McD's Filet O' Fish and the cheese

I have enjoyed Filet O' Fish for about 20 years. I make no excuses for it, I just happen to enjoy them very much. The soft bun, fish tartar sauce and cheese just combine into a very tasty experience.

So in the past year or so I have noticed that they now put a half slice of cheese on the sandwich instead of the full slice they have done for the past 19 years.

Anyone else notice it? Is it just in my area? (Northeast)

I agree with Parses6..I love my Fish plain...I can handle cheese on anything else except fish...

thanks, but that totally missed the point of what I was asking. I am not asking if you like something or even how you like it. I am asking if anyone else has notices that they have skimped on the cheese and it if is just a regional thing in my area, or is this now the way they prepare the sandwich.

I think they've skimped on the whole sandwich. I was craving a fish burger and couldn't think of any menus around town that had one, so I bit the bullet and went to McDicks.

I hadn't had one in about 20 years. I first thought they forgot the fish. Then, I opened up the bun and hidden under the lettuce was a tiny little fried fish patty. It tasted worse than it looked. I didn't note the amount of cheese as I was too taken back by this pathetic display infront of me.

Suprisingly, BK had a passable one.

renfrew, it's been this way in my area for the last 3 years at least. I firsy noticed it when they were running a sale, I sent corp. an e-mail asking why they were short-changing me. The reply was that consumer sampling showed that people preferred a half slice.

MikeS.

It was half a slice when I worked there in 1979...almost positive. Might be a regional thing and it took awhile for other areas to "catch" on.

Thanks for the replies!

Lettuce? Never seen lettuce on a Filet O' Fish except for a brief period when they had both the filet and more "upscale" fish sandwich during the intial rollout of the Arch Deluxe. They quickly went back to standard.

As far as I can remember, it was always full slice until recently. I dont eat these sandwiches much and it could very well have been a couple of years before I noticed.

Wonder where they did the consumer sampling? Amongst their financial staff no doubt!

I've added lettuce to their fish sandwich, as I prefer it that way - sometimes they charge extra (once - 30 cents, and I told them to cancel my order) and sometimes not

I wrote an email complaining about it.

As for the lettuce, I always liked it on a BK Whaler -er Big Fish - I think because of the size difference. The BK was a bigger piece of fish, and somehow deserved lettuce. The Filet was always small, somewhat of a fish slider, and seemed fine the way it was.

quote:

Originally posted by Parses6

actually havenet had Filet o fish in awhile and since it has shrunk, what does it now cost?? Betting the price hasn't decreased like the size.

I believe the cost of a # 9 or 10 (the meal) is 4.99. The cost of the sandwich itself is around 2.59.

The fish filet has shrunk vastly. The original recipe (years ago) only called for a half a piece of cheese (Yes IT DID...). Of course, back then, they used cod on a FRESHLY STEAMED bun... I think they use pollock now. Yuck, yuck, yuck, etc., on an OLD chewy bun. The "new way" of cooking at McDonald's, which cost the franchisees of same mucho $$$$, has proven to be rather a waste of everyone's time & resourses. HOWEVER. In the limited circle of McDee's I occasionally visit; they will still accept grill (made to order) orders. Give it a try but be prepared to wait.

Actually, the fish fillet is small enough that I buy them as a appetizer to have on the deck with evening cocktails.
I get them the way they come. Cheese and dripping tartar sauce goes well with the cocktail.

They are pretty good especially after the second Canadian and ice.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Yes- I'm mistaken. There isn't lettuce on McDicks fillet'o'fish. It was soo bad I felt the need to embelish the experience.

If I'm in the mood for a fast food fish sandwich, I go to LJS or Capain D's. I've never cared for McDonald's fish sandwich because it reminds me of school fish sandwiches from childhood. LJS's fish is not what it used to be, but their ultimate fish sandwich is not so bad and I especially like the banana peppers on it.

Andrea

Unfortunately, we haven't got LJS or Captain D's. Joey's Only

http://www.joeys-only.com/

as the other alternative. It is a chain, but more expensive than a fast food resto. The quality is better, mind you. I haven't tried their fish burger though.

quote:

Originally posted by Adjudicator

The original recipe (years ago) only called for a half a piece of cheese (Yes IT DID...).

No IT DIDNT! hahaha.. wow its true...writing in all caps does make it so!

Seriously, for me the original only goes back 21 years or so. Say 1985 is probably the time I wa sold enough to really remember it. From 1985 till about a year or three ago in my experience it was a full slice. So the half slice might be true, but there are tons of people that only remember the full slice.

I'm talking about same pre-1980. Probably pre-1978, to be more specific.

A little less tarter would be welcome, but then again, that might cause one to actually taste the fish and i'm not sure i'm up for that from Micky D's.

quote:

Originally posted by renfrew

I wrote an email complaining about it.

As for the lettuce, I always liked it on a BK Whaler -er Big Fish - I think because of the size difference. The BK was a bigger piece of fish, and somehow deserved lettuce. The Filet was always small, somewhat of a fish slider, and seemed fine the way it was.

Renfrew:
I remember when the BK Whaler was enormous, too, back in the seventies...it really was a huge piece of fish...I loved it...but then, in the eighties, it too shrunk.
Is it even on the menu now?

Fish sandwiches need cheese, lettuce, onion & tartar sauce. Extra onion.

Two words...double fish....light tartar, ketchup..and full slice of cheese..

Works for me

quote:

Originally posted by tacchino

Renfrew:
I remember when the BK Whaler was enormous, too, back in the seventies...it really was a huge piece of fish...I loved it...but then, in the eighties, it too shrunk.
Is it even on the menu now?

Its called the BK Big Fish now. "Whaler" was deemed offensive I believe by some PC morons.

I have to say that I've not noticed any changes. I live in the South. I enjoy the FOF on occasion. FOF and the fries are what I like best about Mickey D's.

I noticed the half slice this past Lent on a Friday when I HAD to eat quick and McDonald's was IT.

Wehn I opened the sandwich I just figured they jipped me. Now that I read your post, I guess it's standard practice now.

I can't say I won't have one again, since I had one this past Spring when I wasn't expecting to, but I'll try my darndest not to.

I noticed the half-slice deal during Lent when filet-o-fish were $0.99 on Fridays. Didn't know they were that way all the time now. I don't buy them when they are full price. May as well leave it off...
Long John Silver's is offering a 99-cent fish sandwich as well as a chicken one. Not bad for super-cheap-o snacks.

the filet-o-fish became nasty when the arch deluxe was introduced... this gave them a reason to alter the filet recipe and use cheaper product, then re-introduce the "original" using substandard ingredients just like coca-cola did with original coke/new coke/classic coke when they eliminated cane sugar for HFCS.

the good filet-o-fish filets were square. the new, awful ones are rectangular and always taste and smell like spoiled fish..

Here is a copy of an email sent to me by the McDonald's Customer Response Center after I asked them about the half slice of cheese in the filet o-fish and the continous reduced size of all their meal (especially filet o-fish). They just answer me 50% of my question asked. One thing I'm not quite understand is that do people really prefer 1/2 slice of cheese than 1 full slice of cheese?

"Thank you for taking the time to contact McDonald's. I would like to take this opportunity to address your comments regarding our Filet-O-Fish sandwich.
You may be interested to know extensive customer research and testing was done to determine the way our customers prefer to have their cheese on the Filet-O-Fish sandwich. Interestingly enough, most of our customers preferred to have a one-half slice of cheese on their sandwiches. In fact, the Filet-O-Fish sandwich has contained one-half slice of cheese since we introduced the sandwich in 1963.
However, feel free to ask for more cheese or "extra" cheese the next time you order the Filet-O-Fish sandwich at your local McDonald's. Please know you may be charged for extra cheese. With our "Made for You" processing system, your local McDonald's should have no problem accommodating your request. Your comments are important and will be shared with our Menu Management team for their review.

Again, thank you for contacting McDonald's and I hope this information has been helpful.

Nancy
McDonald's Customer Response Center

ref#:3548824"

quote:

Originally posted by Steelcat

Here is a copy of an email sent to me by the McDonald's Customer Response Center after I asked them about the half slice of cheese in the filet o-fish and the continous reduced size of all their meal (especially filet o-fish). They just answer me 50% of my question asked. One thing I'm not quite understand is that do people really prefer 1/2 slice of cheese than 1 full slice of cheese?

"Thank you for taking the time to contact McDonald's. I would like to take this opportunity to address your comments regarding our Filet-O-Fish sandwich.
You may be interested to know extensive customer research and testing was done to determine the way our customers prefer to have their cheese on the Filet-O-Fish sandwich. Interestingly enough, most of our customers preferred to have a one-half slice of cheese on their sandwiches. In fact, the Filet-O-Fish sandwich has contained one-half slice of cheese since we introduced the sandwich in 1963.
However, feel free to ask for more cheese or "extra" cheese the next time you order the Filet-O-Fish sandwich at your local McDonald's. Please know you may be charged for extra cheese. With our "Made for You" processing system, your local McDonald's should have no problem accommodating your request. Your comments are important and will be shared with our Menu Management team for their review.

Again, thank you for contacting McDonald's and I hope this information has been helpful.

Nancy
McDonald's Customer Response Center

ref#:3548824"

Uh huh.

OK then, Steel! Let's get to why the filets from McDee's suck now... It 'aint because of the cheese...

Oh yes! Sorry I forgot. Welcome 2 RoadFood. Many here are not as tainted as I am!

The fish fillets Macky Dee's uses now comes from Gorton's, according to the MCHandbook. Cheese comes from Kraft. (Ex hubby is a manager at one now. I'm so verklumpft over that)