# Filet o' Fish: Worst Fast Food Ever? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 26, 2011, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/filet-o-fish-worst-fast-food-ever/594215 "2011-08-26T20:25:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2011, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/filet-o-fish-worst-fast-food-ever/594215/61 "2011-08-27T21:56:55Z")
I enjoy them more than practically anything else on their menu (I am a sucker for the breakfast sandwiches.) I like mine with reconstituted onions and pickles, though I’ll usually get mustard or mayo instead of tartar sauce. Had a bad experience with that once and got oogied out, plus the 2/3-oz dollop of it is just too much. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2011, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/filet-o-fish-worst-fast-food-ever/594215/62 "2011-08-27T22:12:14Z")
Given how easy it is to ruin seafood and given that McD’s is probably working with some pretty cheap ass fish to start with I’d say it a near miracle that the fish sandwich actually tastes not half bad (and IMO a hell of a lot better than lots of other stuff). Ohh, if IIRC the “father” of the fish sandwhich died recently. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2011, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/filet-o-fish-worst-fast-food-ever/594215/63 "2011-08-28T06:58:40Z")
I think the Whaler and the FoF were better back in the 70s. I always liked lunch at school on Fridays, thanks to the sizeable Catholic population - fish sandwiches that were even better than B.K. or McD’s. I simply can’t eat fast food any more due to sodium restrictions. Bummer. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2011, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/filet-o-fish-worst-fast-food-ever/594215/64 "2011-08-28T10:58:28Z")
What kind of fish is used to make these things? My guess would be Alaskan Pollock. If they used tilapia, I would buy them! ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2011, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/filet-o-fish-worst-fast-food-ever/594215/65 "2011-08-28T12:54:34Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > What kind of fish is used to make these things? My guess would be Alaskan Pollock. > If they used tilapia, I would buy them! It is Alaskan Pollock and hoki. ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2011, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/filet-o-fish-worst-fast-food-ever/594215/66 "2011-08-28T20:04:49Z")
I actually never tasted one until about a year ago. It was damn tasty! Mr. singular has tried the burger king version, and both times they looked slightly burned, just like that linked photo. Sitnam, can you ask BK to cook one fresh and not so damn dark? ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2011, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/filet-o-fish-worst-fast-food-ever/594215/67 "2011-08-28T21:25:25Z")
> [@Student\_Driver](#): > > They used half-slices in the 1970s and 80s, too, at my local locations. Weird, I’ve never had this happen until the last year or two. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Girlfriend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.girlfriend/32/193_2.png) [@Dr.Girlfriend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Girlfriend)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/filet-o-fish-worst-fast-food-ever/594215/68 "2011-08-29T01:22:12Z")
> [@Manduck](#): > > It mainly tastes like tartar sauce, so it’s not bad for fast food. It seems like they’re always more sloppily assembled than other fare, though. Rarely do they get that piece of fish centred. The cheese is always half-way off the sandwich and stuck to the wrapper, but other than that I love them! One of the few things I’ll eat at McD’s. My mom says that when she was pregnant with me she craved FOF. After eating them almost daily for several months she still can’t touch one now 30-something years later. ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/filet-o-fish-worst-fast-food-ever/594215/69 "2011-08-29T02:03:36Z")
Mmmmmm, the Filet of Fish is the only McDonald’s sandwich I’ve been able to eat since I read Fast Food Nation. I eat one about once a year as hangover food, along with their delicious fries and best Coca Cola of any fast food place. As for White Castle, believe it or not, their meat is 100% USDA approved beef, whatever that’s worth. [- White Castle](http://www.whitecastle.com/faqs) A friend of mine who is a butcher at a swanky shop here in Indy claims that White Castles and Wendy’s are the best of the fast food burgers. Of course, I don’t know how he knows that, but meat is his career, so there you go, lol. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/filet-o-fish-worst-fast-food-ever/594215/70 "2011-08-29T10:05:47Z")
> [@Student\_Driver](#): > > They used half-slices in the 1970s and 80s, too, at my local locations. I worked at McD’s as a student in the UK (1992-1997ish) and used half slices then. ---
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/filet-o-fish-worst-fast-food-ever/594215/71 "2011-08-29T10:48:10Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > Filet o’ Fish is great (leaving off the tartar sauce anyway, yuk, I hate all tartar sauce), but the lousy cheapskates at McD’s have gone from using an entire cheese slice to a half slice, the bastards, Now there’s not enough cheese for every bite! The Filet-o-Fish has ALWAYS had a half slice of cheese. Ray Kroc, in his autobiography _Grinding It Out_ tells of the introduction of the Filet-O-Fish, and that the half slice of cheese was his idea - and just based on intuition, not a personal taste test (“No! HALF a slice!”). ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/filet-o-fish-worst-fast-food-ever/594215/72 "2011-08-29T12:57:54Z")
That’s funny, I find the McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish the least offensive sandwich item on the menu. The Big Macs are OK but mainly for the sauce; the burger meat at McD’s is bland and sometimes rubbery to me. When my kids convince me to go to McDonald’s as a highway rest stop I get french fries, the FoF or Chicken McNuggets and a diet Coke. I avoid McDonald’s pancakes like the plague - I’m 3 for 3 in trying it in my life, only to regurgitate them within 4 hours. Not fun. The hash browns are great, the Egg McMuffin is decent and the coffee is actually pretty good. As for White Castle - it’s been my favorite fast food outlet for most of my life, including for the fish sandwiches (with and without cheese - better without) and even the fried c lams, until I passed age 35. I’m now finding it less appealing; though I still indulge from time to time, I have to go easy now or they sit like a rock in my stomach - no more than 6, where I used to down 10-12 assorted burgers, cheeseburgers and fish sandwiches. I love the taste of griddled onions steamed into the bun along with the meat drippings - the burger itself is practically there just for mouthfeel! ---
**Author:** ![JayRx1981](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/71e660/32.png) [@JayRx1981](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JayRx1981)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/filet-o-fish-worst-fast-food-ever/594215/73 "2011-08-29T13:14:12Z")
This thread inspired me to eat a Filet O’ Fish before work last night. Just saying. ---
**Author:** ![happycamper\_5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/cab0a1/32.png) [@happycamper\_5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/happycamper_5)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/filet-o-fish-worst-fast-food-ever/594215/74 "2011-08-29T18:48:48Z")
I’ve been eating McDonalds food for about 30 years and I can’t remember ever having a Filet-O-Fish. This thread had convinced me to change that. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/filet-o-fish-worst-fast-food-ever/594215/75 "2011-08-29T18:52:00Z")
They taste pretty good for fast food, but I don’t usually order them because they’re tiny and ridiculously overpriced. ---
**Author:** ![Mooch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mooch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mooch)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/filet-o-fish-worst-fast-food-ever/594215/76 "2011-08-29T19:00:48Z")
If you’re very drunk I’ve heard you can combine a filet o’ fish with a cheeseburger for ersatz Surf and Turf. I’ve heard. ---
**Author:** ![happycamper\_5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/cab0a1/32.png) [@happycamper\_5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/happycamper_5)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/filet-o-fish-worst-fast-food-ever/594215/77 "2011-08-29T19:08:05Z")
> [@Mooch](#): > > If you’re very drunk I’ve heard you can combine a filet o’ fish with a cheeseburger for ersatz Surf and Turf. > > I’ve heard. I must be very suggestible today because now I have to try THIS. ---
**Author:** ![AndyLee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/898d66/32.png) [@AndyLee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndyLee)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/filet-o-fish-worst-fast-food-ever/594215/78 "2011-08-29T19:14:15Z")
I love Filet O’ Fish, but you need to put extra mayo on it. :o) ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/filet-o-fish-worst-fast-food-ever/594215/79 "2011-08-29T19:14:24Z")
The only time I eat at McD’s is when I’m on the road. I will get a FoF and McNuggets. They’re both so inoffensive and bland. And I’m glad that someone else has noticed how much smaller the FoF has gotten AND that they can’t center the damned thing on the bun. ---
**Author:** ![mac\_bolan00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b3f665/32.png) [@mac\_bolan00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mac_bolan00)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2011, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/filet-o-fish-worst-fast-food-ever/594215/80 "2011-08-31T01:16:05Z")
the OP got the combination right though. i order fillet-o-fish, and a sundae. i prefer the caramel fudge in vanilla. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/filet-o-fish-worst-fast-food-ever/594215.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/filet-o-fish-worst-fast-food-ever/594215.md?page=5)