Filet-O-Fish

The sandwich was invented in 1962 by businessman Lou Groen, a McDonald's franchise owner in Cincinnati. His store at 5425 West North Bend Road{{cite web |last1=Amstrong |first1=Patti |title=How a Catholic Businessman Put the Filet-O-Fish on the McDonald's Menu |url=http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/how-a-catholic-businessman-put-the-filet-o-fish-on-the-mcdonalds-menu |website=National Catholic Register |date=March 7, 2019 |access-date=8 March 2019}} was in a predominantly Catholic neighborhood, which led to falling hamburger sales on Fridays resulting from the practice of abstaining from meat on Fridays. The product was named by Cye Landy of Cye Landy Advertising Agency, which was the advertising firm for that particular McDonald's franchise.

The sandwich was the first non-hamburger menu item brought in by Ray Kroc, who purchased McDonald's in 1961.{{cite news|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,989785-2,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080307093638/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,989785-2,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 7, 2008 |title=Burger Meister RAY KROC |last=Pepin |first=Jacques | date=December 7, 1998 |magazine=Time |access-date=December 30, 2010 }} 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"{{cite news|

url=https://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2007-02-20-fish2-usat_x.htm?csp=34

|title=No fish story: Sandwich saved his McDonald's | last=Clark |

first=Paul |date=February 20, 2007 |newspaper= USA Today |

access-date=December 30, 2010 }} and was added to menus throughout 1963 until reaching nationwide status in 1965.{{cite web |url=http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd/our_company/mcd_history.html |title=Travel Through Time With Us! |website=McDonald's |access-date=December 30, 2010 |archive-date=November 26, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111126191650/http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd/our_company/mcd_history.html |url-status=dead }}

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.{{cite book |first= Rosemary |last= Hepözden |editor-first= Brian |editor-last= O'Flaherty |others= in co-op with McDonald's Restaurants (NZ) Ltd |title= Golden Arches under Southern Skies: Celebrating 35 years of McDonald's in New Zealand |year=2011 |publisher= Renaissance Publishing |location= Auckland |isbn= 978-0-9864521-1-6 |pages= 78–79}}

McDonald's removed the Filet-O-Fish from its menus in the United States on September 26, 1996,{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=a78dAAAAIBAJ&pg=5422,842048&dq|title=Sarasota Herald-Tribune - Google News Archive Search|access-date=January 26, 2014}} 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.

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.{{cite news |first= Bill |last= Moore |date= June 28, 2011 |title= Hoki fishery rebuilt, quota to rise, says minister |website= Nelson Mail |url= http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/features/primary-focus/5202066/Hoki-fishery-rebuilt-quota-to-rise-says-minister |access-date= July 27, 2011}} 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.dailyfinance.com/story/the-sad-little-hoki-fish-inside-your-filet-o-fish-sandwich/19158649|title=Daily Finance Article|date=11 September 2009|work=DailyFinance.com}}

As of March 2009, the Marine Stewardship Council{{cite web|url=http://www.msc.org/track-a-fishery/certified/pacific/gulf-of-alaska-pollock/gulf-of-alaska-goa-pollock-fishery-1/view |title=Alaska Pollock- Gulf of Alaska |website=Msc.org |access-date=2013-10-03}} placed the Alaska pollock fisheries in a re-assessment program{{cite web |url=https://www.msc.org/track-a-fishery/fisheries-in-the-program/certified/pacific/gulf-of-alaska-pollock/assessment-downloads-1/GoA-Pollock-Fishery-Surveillance-Report-3-2008.pdf |title=Surveillance Report – Gulf of Alaska Pollock Fishery|author1=J Rice |author2=D Bowen |author3=S Hanna |author4=P Knapman |website=Moody Marine |date=November 12, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005192242/https://www.msc.org/track-a-fishery/fisheries-in-the-program/certified/pacific/gulf-of-alaska-pollock/assessment-downloads-1/GoA-Pollock-Fishery-Surveillance-Report-3-2008.pdf |access-date=January 26, 2014|archive-date=October 5, 2013 }} 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.{{cite news|author=The Associated Press |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/eats/mcdonald-carry-sustainable-fish-article-1.1247628?localLinksEnabled=false |title=McDonald's fish to carry 'sustainable' labeling |newspaper=NY Daily News |date=January 25, 2013 |access-date=October 3, 2013 |location=New York}}

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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20191017/09103543209/mcdonalds-bullies-local-canadian-burger-joint-over-filet-o-fish-trademark.shtml|title=McDonald's Bullies Local Canadian Burger Joint Over 'Filet O' Fish' Trademark|last=Wed|first=Oct 23rd 2019 7:45pm-Timothy Geigner|website=Techdirt.|date=October 23, 2019 |access-date=2019-10-24}}

The fish used for the Filet-O-Fish patty in various markets is as follows:

• United States – {{As of|2020|05}}, contains a battered, fried fish fillet made from Alaska pollock.{{cite web|archive-date=2020-05-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200509010850/https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/product/filet-o-fish.html|url=https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/product/filet-o-fish.html |title=Filet-O-Fish |website=McDonald's |location=US |access-date=May 21, 2020|quote=FISH FILET PATTY Ingredients: Pollock, Water, [etc]}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/about-our-food/our-food-your-questions/22967-what-type-of-fish-do-you-use-in-the-filet-o-fish.html|title=What Type of Fish do You use in the Filet-O-Fish®?|website=McDonald's FAQ|access-date=January 1, 2021|archive-date=December 4, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204212939/https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/about-our-food/our-food-your-questions/22967-what-type-of-fish-do-you-use-in-the-filet-o-fish.html|url-status=dead}}
• Republic of Ireland – {{As of|2019|10}} either hoki or Alaska pollock may be served.{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191004043251/https://www.mcdonalds.ie/iehome/food/full_menu/fish/filet_o_fish.html|archive-date=October 4, 2019|url=http://www.mcdonalds.ie/iehome/food/full_menu/fish/filet_o_fish.html|title=Filet-O-Fish |access-date=October 4, 2019|website=McDonald's |location=Ireland|quote=Filet-O-Fish - Alaskan Pollock or Hoki served with ½ a cheese slice and tartare sauce in a crisp breadcrumb coating.}}
• United Kingdom – {{As of|2020|05}}, contains white hoki or pollock in crispy breadcrumbs.{{cite web |url=http://www.mcdonalds.co.uk/ukhome/product_nutrition.fish.30.filetofish.html |title=Filet-o-Fish Ingredients |website=McDonald's |location=UK |access-date=May 21, 2020|quote=Delicious white Hoki or Pollock fish in crispy breadcrumbs, with cheese and tartare sauce, in a steamed bun.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200501191353/https://www.mcdonalds.com/gb/en-gb/product/filet-o-fish.html|archive-date=May 1, 2020}}
• New Zealand – Contains a blend of New Zealand Hoki and Alaska pollock.{{cite web|url=https://mcdonalds.co.nz/sites/mcdonalds.co.nz/files/NZ%20Core%20Food%20Menu_November%202024.pdf|title=NZ Core Food Menu|access-date=November 3, 2024 |website=McDonald's |location=New Zealand}}

Half a slice of cheese is used in each Filet-O-Fish sandwich, with McDonald's stating the reason as to prevent the cheese from overwhelming the taste.{{Cite web|last=Mark|first=Jorie|date=2020-07-06|title=The reason McDonald's Filet-O-Fish only comes with a half slice of cheese|url=https://www.mashed.com/223449/the-reason-mcdonalds-filet-o-fish-only-comes-with-a-half-slice-of-cheese/|access-date=2020-10-18|website=Mashed.com|language=en-US}}{{cite web|url=http://yourquestions.mcdonalds.ca/questions/4980|title=Why do you only use half a cheese slice in your Filet-O-Fish sandwiches? Has it always been this way?|website=McDonald's|location=Canada|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140726051005/http://yourquestions.mcdonalds.ca/questions/4980|archive-date=July 26, 2014}}{{Cite web|title=Has the quantity of McDonald's Filet-O-FishTM changed? Does a McDonald's Filet-O-Fish use a half slice of cheese?|url=https://www.mcdonalds.com.hk/en/food/learn-more-about-mcdonalds-food/your-questions-answered/lightbox-details.html#c4q2|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180610054306/http://www.mcdonalds.com.hk/en/food/learn-more-about-mcdonalds-food/your-questions-answered/lightbox-details.html#c4q2|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 10, 2018|access-date=2020-10-18|website=www.mcdonalds.com.hk}}{{cite web|url=http://yourquestions.mcdonalds.ca/questions/5996|title=why is the fillet o fish served with half a slice of cheese, don't lie {{sic|nolink=y|reason=error in source|bcuz i have photgraphic}} evidence|website=McDonald's|location=Canada|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120715020102/http://yourquestions.mcdonalds.ca/questions/5996|archive-date=July 15, 2012 |url-status=dead}}

File:2017-04-14 AT Wien, Doppel Filet-o-Fish @ Wien 02 Leopoldstadt, McDonald's Praterstern (51427162548).jpg

A Double Filet-O-Fish is available in some regions.{{Cite web |title=Double Filet-O-Fish |url=https://www.mcdonalds.com/ca/en-ca/product/double-filet-o-fish.html |access-date=2023-02-26 |website=McDonald's Canada |language=en-CA}}{{Cite web |title=Doppel Filet-o-Fish |url=https://www.mcdonalds.at/produkt/doppel-filet-o-fish |access-date=2023-02-26 |website=McDonald's Österreich |language=de}}

The Filet-O-Fish is often referred to as a burger outside the U.S.,{{cite news |last1=Ewe |first1=Koh |title=This Instagram Account Features the Saddest McDonald's Burgers You'll Ever See |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/instagram-mcdonalds-burgers-meme-mcsenget-singapore/ |access-date=9 February 2022 |work=Vice |date=12 November 2021 |language=en}} in particular in Australia,{{Cite web|date=13 January 2020|title=Terms and Conditions Maccas Mini Games|url=https://mcdonalds.com.au/sites/mcdonalds.com.au/files/Terms_and_Conditions_Maccas_Mini_Games_13th_January_2020.pdf|website=McDonald's Australia|page=4|type=PDF|quote=$3 Filet-O-Fish burger offer}}{{Cite web|last=Gossling|first=Bronte|date=2021-11-23|title='You killed it!': Chef turns Macca's Filet-O-Fish meal into two-course fine dining experience|url=https://kitchen.nine.com.au/latest/tiktok-chef-ashish-alfred-danny-kim-mcdonalds-meal-gourmet-meal/b3211a2e-db86-46a6-a4f7-184f3b41bcf7|access-date=2022-02-10|website=kitchen.nine.com.au|language=en-AU|quote=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.}} India,{{cite web |last1=Bakshi |first1=Priyaja |title=Tara Sutaria Enjoys A McDonalds Burger As She Shoots For A New Film |url=https://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/tara-sutaria-enjoys-a-mcdonalds-burger-as-she-shoots-for-a-new-film-2496183 |website=NDTV Food |access-date=9 February 2022 |language=en |date=27 July 2021}}{{Cite web|title=Filet-O-Fish Meal|url=https://www.mcdonaldsindia.com/extra-value-meals.html#view3|access-date=2022-02-10|website=McDonald's India|quote=Enhance your taste buds with soothing taste of Filet-O-Fish burger}} New Zealand,{{Cite web|title=Corporate Responsibility {{!}} McDonald's New Zealand|url=https://mcdonalds.co.nz/about-maccas/corporate-responsibility|access-date=2022-02-10|website=mcdonalds.co.nz|quote=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.}}{{Cite web|last=McDonald|first=Greer|date=2010-08-19|title=Hook, line and sinker|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/4031914/Hook-line-and-sinker|access-date=2022-02-10|website=Stuff|language=en|quote=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.}} and the UK.{{Cite web|last=Mal|first=Nisha|date=2019-09-04|title=Aldi's new 70p burgers taste just like McDonald's Filet-O-Fish|url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/uk-news/aldis-70p-burgers-taste-just-16863595|access-date=2022-02-10|website=WalesOnline|language=en|quote=Fans of McDonald's Filet-O-Fish burger have found a new discovery at Aldi, that tastes just as good.}}{{Cite web|last=Shakespeare|first=Stephan|author-link=Stephan Shakespeare|date=2017-05-24|title=Fast-food icon McDonald's will be able to survive the recent dad ad controversy|url=https://yougov.co.uk/topics/consumer/articles-reports/2017/05/24/fast-food-icon-mcdonalds-will-be-able-survive-rece|access-date=2022-02-10|website=YouGov|language=en-gb|quote=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.}}{{Cite web|date=17 May 2017|title=McDonald's has pulled this 'offensive' TV advert after being accused of exploiting child bereavement|url=https://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/15290951.mcdonalds-has-pulled-this-offensive-tv-advert-after-being-accused-of-exploiting-child-bereavement/|access-date=2022-02-10|website=News Shopper|language=en|quote=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"}}

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.{{cite journal |last1=Tyko |first1=Kelly |title=Lent is Filet-O-Fish season at McDonald's |journal=USA Today |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2019/03/07/filet-o-fish-friday-2019-mcdonalds-fish-sandwich-popular-lent/3086673002/}}

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.{{cite web |title=Long Live the Filet-O-Fish, the McDonald's Sandwich for Jews |url=https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/long-live-the-filet-o-fish-the-mcdonalds-sandwich-for-jews |website=Tablet Magazine |date=20 September 2016}}{{cite web |title=The Filet-O-Fish Says So Much About Growing Up Muslim |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-filet-o-fish-says-so-much-about-growing-up-muslim/ |website=Vice.com |date=August 15, 2018 |language=en}} The sandwich contains fish, milk in the cheese, and egg yolks in the sauce. In addition, the fish patty is cooked in a separate frypot to avoid giving other items a fishy taste.McDonald's China training material, Production Area, Frying. Retrieved December 22, 2021. Certification-wise, the sandwich is certified as halal in the UAE and a few other Muslim-majority countries;{{cite web |title=Is there any pork or shellfish in your cheeses, or burger buns, breads? |url=https://www.mcdonalds.com/ae/en-ae/your-right-to-know/28083-is-there-any-pork-or-shellfish-in-your-cheeses-or-burger-buns-breads.html |website=McDonald's UAE FAQ |access-date=2 January 2021 |quote=all our food is a 100% Halal}} it is also available in kosher-supervised restaurants of McDonald's Israel.{{Cite web |title=מיני דג |url=https://www.mcdonalds.co.il/מה_בתפריט/מוצרים_בודדים/דגים_תירס/מיני_דג_1044 |access-date=2023-02-26 |website=McDonald's Israel |language=he}} However, not all Israeli locations are certified and stores in the UK and the US do not participate in certification.{{cite web|url=https://www.mcdonalds.com/gb/en-gb/help/faq/19067-is-the-sauce-used-in-the-filet-o-fish-vegetarian-andor-halal.html|title=Is the sauce used in the Filet-o-Fish® vegetarian and/or halal?|work=McDonald's UK FAQ|access-date=January 2, 2021|archive-date=November 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101084442/https://www.mcdonalds.com/gb/en-gb/help/faq/19067-is-the-sauce-used-in-the-filet-o-fish-vegetarian-andor-halal.html|url-status=dead}}

{{see also|List of McDonald's products#Fish}}

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.{{cite web|url= https://mcdonalds.fr/produits/burgers/mcfish |title=LE McFISH |access-date=February 12, 2021 |website=McDonald's |location=France}}{{cite web|url= https://world.openfoodfacts.org/product/2000000025631/mcfish-mcdonald-s |title= McFish - McDonald's - 124 g |access-date=February 12, 2021 |website=Open Food Facts|date= December 27, 2015 }}

• Fish finger sandwich
• List of halal and kosher fish

{{Reflist}}

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