A Few Filet-O-Fish Customizations Give It A Diner-Style Upgrade

The Filet-O-Fish started as a McDonald's Lent specialty over 60 years ago, beating out a fruit-centered competitor known as the Hula Burger. Not only did the Filet-O-Fish win over those observing Lent, but it quickly became a year-round customer favorite. Featuring a fried filet of Alaskan pollock, American cheese, and tartar sauce on a steamed bun, the Filet-O-Fish is the perfect combination of textures and flavors. However, a few modifications will give it a diner-style upgrade.

Like many US restaurants, McDonald's is always open to customizations. And there are plenty of ways to improve the Filet-O-Fish. Looking to double or triple the fish on your Filet-O-Fish? Ask for extra filets. Want a British pub-style fish sandwich? Layer McDonald's famous french fries in between the buns. The diner-style upgrade that will make a hearty and comforting meal out of your next Filet-O-Fish, however, is to transform it into a BLT hybrid. One of the most classic diner sandwiches, a BLT is as simple and delicious as McDonald's fish sandwich, making it easy to combine the two. Plus, crispy strips of bacon make everything better — we ranked bacon-laden burgers among our favorites at McDonald's. And it'll certainly elevate the fish sandwich, offering a rich, savory flavor and chewy crunch. Not to mention that it'll also add some freshness from the veggies.

To make the upgrade, simply add bacon, lettuce, and tomatoes to the Filet-O-Fish. Since the original Filet-O-Fish only comes with half a slice of American cheese, adding an extra slice of decadent cheese will balance the intense bacon flavor.

According to a TikToker, the BLT Filet-O-Fish upgrade is a McDonald's employee suggestion. Since the Filet-O-Fish was created for the meatless Fridays of Lent, it's important to note that this BLT-inspired customization is not Lent-friendly. So if you want your meatless Friday fix and McDonald's sticking with the OG Filet-O-Fish is your best bet. 

BLT upgrade or not, you want to get the freshest sandwich possible. So, to order the freshest McDonald's Filet-O-Fish, request that it be "cooked to order" or "made fresh." It'll take around employees about 6 minutes to make the Filet-O-Fish fresh to order, in addition to the time it will take to fry bacon on the flat top. But the taste and texture that these ingredients add makes them well worth the wait. Something else to keep in mind with the BLT customization is the bun choice. While the Filet-O-Fish comes on a steamed bun that's even softer than the flakey fish filet, it might turn into mush with the additions of bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, and extra cheese. So, you might want to swap it for a regular burger bun that has more structural integrity.

While combining a BLT with a fish sandwich may sound like an odd pairing, it's actually one we've suggested before. We think fish is the ultimate upgrade to a BLT sandwich — we even recommend adding a filet of baked salmon to your next homemade BLT. Both salmon and McDonald's pollock filet are the flakey, soft textural contrast to bacon's crunch.