Filet-O-Fish
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| Nutritional value per 1 sandwich (141 g) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 380 kcal (1,600 kJ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
38 g (13%) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sugars | 5 g | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dietary fiber | 2 g (7%) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
19 g (29%) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Saturated | 4 g (19%) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Trans | 0 g | ||||||||||||||||||||||
17 g | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other constituents | Quantity | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Energy from fat | 170 kcal (710 kJ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cholesterol | 45 mg (15%) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
May vary outside US market. 360 kcal (1,500 kJ) in UK. Some restaurants publish nutritional information for the sandwich with the tartar sauce removed. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| †Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults.[1] Source: McDonald's | |||||||||||||||||||||||
The Filet-O-Fish (known as Fish Fillet Burger[2] in Indonesia) is a fish sandwich sold by the international fast food restaurant chain McDonald's.[3] It was created in 1962 by Lou Groen, a McDonald's franchise owner in a predominantly Catholic neighborhood of Monfort Heights in Cincinnati, Ohio,[4][5] in response to declining hamburger sales on Fridays due to the practice of abstaining from meat on that day. While the fish composition of the sandwich has changed throughout the years to cater to taste preferences and address supply limitations, the framework of its ingredients has remained constant; a fried breaded fish fillet, a steamed bun, tartar sauce, and pasteurized American cheese.
History
[edit]The sandwich was invented in 1962 by businessman Lou Groen, a McDonald's franchise owner in Cincinnati.[4][5] His store at 5425 West North Bend Road[6] was in a predominantly Catholic neighborhood, which led to falling hamburger sales on Fridays resulting from the practice of abstaining from meat on Fridays (until 1966, Catholics abstained from meat on Fridays year round). The product was named by Cye Landy of Cye Landy Advertising Agency, which was the advertising firm for that particular McDonald's franchise.[citation needed]
The sandwich was the first non-hamburger menu item brought in by Ray Kroc, who purchased McDonald's in 1961.[7] Kroc made a deal with Groen: they would sell two non-meat sandwiches on a Friday, Kroc's Hula Burger (grilled pineapple with cheese on a cold bun) and the Filet-O-Fish, and whichever sold the most would be added to the permanent menu. The Filet-O-Fish "won hands down"[8] and was added to menus throughout 1963 until reaching nationwide status in 1965.[9]
In 1981, when an owner of a New Zealand fisheries company was dissatisfied with the pollock Filet-O-Fish he purchased at the Courtenay Place, Wellington restaurant, he said to the manager that he could make a better-tasting fish fillet. He was handed a box of fillets and told to come back with identical, better-tasting fillets. He substituted the pollock with red cod and after the manager was satisfied with the better-tasting red cod fillets, ended up in agreement to supply the Courtenay Place restaurant (and eventually several other New Zealand restaurants) with the red cod fillets. The similar-tasting hoki was substituted several years later, due to its competitive market value and its boneless fillets, and eventually was introduced widely in the early 1990s when global pollock stocks were facing low numbers.[10]
McDonald's removed the Filet-O-Fish from its menus in the United States on September 26, 1996,[11] and replaced it with the Fish Filet Deluxe sandwich, which was part of McDonald's ill-fated Deluxe line of sandwiches. However, the Filet-O-Fish was brought back to its menus on a gradual basis starting in the middle of 1997, due to overwhelming letters and petitions, receiving the larger fish patty from the Fish Filet Deluxe. The Fish Filet Deluxe itself was discontinued at most restaurants early in 1998, while others continued to offer it until 2000, when it was finally removed from all McDonald's menus.[citation needed]
In November 2007, McDonald's lowered the use of New Zealand hoki and increased the use of Alaska pollock, due to declining New Zealand hoki fishery sustainability and large cutbacks in the total allowable commercial catch of hoki by the New Zealand Ministry of Fisheries – from 250,000 tonnes in 1997 to 90,000 tonnes in 2007.[12] McDonald's originally used Atlantic cod, before declining cod catches forced McDonald's to find sustainable fish elsewhere. McDonald's is trying to maintain fish only from areas certified as sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council, but that is becoming more difficult each year. Hoki is still a major ingredient.[13]
As of March 2009, the Marine Stewardship Council[14] placed the Alaska pollock fisheries in a re-assessment program[15] due to catch numbers declining by over 30% between 2005 and 2008, and by-catch problems with salmon.
As of January 2013, the Marine Stewardship Council stated that the pollock comes from suppliers with sustainable fishing practices, and McDonald's packaging and promotion will reflect that change.[16]
In 2019, McDonald's sent a cease-and-desist letter to a small Canadian restaurant that was selling a fish sandwich it called the 'Effing Filet O' Fish'. McDonald's claimed that the restaurant's use of that term violated McDonald's registered 'Filet-O-Fish' trademark. In response, the restaurant agreed to stop using 'Filet O' Fish' to describe its fish sandwich.[17]
Product description
[edit]The fish used for the Filet-O-Fish patty in various markets is as follows:
- United States – As of May 2020[update], contains a battered, fried fish fillet made from Alaska pollock.[18][19]
- Republic of Ireland – As of October 2019[update] either hoki or Alaska pollock may be served.[20]
- United Kingdom – As of May 2020[update], contains white hoki or pollock in crispy breadcrumbs.[21]
- New Zealand – Contains a blend of New Zealand Hoki and Alaska pollock.[22]
- Indonesia – Contains Nile tilapia sourced from local fish farmers around Lake Toba in North Sumatra.[23]
Half a slice of cheese is used in each Filet-O-Fish sandwich; McDonald's states the reason is to prevent the cheese from overwhelming the taste.[24][25][26][27]

The Double Filet-O-Fish (a Filet-O-Fish with two fish fillet patties instead of one) is available in some regions.[28][29]
Society and culture
[edit]The Filet-O-Fish is often referred to as a burger outside the US,[30] particularly in Australia,[31][32] India,[33][34] New Zealand,[35][36] and the UK.[37][38][39]
Religious observation
[edit]The Filet-O-Fish, originally created for Western Christians observing the Friday Fast, remains popularly associated with this community, with US sales significantly rising around Lent. The practice has inspired other fast food chains to offer seafood options during Lent.[40]
This sandwich is also popular among Jewish and Muslim communities due to its ingredients being more aligned with kashrut and halal rules than McDonald's other offerings.[41][42] The sandwich contains fish, milk in the cheese, and egg yolks in the sauce.[18] In addition, the fish patty is cooked in a separate frypot to avoid giving other items a fishy taste.[43] Certification-wise, the sandwich is certified as halal in the UAE and a few other Muslim-majority countries;[44] it is also available in kosher-supervised restaurants of McDonald's Israel.[45] However, not all Israeli locations are certified and stores in the UK and the US do not participate in certification.[46]
Variants
[edit]In France, Spain, and Belgium, a variation of the sandwich is sold as the "McFish". The French McFish does not include cheese and replaces tartar sauce with ketchup.[47][48]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ United States Food and Drug Administration (2024). "Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels". FDA. Archived from the original on March 27, 2024. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
- ^ "Fish Fillet Burger". McDonald's Indonesia (in Indonesian). Retrieved April 11, 2026.
- ^ Berger, Arielle (March 1, 2019). "Here's why McDonald's Filet-O-Fish sales skyrocket in March". Beaumont Enterprise. Archived from the original on March 29, 2019. Retrieved March 29, 2019.
- ^ a b "Why Abstain from Meat on Fridays, but Eat Fish?". Catholic Financial Life. Archived from the original on March 29, 2019. Retrieved October 23, 2017.
- ^ a b Clark, Paul (February 20, 2007). "No fish story: Sandwich saved his McDonald's". USA Today. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
- ^ Amstrong, Patti (March 7, 2019). "How a Catholic Businessman Put the Filet-O-Fish on the McDonald's Menu". National Catholic Register. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
- ^ Pepin, Jacques (December 7, 1998). "Burger Meister RAY KROC". Time. Archived from the original on March 7, 2008. Retrieved December 30, 2010.
- ^ Clark, Paul (February 20, 2007). "No fish story: Sandwich saved his McDonald's". USA Today. Retrieved December 30, 2010.
- ^ "Travel Through Time With Us!". McDonald's. Archived from the original on November 26, 2011. Retrieved December 30, 2010.
- ^ Hepözden, Rosemary (2011). O'Flaherty, Brian (ed.). Golden Arches under Southern Skies: Celebrating 35 years of McDonald's in New Zealand. in co-op with McDonald's Restaurants (NZ) Ltd. Auckland: Renaissance Publishing. pp. 78–79. ISBN 978-0-9864521-1-6.
- ^ "Sarasota Herald-Tribune - Google News Archive Search". Retrieved January 26, 2014.
- ^ Moore, Bill (June 28, 2011). "Hoki fishery rebuilt, quota to rise, says minister". Nelson Mail. Retrieved July 27, 2011.
- ^ "Daily Finance Article". DailyFinance.com. September 11, 2009.
- ^ "Alaska Pollock- Gulf of Alaska". Msc.org. Retrieved October 3, 2013.
- ^ J Rice; D Bowen; S Hanna; P Knapman (November 12, 2008). "Surveillance Report – Gulf of Alaska Pollock Fishery" (PDF). Moody Marine. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 5, 2013. Retrieved January 26, 2014.
- ^ The Associated Press (January 25, 2013). "McDonald's fish to carry 'sustainable' labeling". NY Daily News. New York. Retrieved October 3, 2013.
- ^ Wed, Oct 23rd 2019 7:45pm-Timothy Geigner (October 23, 2019). "McDonald's Bullies Local Canadian Burger Joint Over 'Filet O' Fish' Trademark". Techdirt. Retrieved October 24, 2019.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ a b "Filet-O-Fish". McDonald's. US. Archived from the original on May 9, 2020. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
FISH FILET PATTY Ingredients: Pollock, Water, [etc]
- ^ "What Type of Fish do You use in the Filet-O-Fish®?". McDonald's FAQ. Archived from the original on December 4, 2020. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
- ^ "Filet-O-Fish". McDonald's. Ireland. Archived from the original on October 4, 2019. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
Filet-O-Fish - Alaskan Pollock or Hoki served with ½ a cheese slice and tartare sauce in a crisp breadcrumb coating.
- ^ "Filet-o-Fish Ingredients". McDonald's. UK. Archived from the original on May 1, 2020. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
Delicious white Hoki or Pollock fish in crispy breadcrumbs, with cheese and tartare sauce, in a steamed bun.
- ^ "NZ Core Food Menu" (PDF). McDonald's. New Zealand. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 7, 2024. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
- ^ "Darimana daging ikan pada Fish Fillet burger McD berasal?". McDonald's Indonesia (in Indonesian). Retrieved April 11, 2026.
- ^ Mark, Jorie (July 6, 2020). "The reason McDonald's Filet-O-Fish only comes with a half slice of cheese". Mashed.com. Retrieved October 18, 2020.
- ^ "Why do you only use half a cheese slice in your Filet-O-Fish sandwiches? Has it always been this way?". McDonald's. Canada. Archived from the original on July 26, 2014.
- ^ "Has the quantity of McDonald's Filet-O-FishTM changed? Does a McDonald's Filet-O-Fish use a half slice of cheese?". www.mcdonalds.com.hk. Archived from the original on June 10, 2018. Retrieved October 18, 2020.
- ^ "why is the fillet o fish served with half a slice of cheese, don't lie bcuz i have photgraphic [sic] evidence". McDonald's. Canada. Archived from the original on July 15, 2012.
- ^ "Double Filet-O-Fish". McDonald's Canada. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
- ^ "Doppel Filet-o-Fish". McDonald's Österreich (in German). Retrieved February 26, 2023.
- ^ Ewe, Koh (November 12, 2021). "This Instagram Account Features the Saddest McDonald's Burgers You'll Ever See". Vice. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
- ^ "Terms and Conditions Maccas Mini Games" (PDF). McDonald's Australia (PDF). January 13, 2020. p. 4.
$3 Filet-O-Fish burger offer
- ^ Gossling, Bronte (November 23, 2021). "'You killed it!': Chef turns Macca's Filet-O-Fish meal into two-course fine dining experience". kitchen.nine.com.au. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
Danny Kim, a food-related content creator who goes by @dannygrubs on the video-sharing platform, approached his friend, chef Ashish Alfred, with a challenge: turn his McDonald's Filet-O-Fish burger, fries and apple pie into a gourmet meal.
- ^ Bakshi, Priyaja (July 27, 2021). "Tara Sutaria Enjoys A McDonalds Burger As She Shoots For A New Film". NDTV Food. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
- ^ "Filet-O-Fish Meal". McDonald's India. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
Enhance your taste buds with soothing taste of Filet-O-Fish burger
- ^ "Corporate Responsibility | McDonald's New Zealand". mcdonalds.co.nz. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
The hoki fish fillets we use to prepare our super-delicious Filet-O-Fish® burgers are renowned for their succulent moist texture, white flesh and great mild taste... We use only skilled professionals to fillet our fish before it's formed into the crumbed, delicious portions we serve you on your favourite Filet-O-Fish burger.
- ^ McDonald, Greer (August 19, 2010). "Hook, line and sinker". Stuff. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
Little known fact: Martin Bosley, the well-known Wellington chef and restaurant owner, used to work for McDonald's. In fact he loves, nay praises, the fast-food giant, and can't say enough about their Filet-O-Fish burger.
- ^ Mal, Nisha (September 4, 2019). "Aldi's new 70p burgers taste just like McDonald's Filet-O-Fish". WalesOnline. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
Fans of McDonald's Filet-O-Fish burger have found a new discovery at Aldi, that tastes just as good.
- ^ Shakespeare, Stephan (May 24, 2017). "Fast-food icon McDonald's will be able to survive the recent dad ad controversy". YouGov. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
Last week, McDonalds came under fire for its latest advert. It showed a young boy and his mother discussing his late father and, while it seems they had little in common, the mother told her son that he and his deceased father shared a mutual love of a Filet-O-Fish burger.
- ^ "McDonald's has pulled this 'offensive' TV advert after being accused of exploiting child bereavement". News Shopper. May 17, 2017. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
Once they arrive at a McDonald's restaurant and the boy orders a Filet-o-Fish burger... Shocked viewers complained on Twitter, saying using death to sell burgers was "disgusting" and "offensive"
- ^ Tyko, Kelly. "Lent is Filet-O-Fish season at McDonald's". USA Today.
- ^ "Long Live the Filet-O-Fish, the McDonald's Sandwich for Jews". Tablet Magazine. September 20, 2016.
- ^ "The Filet-O-Fish Says So Much About Growing Up Muslim". Vice.com. August 15, 2018.
- ^ McDonald's China training material, Production Area, Frying. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
- ^ "Is there any pork or shellfish in your cheeses, or burger buns, breads?". McDonald's UAE FAQ. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
all our food is a 100% Halal
- ^ "מיני דג". McDonald's Israel (in Hebrew). Archived from the original on December 7, 2021. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
- ^ "Is the sauce used in the Filet-o-Fish® vegetarian and/or halal?". McDonald's UK FAQ. Archived from the original on November 1, 2020. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
- ^ "LE McFISH". McDonald's. France. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
- ^ "McFish - McDonald's - 124 g". Open Food Facts. December 27, 2015. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
External links
[edit]
Media related to Filet-O-Fish at Wikimedia Commons
Filet-O-Fish
View on GrokipediaHistory
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] Following the initial use of halibut, McDonald's switched to Atlantic cod as the primary fish for the Filet-O-Fish due to cost and availability, using it for several decades until declining cod stocks and overfishing concerns prompted a change. In 2013, the company transitioned to exclusively wild-caught Alaskan pollock to support sustainable fishing practices, coinciding with the sandwich earning Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification for its fish sourcing. As a result, McDonald's no longer uses cod in the Filet-O-Fish, with current annual global sales of approximately 300 million sandwiches (consistent with figures from 2020 onward). 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
The sandwich drives significant volume in McDonald's seafood offerings, with estimates suggesting McDonald's processes over 30,000 metric tons of Alaskan pollock annually for the Filet-O-Fish alone, based on average patty weights and global sales of around 300 million units per year.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 |
Low FODMAP Diet Compatibility
The Filet-O-Fish sandwich in its standard form is not suitable for the strict elimination phase of the low FODMAP diet, primarily due to the wheat-based bun, the wheat breading on the fish patty, and the tartar sauce containing onions. Component breakdown:- The breaded and fried fish patty consists of wild-caught Alaskan pollock, which is low FODMAP as plain fish has no significant FODMAPs. However, the wheat-based breading contains fructans, making the overall patty high FODMAP.
- The regular bun is high FODMAP due to wheat flour fructans.
- The tartar sauce is high FODMAP, as it contains onions (high in fructans).
- The pasteurized process American cheese is low FODMAP, being very low in lactose.