The Staggering Number Of Filet‑O‑Fish Sandwiches McDonald's Sells During Lent

Lent is a time of fasting and prayer observed by Catholics all over the world. Taking place over the 40-day period before Easter, abstaining from meat on Fridays is a big part of Lenten tradition. As such, restaurants often beef up (so to speak) fish and seafood offerings during Lent to attract the faithful. This year, Lent begins on February 18 (Ash Wednesday) and lasts until April 2 (Holy Thursday). Along with its religious ramifications for the world's 1.4 billion Catholics (via Vatican News), the arrival of Lent also means that McDonald's locations must be at the ready with Filet‑O‑Fish sandwiches. 

Consisting of a breaded fish patty, tartar sauce, steamed bun, and curiously enough, a half slice of American cheese (to prevent the cheese from overpowering the flavor of the fish), McDonald's reportedly sells 300 million fish sandwiches annually, as the item is part of the chain's permanent menu. However, 25% of those sales take place over the Lenten season, which equates to 75 million sandwiches sold during Lent alone, according to Food & Wine. The sandwich was invented back in 1962 by a McDonald's franchisee in Cincinnati, Ohio and has gone on to reach iconic status in the years since.

Catholics are a diverse bunch, which means Lenten practices can vary quite a bit. The tradition has also evolved greatly over time. It's believed that Lenten traditions were established around 325 AD, and fasting was a key aspect of Lent from its inception. The faithful abstained from more than just meat, however, as fish and dairy were also prohibited for the entire 40-day period before Easter. These days, it's commonplace to only abstain from meat on Fridays during Lent, but that wasn't always the case. 

McDonald's franchisee Lou Groen, creator of the Filet-o-Fish, was acutely aware of Catholic traditions when operating his franchise in the '60s. Because the customers who patronized his restaurant were primarily Catholic, and because it was customary to abstain from meat on every Friday, regardless of the time of year, Groen was losing customers to establishments selling fish sandwiches. The restaurateur developed a Filet-o-Fish as a result, and the item was eventually added to the national menu. Groen was quite successful as a franchisee and restaurant operator, but sadly, he wasn't compensated for his invention on a national scale. While it's not a perfect item by any stretch, McDonald's fish sandwich is a great example of fast-food innovation. In fact, we spoke to some chefs who agree that the Filet-o-Fish is an overlooked option at the chain.