A Filet-O-Fish Is Twice As Good When You Order It With A French-Style Twist

Ah, the Filet-O-Fish. It's one of McDonald's most iconic menu items and arguably one of the most popular fast food fish sandwiches out there. But did you know that the Filet-O-Fish is made differently depending on the country you're in? In the U.S., it's made with a crispy fish patty, American cheese, tartar sauce, and a fluffy bun. But in places like France, it has a few more ingredients that amp up its texture and taste. And with the right tweaks, you can try it here, too.

While the French-style Filet-O-Fish is not on the American McDonald's menu, you can customize your order to get it pretty close. Start by ordering the Double Filet-O-Fish, which comes with two fish patties, then remove the tartar sauce and add pickles, mustard, lettuce, and tomato. Keep the cheese: the French version includes white cheddar, but U.S. locations only serve pasteurized process American cheese. Then, ask for mayonnaise packets on the side. The French sandwich features a creamy white sauce.

Another difference? The French Filet-O-Fish comes with onions, which is not an option on the McDonald's app in the U.S. So if you want onions, you'll have to ask for them at the drive-thru or in person. Overall, adding veggies and an additional patty bulks up the Filet-O-Fish sandwich and gives it a fresh crunch. Plus, these add-ons don't hike up the price too much. A regular Double Filet-O-Fish is about $8.19, while the souped-up version is around $10, depending on location.

We've highlighted how to get a heartier Filet-O-Fish by ordering it Norwegian-style. We even mentioned how McDonald's Filet-O-Fish tastes 10 times better when you add this popular breakfast menu item: hash browns. But something about ordering this classic fish sammie French-style takes it to another level. Alongside adding the veggies, mustard, and mayo, we've scoured the web for other Filet-O-Fish customizations we think would taste great on top of the French version's flavor. 

"When I get home, I take a tablespoon of extra spicy cocktail sauce and smear it on there. It's friggin fantastic," said one Redditor. Another customer mentioned adding an extra slice of cheese, since the regular Filet-O-Fish only comes with half a slice. In one review on Facebook, someone put extra pickles and bacon on their order, which we think would taste great with the French-style add-ons. Some people even suggested ordering Mac sauce on the side and pouring it into the sandwich — yummy!