Which McDonald’s menu item became the chain’s first fish sandwich in 1963?

The Filet-O-Fish became McDonald’s first fish sandwich in 1963.

Lou Groen, a McDonald’s franchisee in Cincinnati, Ohio, developed the sandwich to attract customers who avoided meat on Fridays, particularly during Lent. The original sandwich used a breaded fish fillet, tartar sauce, and cheese on a bun.

McDonald’s added the Filet-O-Fish to the menu after testing competing ideas, including a ham-based sandwich. Its seasonal sales demonstrated that a carefully targeted menu item could broaden the audience without changing the chain’s central hamburger identity.

The sandwich’s fish type and cheese placement have changed in some markets and periods, so regional descriptions can differ. The name Filet-O-Fish, however, identifies the original McDonald’s fish-sandwich brand.