Fast Food Critic - Reviews, News and Nutrition Information about Fast Food.

While our feathered friend the chicken has been exalted to fast food stardom in recent reviews, our ocean dwelling pals have taken a back seat and been nearly forgotten. Let’s change that by reviewing a fish sandwich. Not just any fish sandwich, but a classic that’s been around for over 40 years… the Filet-O-Fish from McDonald’s.

A man by the name of Lou Groen created the Filet-O-Fish back in 1962. His Cincinnati area McDonald’s franchise needed to capitalize on the heavily Roman Catholic clientele. A practice of abstaining from meat on Fridays was commonplace in those days, and especially during the 40-day period of Lent. He was able to take advantage of the situation and help his hungry customers by offering the Filet-O-Fish sandwich as an alternative. To this day, you’ll notice it’s advertised more often during the Lent season and sometimes there are special sale prices on those Fridays.

The Filet-O-Fish works well in it’s simplicity. A battered fish patty with half a slice of processed American cheese and tarter sauce on a steamed bun. There’s nothing particularly impressive about it, but it’s tasty and satisfying when you need to mix it up from the normal burger, taco or chicken routine. The rectangular shaped fish patty is made of whitefish (Hoki / Pollock) and is basically the same type you’ll find in many supermarket frozen fish sticks and filets. It has a nice even batter with a very subtle crispness. It’s a pretty bland tasting fish patty, though definitely improved by the healthy dose of tartar sauce which is made tangier by the addition of pickle relish.

The half slice of American cheese keeps things interesting, but sometimes I wonder if it’s only a 1/3 slice, because it’s barely noticeable. For that matter — why only half a slice? At one time, McDonald’s offered a “Deluxe” version of this fish sandwich with lettuce and a whole slice of cheese. That version never took off and got removed from the menu, but why can’t those things be standard? Does the inclusion of a little lettuce and the other half of that cheese slice really hurt McDonald’s bottom line? This is a small sandwich for $3.09 and those 2 little extras would make a big difference.

The Filet-O-Fish sandwich isn’t great, but it’s decent enough to continue occupying a space on the McDonald’s menu for added variety. I’m satisfied with the sandwich overall but it’s not something I would order very often. Not everyone eats beef or chicken, and it’s good to see a fish sandwich option on many fast food menus these days. McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish is a fast food classic that has stood the test of time, and will continue to be just as good (or just as average) as you remember it.

Price: $3.09 / Website: McDonalds.com

Fast Food Critic Score: C

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Nutrition Facts - McDonald’s, Filet-O-Fish Sandwich.

Calories - 380
Calories from Fat - 170
Total Fat - 18 grams
Carbs - 38 grams
Saturated Fat - 3.5 grams
Trans Fat - 0 grams
Cholesterol - 40 milligrams
Sodium - 640 milligrams
Protein - 15 grams