McDonald's Filet-O-Fish Has A Special Bun That You Probably Never Even Noticed

Even though McDonald's is known worldwide as a hamburger chain, the non-beef options on the menu have become just as famous. Chicken McNuggets, the Egg McMuffin, and the Filet-O-Fish are all iconic McDonald's menu items in their own right. The story of the Filet-O-Fish, in fact, dates back to the early 1960s. Franchise owner Lou Groen was trying to find a way to drum up business on Fridays, when his many Catholic customers abstained from meat. His solution was a fish sandwich that proved to be a big seller and was added to the menu nationally by 1965. 

Over its 60-year history, the Filet-O-Fish has stood out for its use of fish, tartar sauce, and half slice of cheese — but another thing worth knowing about the Filet-O-Fish is that the bun is steamed. The steamed bun is just one of the standouts and it's the only sandwich on the menu that comes standard with it. However, you can custom order a steamed bun for any other sandwich on the menu if you want. The bun itself is the same one used for a regular McDonald's hamburger and cheeseburger, the difference just comes down to how it is prepared.

The steaming makes the bun noticeably softer than a standard burger bun at McDonald's. Eating is not just about taste but texture, after all. With delicate fish, McDonald's doesn't want a firmer, crunchier bun overpowering it. Instead, the softer bun complements the fish and the sauce to make a more pleasant bite.

Word is that Filet-O-Fish inventor Lou Groen did try a toasted bun, but found that the texture overpowered the fish. The steamed bun proved to be much more appropriate for the sandwich and the recipe has remained the same since its creation in 1962. Steaming buns is not unique to the Filet-O-Fish, of course — White Castle is famous for steaming its buns along with its burgers while they cook.

Professional chefs will also recommend steaming buns, especially if they are a few days old and no longer very fresh. You can reinvigorate a stale bun at home by steaming it for about a minute before assembling your burger. This same approach is used at authentic Chicago-style hot dog carts around the country. The soft, steamed bun perfectly complements the wiener and is a key to a good hot dog cart experience.

If you want to make your own version of the Filet-O-Fish at home, you can steam your buns in a colander over a pot of water for about a minute. You can also try our steamed hot dog bun trick and assemble your sandwiches in the buns and place them back in the bag until you're ready to eat. You'll enjoy those same perfectly soft, steamy buns you get from McDonalds without any extra effort — perfect for Friday or any other day of the week a Filet-O-Fish craving strikes.