When you think of the McDonald's menu, your mind may automatically go to meaty classics such as the Big Mac, McChicken Sandwich meals, or maybe a bag of iconic crispy nuggets. There is of course however a famous fish offering - the Filet-O-Fish.
A staple of the menu for years, the Filet-O-Fish is made up of breadcrumbed white Hoki or Pollock fish on a bun, with tartare sauce and a slice of cheese.
The meal was first created by Lou Groen, a businessman and franchise owner of a McDonald's branch in Cincinnati, US. In 1962, it became the very first non-hamburger item to be added to the menu, by the then-new company owner, Ray Kroc.
Groen had reportedly become fed-up with losing money during Lent, a time when many Christians are fasting, and so decided to add a fish option into the mix, the Daily Star reports.
At the time, many of his clientele were Catholic, during a period when many Catholics would refrain from eating meat every Friday, not just during the 40 days of Lent.
In those days, approximately 87% of customers in Groen's area were Catholic, and would head over to fast food chain rival Frisch's for their Friday night fast food treat instead.
Groen told the Cincinnati Enquirer: "Frisch's dominated the market, and they had a very good fish sandwich. I was struggling. The crew was my wife, myself, and a man named George. I did repairs, swept floors, you name it."
Wanting to turn things around, Groen invented his own fish sandwich, developed the batter and tartar sauce, and took it over to the McDonald's headquarters.
Kroc had been preparing another meatless alternative at this time, a pineapple-based burger he called the Hula Burger. When he learned of Groen's idea, he proposed a wager.
Groen continued: "Ray said to me, 'Well, Lou, I'm going to put your fish sandwich on (a menu) for a Friday. But I'm going to put my special sandwich on, too. Whichever sells the most, that's the one we'll go with."
The Filet-O-Fish won "hands down", according to Groen, who managed to flog a reported 350 sandwiches that day alone. The rest is history.
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