The Type Of Fish Checkers And Rally's Use For Sandwiches

Just about every fast food joint worth its salt has a fish sandwich on the menu. Sadly, though, the token fish sandwich is not usually regarded as the best item that any burger joint serves. But honestly, we're sick and tired of the fast food fish sandwich slander. Plenty of fast food joints serve a perfectly satisfying fish sandwich, and Checkers & Rally's is one such place.

The chain's Crispy Fish Sandwich has that same nostalgic warmth as perhaps the most notorious fish sandwich, the McDonald's Filet-O-Fish. And that could be because the two use the same kind of mild white fish, which is pollock. Checker's & Rally's serve up two version of the fish sandwich. The chain's standard Crispy Fish Sandwich features one deep-fried fish patty, tartar sauce, and iceberg lettuce served up on a toasted sesame seed bun. The Deep Sea Double has two deep-fried fish patties, tartar sauce, iceberg lettuce, and a slice of American cheese.

While neither were in the running for our ranking of ten fast food fish sandwiches, the internet has good things to say. One TikTok user by the username of @gofredo15 shared in a review of both fish sandwiches the restaurant serves that, "For a person that's not a big fish sandwich person, y'all got me with this one." Another recommendation came from a Reddit thread on r/fastfood, where one user was asking for the best fast food fish sandwich, to which someone else responded, "Checkers' Deep Sea Double is pretty good. Paired with the fries it's the best combo in my opinion." Not only are the fish sandwiches from Checkers & Rally's regarded as a great deal, but they deliver on flavor as well.

The battle of the fast-food fish sandwich has been underway for decades after McDonald's made the clever decision in 1962 to add the new menu item to keep sales up during Lent. The McDonald's Filet-O-Fish was a hit, and soon, fish sandwiches were seen on other popular fast food chains' menus. You may notice that, like Checkers & Rally's, a lot of these fish sandwiches are made with pollock. Apart from being a relatively cheap fish, pollock has other qualities that make it a top choice for fast food joints.

While there are certainly some cooking methods to avoid with Alaskan pollock, it's known to be a firmer fish, which means it holds up well to freezing and frying. It's also not particularly fishy, making it more palatable to the masses. Lastly, it's delicious, with a mildly sweet, buttery flavor that pairs well with the simple flavors of a crispy breading, tartar sauce, and a fluffy bun.

If you consider yourself a fish sandwich skeptic, the Checkers & Rally's Crispy Fish Sandwich or Deep Sea Double could just be the ones to change your mind. At just $3.49 for the former and $4.29 the latter, it's a pretty small investment to give it a try.