McDonald's Filet-O-Fish Has A Documentary-Worthy History
NEWS
By HILARY WHEELAN REMLEY
McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish has a backstory worthy of a documentary. First added to the menu in 1965, the sandwich displays the ingenuity of McDonald's franchise owner, Lou Groen.
At the time, his restaurant was serving a community that was 87% Catholic. Eating meat on Fridays was prohibited by Catholic doctrine, and Groen's business suffered on Fridays.
Groen created a fish sandwich and presented his idea to McDonald’s founder, Ray Kroc, who had his own idea, the Hula Burger — a grilled pineapple ring and a slice of cheese.
It was decided that the two sandwiches would appear on the menu for Good Friday in 1962. The item that sold the most would be the winner, and the Filet-O-Fish won by a landslide.
The Filet-O-Fish sold 350 units, and Hula Burger sold 6 units, becoming a thing of the past. The Filet-O-Fish became the first addition to McDonald's menu, where it still resides.