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The Thing That Makes McDonald's Filet-O-Fish Unique

Column: industry Tag: Mcdonald,Filet-O-Fish Published: 2024-12-30 13:59 Source: www.mashed.com Author: Brynna StandenDec. 27

The Thing That Makes McDonald

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If you were around for the early aughts and never had any interest in ordering fish from a fast food joint, that all (probably) changed when you saw McDonald's iconic Filet-O-Fish commercial. You know the one, with the catchy jingle — sung by a fish mounted on a placard — that still plays on a loop somewhere in the recesses of your mind? After the charismatic sea dweller finally convinced you to give the fried fish sandwich a shot, you no doubt realized that, lo and behold, there is something special about this Mickey D's menu item.

Yes, the fish used in the sandwich is real, and yes, the tartar sauce that tops it is perfectly on point, as McDonald's rarely misses the mark in the sauce department. But it's the soft and pillowy bun that makes the McDonald's Filet-O-Fish so dang delicious. You may believe that if you've had a McChicken, cheeseburger, hamburger, or Quarter Pounder from McDonald's, you've had the Filet-O-Fish bun. While that may technically be true, there is a difference: The buns for those sandwiches are toasted while the fish sandwich's bun is steamed to pillowy perfection.

Steamed buns provide better texture contrast

The Thing That Makes McDonald

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While some folks make substitutions by swapping out the Filet-O-Fish bun for an English muffin, something about the fact that only this particular sandwich gets the steamed-bun treatment makes it feel special. At each McDonald's location, there's even an official steaming machine that the buns enter for 11 seconds before emerging transformed. The ultra-soft buns not only absorb the tangy tartar sauce like it's their job, but they also offer the perfect contrast to the hot, crispy fish. In fact, the steamed bun is so good that you might want to order all your McDonald's sandwiches with steamed buns.

While the bun is the Filet-O-Fish's pièce de résistance, we must also give credit to the fish itself (not the singing one — okay, maybe that one, too). Though the same can't be said for McDonald's chicken, the Alaskan Pollock used in the fish sandwich is wild-caught and 100% sustainably sourced. Plus, it's so perfectly breaded and fried that you can actually hear it crunch when you take a bite. Coupled with that soft, steamed bun, it's no wonder the Filet-O-Fish is, for some, McDonald's-menu royalty.

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