How Long Does A Filet-O-Fish Sandwich From McDonald's Last After You've Ordered It?

If you're craving McDonald's, you can go for anything from a classic Big Mac to a chicken sandwich — or even the iconic Filet-O-Fish. There are plenty of hacks to upgrade your Filet-O-Fish, but if you order this sandwich, keep in mind that it's seafood, which means it's perishable. Never keep a Filet-O-Fish out at room temperature for more than two hours, and if the sandwich is outside in a temperature above 90 degrees Fahrenheit, it's only safe to eat for one hour. If you store it in the refrigerator, it should be consumed within three to four days, per USDA guidelines on cooked seafood. 

The Filet-O-Fish's history dates back to the 1960s; it was introduced as a way to boost burger sales that had fallen during the Catholic season of Lent. While the sandwich has become a menu staple, as with all perishable foods, that Alaskan cod fillet doesn't last forever. From a food safety standpoint, you'll get a lot more time out of it if you keep it in the refrigerator, but the quality of the sandwich starts to deteriorate if you don't eat it right away.

The Filet-O-Fish is a simple sandwich; it's just a crispy cod fillet, a slice of cheese, and tartar sauce on a warm bun. But the longer you wait to eat it, the lower its quality gets. The condensation from the warm sandwich will quickly cause the crispy fillet exterior to become soggy. The tartar sauce will have the same effect on the bun.

If you want to maintain the sandwich's quality after refrigerating it, your best bet is to reheat it open-faced in the oven, so the fillet can properly warm up; microwaving will likely exacerbate the sogginess. Unlike reheating perfectly crispy McDonald's McNuggets, the Filet-O-Fish shouldn't be air fried because it will result in a way too crispy bun. If you're ordering one sandwich for now and one for later, it wouldn't hurt to request the tartar sauce on the side, if it's possible. This way, the bun doesn't become as soggy as it sits in the refrigerator.