Get A Better (Crispier) Culver's Fish Sandwich With A 2-Word Ordering Trick

There's no shortage of genius Culver's ordering hacks that will make your fast food order that much tastier, but any hack that ups the crisp and crunch level of your fried food is always worth it. And this two-word trick is definitely something to try, with an important caveat. To get a crispier fish sandwich at Culver's, order your fish "well done."

"If you go on a slower day and order your fish [and] fries extra crispy, your expectations should be met, or I rather hope, exceeded," one employee wrote on Reddit. Indeed, it seems that lots of customers order their fish (and fries, chicken, and other sides) either "well done" or "extra crispy." The employees will know what that means and leave your food in the fryer for a bit longer than is standard.

However — and this is a big however — read the room before making this request. If it's super busy or the drive-thru line is already long, maybe don't interrupt the flow of things by requesting extra crispy cod, which takes longer and messes with the "fast" component of the whole "fast food" idea. "If the restaurant is busy, extra crispy fries can be a pain," one employee explained. "You have [to] dedicate part of already limited fryer space to what is usually a single order of fries. We cook them an extra 45 seconds, but in a rush, that can feel like forever and disrupt the rhythm and flow of the kitchen, especially if the fryer workers are inexperienced."

"Culver's fried cod is easily the best fish sandwich in fast food," one Redditor wrote. "Add pickles and an extra side of tartar if ya nasty." If you're not a sandwich person, the cod dinner comes with fried fish, two sides, and a dinner roll. You can opt for fries and have your very own Midwestern fish and chips. Or take it to another level completely. "Cod filet value basket with an upgrade to chili cheese fries from Culver's has been my favorite fast food meal for a long, long time," someone else suggested.

The quality of the fish at Culver's is no accident. Culver's is picky about its fish, sourcing it from the Barents Sea, where arctic temperatures and nutrient-rich waters contribute to an extra flavorful variety of cod. And not only that. Culver's fries its fish just right every time, hand-battering each piece to order, making it much fresher than your average fast-food fish sandwich.