Filet-O-Fish
It's from 1962, before you were born.
- Maker
- McDonald's
- Type
- Fish sandwich
- Debuted
- 1962
- Note
- created for Friday diners
As an Amazon Associate, OlderThan earns from qualifying purchases.
About
As of 2026, it's 64 years old.
The Filet-O-Fish exists because of a Cincinnati franchisee whose Catholic customers wouldn't eat meat on Fridays, so in 1962 he invented a fish sandwich to win back the weekend. It was the very first non-burger ever added to the McDonald's menu, which makes it a quiet pioneer.
A steamed bun, a square breaded fillet, half a slice of cheese (always half, never more, no one knows why), and a smear of tartar sauce — it has a small but fiercely devoted following that comes out in force every Lent.
Soft, mild, and gloriously specific, the Filet-O-Fish is the underdog sandwich that has quietly outlasted nearly everything around it.
Filet-O-Fish through the years
Invented in Cincinnati
Franchisee Lou Groen creates it for customers who skipped meat on Fridays.
Added to the national menu
The first non-burger item ever to join the McDonald's menu.
