McDonald’s introduced the Filet-O-Fish in 1962 to expand its brand beyond hamburgers.
Lou Groen, a McDonald’s franchisee in Cincinnati, Ohio, developed the sandwich to attract customers who did not eat meat on Fridays, particularly during Lent. The original sandwich used a fried fish fillet, tartar sauce, and cheese on a bun.
The product became a permanent part of McDonald’s menu and gave the company a seafood identity alongside its core beef products. Its introduction also showed how franchisees could influence national menu development.
The Filet-O-Fish is sometimes confused with later chicken products as McDonald’s main non-beef alternative. The McChicken arrived in the 1980s, while the Filet-O-Fish predates it by more than two decades.