Sales For Filet-O-Fish Sandwiches Are On The Rise At McDonald's During Lent

During the Lenten season, McDonald’s restaurants worldwide are seeing a familiar seasonal shift. Even though the Filet-O-Fish sandwich is on the menu year-round, managers say they sell more during Lent when people eat fish, especially on Fridays.

The Sale of Filet-O-Fish

The reason traces back to a long-standing Christian tradition. During Lent — the 40-day period leading up to Easter — many members of the Catholic Church and other Christian denominations abstain from eating meat, especially on Fridays. Fish, however, is permitted, leading to a spike in seafood orders at restaurants nationwide.

Origin of the Filet-O-Fish

McDonald's franchisee Lou Groen realized in 1962 that his cheeseburger sales were down on Fridays, especially during the time leading up to Easter. The Cincinnati, Ohio restaurant was in a heavily Catholic area, and observant Catholics were abstaining from hamburgers and other meat products on Fridays as part of their faith.

According to McDonald's website:

"With determination and a knack for thoroughness, Groen convinced McDonald’s to test a breaded whitefish sandwich to help satisfy customers who abstained from eating meat on Fridays in observance of Lent."

That breaded fish sandwich became known as the Filet-O-Fish to accommodate customers observing meatless Fridays. It was a simple fried fish sandwich, topped with tartar sauce and cheese on a steamed bun that cost only $0.69 at the time.

More than six decades later, the sandwich remains a seasonal staple. It is made the same way today as when it was first created. Nationally, McDonald’s sells millions of Filet-O-Fish sandwiches year-round that now cost more than they did when they were first created.

Here are the prices of the 380-calorie sandwiches, which cost more than they did decades ago, but they are still affordable.

• Filet-O-Fish Sandwich: $3.79
• Double Filet-O-Fish Sandwich: $4.79
• Filet-O-Fish Meal: $5.79
• Double Filet-O-Fish Meal: $6.79

For some customers, the choice is rooted in faith. For others, it’s simply a seasonal craving that has become a tradition. Either way, the annual Lenten bump provides a reliable boost for local franchises. Managers historically report noticeable increases in fish sandwich orders on Fridays during Lent.

McDonald’s Restaurants Worldwide

McDonald's restaurants are located worldwide. They are ready to serve Filet-O-Fish to customers observing Lent or just craving a fish sandwich.

In the United States, the Filet-O-Fish is made of Alaskan pollock. True to its origins, Filet-O-Fish sandwiches are sold during the 40 days of Lent. However, they are on the menu year-round.

Fish sandwiches are also available in other restaurants in the United States, but none like McDonald's Filet-O-Fish. In other countries, there are also regional variations.

Fish Sandwiches At Other Restaurants

McDonald's is not the only restaurant where fish sandwiches are on the rise. While you can only find Filet-O-Fish at McDonald's with tartar sauce and cheese, you can find a fish sandwich prepared in other ways at Arby's, Bojangles, Dairy Queen, Del Taco, Whataburger, Wendy's, and other restaurants.

Customers who do not observe Lent might be curious about why people are buying fish rather than chicken and burgers at their local restaurants. Now that they know, they might try a Filet-O-Fish sandwich themselves. They will probably discover that they like it so much that it is worth joining the crowd on Fridays during the weeks leading up to Easter.