The 2023 Lenten season is coming and for many that means cutting back on meats like beef, pork and poultry. Lent, the annual religious fast that starts on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 22, and ends on April 8, years ago prompted burger chains to offer food items that adhere to the religious observance.
The menu adjustments date back to 1962, when a McDonald’s franchise owner Lou Groen decided to try something new and challenged his local competition that was selling a fish sandwich.
Groen pitched his idea to management, whose own idea was to sell a Hula burger, without the patty. The Hula Burger went head-to-head against the fish sandwich on a Friday and the fish sandwich won by outselling the Hula burger. That proved Groen's idea to be a success along with increased sales with other restaurants copying it.
Typically, those who are refraining from meat only do so on Fridays, but some will fast the full 40 days. Having a quick and easy dinner solution during a time of fasting has proven to be a necessity. Fish comes on the menu of burger chains, chicken restaurants and fast-food chains all to fill the need. Now decades later, customers who observe lent have options like McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish as well as other fast-food chain options.
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Burger Chains Add Fish to Their Menus
McDonald’s (MCD) has long offered its Fish-O-Filet sandwich that is made with Alaskan pollock, American cheese, topped with a tangy tartar sauce. While that isn’t the original fish sandwich Groen introduced back in the 1960’s, it is enough to keep up with and or even lead the competition each year.
Wendy’s (WEN) enters the competition with its Crispy Panko Fish Sandwich for a limited time. The time availability isn’t exact, but it starts in February and will usually last through March, according to Wendy’s website.
While the limited availability usually falls in line with Lent, some locations may offer the Crispy Panko Fish Sandwich all year round where its ingredients are readily available. Wendy’s Crispy Panko Fish Sandwich is made with Wild Alaskan Pollock served with Wendy’s tartar sauce. The fish sandwich is also available with cheese, and you can add lettuce, pickles, tomatoes and or onions.
Restaurant Brands International's (QSR)’s Burger King also has fish on the menu. Burger King offers the Big Fish Sandwich, which not to our surprise is also made with White Alaskan Pollock fillet. The Big Fish is breaded with panko, topped with a sweet tartar sauce, lettuce and pickles. The Big Fish puts all those ingredients onto a toasted bun similar to a brioche.
All three top burger chains offer Alaskan Pollock as their fish options. Other restaurants that have used Alaskan Pollock in their fish offerings during Lent are: Dairy Queen with the Wild Alaskan Fish Sandwich. Jack in the Box last year offered its Fish Sandwich and Delux Fish Sandwich, but no date for a return this year is listed on its website yet. The mild flavor of the Alaskan Pollock makes it one of the best choices for typical non-fish eaters to get through the Lenten season and away from meat.
Lent Options Beyond the Sea
If you aren’t craving fish, Burger King’s Impossible Whopper could be your answer during Lent. The Impossible Whopper made its debut in 2019. The meatless burger is made with its flame grilled plant-based impossible patty, American cheese, onions, pickles, ketchup, mustard served on a sesame seed bun.
McDonald’s tried to compete with Burger King’s Impossible Whopper, but it was a McFail. McDonald’s tried its hands at meatless burger and called it the McPlant. The meatless burger didn’t make it out of testing phases siting the sales just weren’t there. Wendy’s also worked up the courage to try a meatless burger, called the Plantiful Burger. It was launched nationwide at participating locations.
