising campaigns highlighting the sustainable Alaskan pollock supply chain, including promotions featuring Bering Sea fishermen.[13][14] As of 2024, global fish sourcing for the Filet-O-Fish reached 96% from sustainably managed fisheries. In July 2025, McDonald's introduced the Double Filet-O-Fish as a new variation in select markets.[11][15] The sandwich drives significant sales during Lent, accounting for about 25% of its U.S. volume in that period, while global annual sales exceed 300 million units as of 2020.[1][16]Product Description
Ingredients and preparation
The Filet-O-Fish sandwich consists of a breaded and fried wild-caught Alaskan pollock fillet, tartar sauce, a slice of pasteurized American cheese, and a steamed regular bun. The fish fillet is prepared using pollock coated in a batter and breading, par-fried in vegetable oil before freezing and distribution. The tartar sauce contains soybean oil, pickle relish, water, egg yolks, distilled vinegar, spices, salt, and dried onions. The cheese slice is made with milk, cream, sodium citrate, salt, cheese cultures, citric acid, enzymes, and soy lecithin. The regular bun is made from enriched wheat flour, water, sugar, yeast, soybean oil, salt, and wheat gluten, and may include sesame seeds in select markets.[17] McDonald's sources its pollock exclusively from wild-caught Alaskan fisheries certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) for sustainability, a commitment implemented across all U.S. locations starting in 2013, with ongoing annual audits to ensure compliance.[18][10] In preparation, the frozen fish fillets are deep-fried in-store in a blend of canola, corn, soybean, and hydrogenated soybean oils at approximately 350°F for 2 to 3 minutes until crispy and golden. The bun is steamed for softness, then assembled by spreading tartar sauce on the bottom half, placing the hot fried fillet topped with the cheese slice onto it, and adding the top bun. This process ensures the cheese slightly melts from the fillet's heat.[19] The sandwich contains major allergens including wheat (from the bun and breading), fish (pollock), egg (in the tartar sauce), and milk (in the cheese), with potential cross-contamination from shared frying equipment limiting gluten-free preparation options.[20]Nutritional profile and variations in formulation
The Filet-O-Fish sandwich in the United States provides 380 calories per serving (as of November 2025), with 19 grams of total fat (including 4 grams of saturated fat and 0 grams of trans fat), 560 milligrams of sodium, 38 grams of carbohydrates (2 grams of dietary fiber), and 16 grams of protein.[19] These values are based on McDonald's official nutritional data for the standard sandwich, which includes a wild-caught Alaskan pollock fillet, tartar sauce, American cheese, and a steamed bun.[19]| Nutrient | Amount per Sandwich |
|---|---|
| Calories | 380 |
| Total Fat | 19g |
| Saturated Fat | 4g |
| Trans Fat | 0g |
| Sodium | 560mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 38g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2g |
| Protein | 16g |