Why Doesn't McDonald's Center The Cheese On Its Filet-O-Fish?

If you've ever wondered why McDonald's Filet-O-Fish only comes with a half slice of cheese, it's apparently to prevent the cheese from dominating the flavor of the fish. As for why that half slice is frequently askew on the bun, content creator and former corporate chef Mike Haracz offers ample insider insight on the subject. On TikTok, Huracz, who was previously employed as McDonald's Manager of Culinary Innovation, said that the sandwich's assembly contributes to the askew cheese placement on the Filet-O-Fish. 

Haracz explains that the Filet-O-Fish is built within the box it's served in. Ingredients are added to the open box in a specific order: tartar sauce is spread on the top portion of the bun, and the fish patty is placed on the tartar sauce. The half slice of cheese goes on the other side of the bun. Once all the elements are added, the box is closed in order to assemble the sandwich. This is where problems can arise, Haracz points out, "If you do it wrong, you do it too quick ... that heel might not land where it's supposed to [and] the cheese might flop around." 

Although McDonald's doesn't often reveal its tricks of the trade, another TikTok clip shows how to prepare the Filet-O-Fish. In the video, a McDonald's employee dabs a little tartar sauce on the bottom bun to anchor the cheese, then sandwiches the buns together by hand before closing the box and gently turning it over.

The Filet-O-Fish sandwich is an unlikely fast-food icon, with components that seem utterly unremarkable when you consider each one separately. In reality, a steamed bun, breaded Alaskan pollock patty, American cheese, and tartar sauce proved to be an ingenious pairing, and in turn, a massively successful menu item. Internationally, McDonald's sells an impressive 300 million Filet-O-Fish sandwiches each year, with an estimated 75 million sales occurring during Lent. As hinted at by Chef Mike Haracz in his Filet-O-Fish TikTok analysis, McDonald's uses its in-the-box assembly method on another popular order at the chain: the Big Mac. 

A Golden Arches staffer exhibited how Big Macs are really made in a 2022 TikTok video, and the process was incredibly similar to the Filet-O-Fish format. After toasting the crown, heel, and club (the middle bun in the Big Mac), all three bun pieces are placed in a box with the club resting on top of the crown. The club and heel of the bun are dressed with Big Mac sauce, onions, and lettuce. Then, pickles, cheese, and two beef patties are carefully distributed between the top and bottom of the box. Once all the ingredients are in place, the last step involves grabbing the club portion (with its various fixings), placing it on top of the heel, and closing the box to bring the burger together.