How To Get A Fresh Filet-O-Fish Sandwich Every Time At McDonald's

Let's talk fish, and the filet there-o'. McDonald's introduced the Filet-O-Fish to its menu in 1961 as a way to attract diners during Lent, but the sandwich has since become one of the chain's staple menu items year-round. When a Filet-O-Fish is good, it's really good: The buns are soft and fluffy, the fish is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, its half (yes, half) slice of cheese is melty, and tartar sauce drips down the sides. It's the perfect balance of light and hearty. However, all of this is only true when it's fresh. Sometimes, you can just tell that your Filet-O-Fish has been sitting out, going from crisp to soggy.

So, how can you get around this nasty trick of time? Here's one method that can ensure the freshest catch possible: just ask for it. Simply ask for your Filet-O-Fish "made fresh" or "cooked to order" will ensure that your sandwich is made fresh. Really, it's just that simple. The patty portion of a typical Filet-O-Fish is likely cooked in advance and held in a warming drawer — like many McDonald's menu items — then assembled when it's almost time to serve it. Because of this system, it's not easy to trick McDonald's into cooking you a fresh sandwich with tips or hacks, but it's also the reason the chain can easily accommodate custom orders or make you a freshly cooked filet.

You've probably heard of plenty of tips or hacks to get freshly cooked food at McDonald's and other fast food restaurants. For example, if you want extra-fresh fries, order them without salt. This will ensure they're fried on the spot, as only salted fries are kept in the reservoir. Now, if you want any menu item as fresh as can be, simply order your food right at 10:30 or 11:00 a.m., whenever your McDonald's location switches its menu from breakfast to lunch. For Filet-O-Fish sandwiches, you might hear to order it sans cheese or tartar sauce or with these toppings on the side, but that's not the case.

In the late '90s, McDonald's introduced its Made For You production system, which equipped the restaurant's kitchens to make orders fresh and customize them to guests' requests. Before this switch, McDonald's preassembled its menu items in batches, and customized orders would have to be prepared from scratch. A variation of the Made For You system is still used today so individual components are prepared in advance but assembled to order. As a result, the McDonald's kitchen is more than prepared to make your Filet-O-Fish fresh or tweak its ingredients within reason. Asking for a fresh sandwich may mean that your order takes longer to come out — a new Filet-O-Fish takes just over three minutes to cook — so keep this in mind if you're in a time crunch.