Filet-O-Fish

Filet-O-Fish is a product brand of McDonald's, the international fast-food restaurant company. Its standard format consists of a fried, breaded fish fillet served in a steamed bun with tartar sauce and a portion of pasteurized American cheese. The sandwich was created in 1962 by Lou Groen, a McDonald's franchise owner in the Monfort Heights neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio. His restaurant served a predominantly Catholic community, and hamburger sales declined sharply on Fridays because many Catholics then abstained from meat on that day throughout the year. The product was designed to provide a commercially viable alternative without abandoning the restaurant's fast-food operating model. The sandwich's launch was also an important moment in McDonald's menu development. It was the first non-hamburger item introduced by Ray Kroc after he acquired control of the McDonald's business. Kroc initially arranged a one-day sales test between Groen's fish sandwich and the Hula Burger, a meatless product made with grilled pineapple and cheese. The Filet-O-Fish substantially outsold the Hula Burger and was subsequently added to McDonald's permanent menu, expanding nationally during the 1960s. Although the basic architecture of the product has remained stable, the fish species and sourcing arrangements have changed over time. Atlantic cod was used in earlier formulations, followed by pollock and hoki as supply conditions, costs, and regional fisheries changed. Current ingredients vary by market. Alaska pollock is used in the United States, while hoki, pollock, or a combination of the two is used in several other markets. New Zealand has used a blend of hoki and Alaska pollock, and Indonesia has sold a locally sourced Nile tilapia version. The changes reflect both regional supply chains and efforts to respond to fishery sustainability concerns. The Filet-O-Fish is associated particularly with Lent and Christian Friday observance, when demand for seafood alternatives tends to increase in the United States and some other Western markets. It has also found audiences among Jewish and Muslim consumers in certain locations because fish-based products may be more compatible with relevant dietary practices than McDonald's meat products, although certification and preparation standards differ by country and restaurant. Some Muslim-majority markets offer halal-certified versions, and some McDonald's restaurants in Israel operate under kosher supervision. The product has experienced both menu experimentation and consumer-led restoration. McDonald's removed it from United States menus in 1996 and replaced it with the Fish Filet Deluxe, but brought it back progressively from 1997 after customer letters and petitions. The Filet-O-Fish remains available in many McDonald's markets, sometimes alongside regional names and variants. These include the Double Filet-O-Fish, which uses two fish patties, and market-specific products such as McFish in parts of Europe and Fish Fillet Burger in Indonesia. Its continuing presence makes it one of McDonald's most recognizable non-beef products and a durable example of localized menu adaptation within a global restaurant system.

The Filet-O-Fish originated at a McDonald's franchise in Cincinnati, Ohio, operated by Lou Groen. The restaurant was located in Monfort Heights, a predominantly Catholic neighborhood where Friday meat abstinence affected customer behavior and caused hamburger sales to fall. In the early 1960s, this was a significant commercial problem because the practice of abstaining from meat on Fridays was still widely observed, and at that time it extended through much of the year for many Catholics. Groen developed a fish sandwich as a way to preserve Friday business. The product was named by Cye Landy, whose advertising agency handled marketing for the franchise. Its initial format established the elements that have defined the product for decades: a breaded and fried fish fillet, a steamed bun, tartar sauce, and a portion of American cheese. The cheese was deliberately used in a limited amount so that it would not overpower the fish and sauce. Ray Kroc, who had acquired McDonald's in 1961, was initially skeptical of expanding the menu with a non-meat sandwich. He agreed to a direct sales test between Groen's fish sandwich and his own Hula Burger, which paired grilled pineapple and cheese. The Filet-O-Fish won the comparison decisively and became a permanent McDonald's menu item. It expanded across the United States during the 1960s, reaching nationwide availability by the middle of the decade. The fish component has never been entirely uniform across countries or historical periods. Earlier versions used Atlantic cod, but changes in fish availability led McDonald's and its suppliers to use species including pollock, hoki, and red cod. In New Zealand, a supplier helped move the product from pollock to red cod and later to hoki, partly because hoki offered competitive pricing and boneless fillets. Hoki became more widely used in the early 1990s, while declining fishery stocks and changes in allowable catches later encouraged a greater reliance on Alaska pollock. The brand also underwent a temporary withdrawal in the United States. McDonald's removed the Filet-O-Fish in September 1996 and substituted the Fish Filet Deluxe, part of a broader Deluxe sandwich program. Customer correspondence and petitions contributed to the Filet-O-Fish's return on a gradual basis beginning in 1997. The returning sandwich used the larger fish patty associated with the Fish Filet Deluxe. The Deluxe product was then discontinued at most restaurants in 1998 and disappeared from the remaining menus by 2000. Fishery management and certification have been recurring issues in the product's later history. Reductions in New Zealand hoki catch limits led McDonald's to adjust its supply mix in 2007. Alaska pollock fisheries were reassessed by the Marine Stewardship Council in 2009 after reported catch reductions and by-catch concerns. By 2013, the organization stated that pollock suppliers were using sustainable fishing practices, and McDonald's said its packaging and promotional material would communicate that position. The Filet-O-Fish is sold in numerous international markets, but the recipe and name vary. The United States version uses Alaska pollock, while the United Kingdom and Ireland have used hoki and/or pollock. New Zealand has used a hoki and pollock blend, and Indonesia has sold a tilapia-based Fish Fillet Burger. European markets including France, Spain, and Belgium have offered versions known as McFish. Some versions omit cheese or replace tartar sauce with ketchup. A Double Filet-O-Fish, with two fish patties, is available in selected regions. Its cultural role extends beyond ordinary menu sales. The sandwich remains particularly visible during Lent and other periods associated with Christian Friday observance, and its popularity has encouraged competing fast-food companies to market seafood products seasonally. It is also consumed by some Jewish and Muslim customers, although kosher and halal status depends on local certification, ingredients, preparation, and restaurant practices. The product continues to function as McDonald's principal globally recognized fish sandwich while adapting to local fisheries, regulations, and consumer preferences.

• 2013

  Sustainable sourcing communication

  [1]Filet-O-Fishen.wikipedia.org

  McDonald's indicates that its packaging and promotional materials will reflect sustainable pollock sourcing.

• 2009

  Pollock fishery reassessment

  [1]Filet-O-Fishen.wikipedia.org

  The Marine Stewardship Council places relevant Alaska pollock fisheries into reassessment following catch declines and by-catch concerns.

• 2007

  Supply mix shifts toward Alaska pollock

  [1]Filet-O-Fishen.wikipedia.org

  McDonald's reduces its use of New Zealand hoki and increases Alaska pollock amid lower hoki catch limits and sustainability concerns.

• 1997

  United States relaunch

  [1]Filet-O-Fishen.wikipedia.org

  The sandwich returns progressively after customer letters and petitions, using the larger patty associated with the Fish Filet Deluxe.

• 1996

  United States menu removal

  [1]Filet-O-Fishen.wikipedia.org

  McDonald's removes the Filet-O-Fish from United States menus and substitutes the Fish Filet Deluxe.

• 1965

  Nationwide United States availability

  [1]Filet-O-Fishen.wikipedia.org

  The sandwich reaches nationwide status in the United States.

• 1963

  Expansion onto McDonald's menus

  [1]Filet-O-Fishen.wikipedia.org

  The Filet-O-Fish begins broader menu distribution after its successful initial test.

• 1962

  Filet-O-Fish is created in Cincinnati

  [1]Filet-O-Fishen.wikipedia.org

  Franchise owner Lou Groen develops the sandwich to address falling Friday hamburger sales in a predominantly Catholic neighborhood.

• 1962

  Hula Burger and Filet-O-Fish sales test

  [1]Filet-O-Fishen.wikipedia.org

  Ray Kroc agrees to test Groen's fish sandwich against the meatless Hula Burger; the Filet-O-Fish wins and is selected for the permanent menu.

A globally recognizable McDonald's seafood alternative, positioned as a meat-free fast-food choice and strongly associated with Friday observance, Lent, and seasonal seafood demand.

• Fish sandwich · 1962

  Filet-O-Fish

  The core product is a fried, breaded fish fillet in a steamed bun with tartar sauce and a portion of pasteurized American cheese. The fish species varies by market and supply period. Alaska pollock is used in the United States, while hoki, pollock, or blends of those species are used in several other countries.

• Fish sandwich variant

  Double Filet-O-Fish

  A regional variant that uses two Filet-O-Fish fish patties rather than one. Availability depends on the local McDonald's market and menu strategy.

• Regional fish sandwich

  McFish

  A market-specific variation sold in France, Spain, and Belgium. The French version is described as omitting cheese and using ketchup instead of tartar sauce, illustrating how the product is adapted to local preferences.

• Regional fish sandwich

  Fish Fillet Burger

  The Indonesian name for a related Filet-O-Fish product. The Indonesian formulation has used Nile tilapia sourced from local fish farmers near Lake Toba in North Sumatra.

• Discontinued fish sandwich · 1996

  Fish Filet Deluxe

  A larger fish sandwich from McDonald's Deluxe line that replaced the Filet-O-Fish in the United States in 1996. It was discontinued at most restaurants in 1998 and removed from remaining menus by 2000.

• 2013Sustainable sourcing communication

  International McDonald's markets

  McDonald's planned to use packaging and promotional materials to communicate that pollock suppliers followed sustainable fishing practices after Marine Stewardship Council developments.

  Outcome. Sustainability information became part of the product's sourcing and marketing narrative.

  Source
• 1962Friday sales test

  United States

  McDonald's tested the Filet-O-Fish against the Hula Burger at Lou Groen's Cincinnati restaurant. The test linked the product directly to the commercial opportunity created by Friday meat abstinence.

  Outcome. The Filet-O-Fish outsold the Hula Burger and became a permanent menu item.

  Source

• 2019

  Enforce Filet-O-Fish trademarkOther

  Background

  A Canadian restaurant marketed a fish sandwich under a name containing wording similar to Filet-O-Fish.

  Action taken

  McDonald's sent a cease-and-desist letter asserting rights in its registered trademark.

  Aftermath

  The restaurant agreed to stop using the challenged wording.

  Source

• 2013

  Communicate sustainable pollock sourcingOther

  Background

  The Marine Stewardship Council reported that pollock suppliers were using sustainable fishing practices.

  Action taken

  McDonald's stated that packaging and promotional materials would reflect the sourcing position.

  Aftermath

  Sustainability claims became a visible part of the product's supply-chain communication.

  Source

• 2007

  Rebalance fish species sourcingStrategy

  Background

  New Zealand hoki fisheries faced sustainability concerns and substantially lower allowable commercial catches.

  Action taken

  McDonald's reduced its use of New Zealand hoki and increased its use of Alaska pollock.

  Aftermath

  Hoki remained an important ingredient in some markets, while sourcing continued to vary by region and fishery conditions.

  Source

• 1996

  Remove Filet-O-Fish and introduce Fish Filet DeluxeStrategy

  Background

  McDonald's pursued a broader Deluxe sandwich strategy and removed the established fish sandwich from United States menus.

  Action taken

  The Filet-O-Fish was replaced by the Fish Filet Deluxe beginning in September 1996.

  Aftermath

  Customer letters and petitions contributed to a gradual Filet-O-Fish return beginning in 1997, while the Fish Filet Deluxe was later discontinued.

  Source

1. 1Filet-O-Fishen.wikipedia.org