Here's How Many Filet-O-Fish McDonald's Sells During Lent
Across the country, millions of Christians participate in the tradition of Lent. Between Ash Wednesday and Easter, people are encouraged to give up indulgences like sweets, alcohol, and processed food. Along with abstaining from certain luxuries, Catholics in particular are expected to forgo eating meat on Fridays. As you might expect, this limitation typically means that eating at a hamburger joint like McDonald's is out of the question. Fortunately, the home of the Hamburgler has a satisfying protein option that can still be enjoyed by those celebrating Lent. It's the McDonald's Filet-o-Fish, and it absolutely booms in popularity during this sacred time of year.
For a variety of cultural reasons, fish isn't generally considered a meat to religious folk in the same way pork, chicken, or beef is. So, it is fair game to eat during Lent — a fact that is reflected by the Filet-o-Fish's sales. According to USA Today, it's estimated that the fast food giant sells about 300 million Filet-o-Fish annually, as of 2023. Of those 300 million, an astounding 25%, or around 75 million sandwiches, are sold during the 40-day period of Lent. That's over 1.8 million sandwiches per day.
The Filet-o-Fish was made for the Catholic crowd
The Filet-o-Fish's appeal to Christian customers is no mere coincidence — it's the entire reason for its creation. These days, Catholics typically only avoid consuming meat on Fridays during the Lenten season, but that wasn't always the case. Back in the day, eating fish on Fridays was a year-long practice. McDonald's only sold burgers and fries at that time, so business was suffering once a week, especially in areas with a high Catholic population. That's what inspired one McDonald's franchise owner to create a sandwich that could draw in religious customers.
In 1962, outside of Cincinnati, Ohio, McDonald's operator Lou Groen faced two problems: a large population of people who couldn't eat at his establishment on Fridays, and a popular fish sandwich from a competing restaurant. As a solution to both issues, Groen developed a sandwich with tartar sauce and flaky fried fish, and the dish blew the competition out of the water. After showing the recipe to the higher-ups at McDonald's, Groen swapped the original halibut out for Atlantic cod and added a slice of American cheese. Groen once told USA Today that the Filet-o-Fish was the first ever addition to McDonald's original menu. While there's no denying that the sandwich is a fast food classic, the overall reception continues to be mixed.
A divisive classic
Since its inception over 50 years ago, the Filet-o-Fish has confounded people of all faiths with its equally scrumptious yet off-putting nature. For many people, the idea of eating seafood from a fast food restaurant is simply too unpleasant of a concept. Some have had negative experiences with overly fishy filets, while others compare it to food from a low-quality school lunch. Still, plenty of people view the sandwich as something of a cult classic, and praise it for its well-cooked fish, consistent quality, and unique flavor combination of American cheese and tartar sauce.
The Filet-o-Fish may not be the most popular McDonald's menu item, but it holds a special place in the hearts of many people. To many who observe Lent, the sandwich is a nostalgic and convenient way to have a satisfying meal while still adhering to dietary restrictions. Sacrificing your favorite things for Lent can take a lot of mental fortitude — so between your homemade vegetarian meals (like this incredible meatless spaghetti "carbonara"), you may want to pick up a Filet-o-Fish to partake in this practically traditional Lenten-time sandwich.