The Discontinued McDonald's Seafood You Probably Never Knew About
People often say that absence makes the heart grow fonder, and McDonald's certainly knows how to use that absence to its advantage. Much like the elusive McRib (here's how to fill that McRib void while you wait for its return), the golden-arched fast food giant likes to tease the release of fan-favorite foods, holding them just out of reach like dangling cheese in front of a mouse. Other than the controversial Filet-O-Fish, McDonald's used to serve another popular seafood item, which is currently off the menu but used to make a yearly summer return.
McDonald's introduced the McLobster in 1993, testing the sandwich in New England and Eastern Canada stores with the use of 100% Atlantic lobster meat. Even though it may seem like McDonald's is willing to slap the "Mc" distinction on just about any food and slap it on the menu, the McLobster performed fairly well. McDonald's attempted to take the sandwich nationwide that same year, but after facing supply issues and a lack of profitability, it was removed from menus. The McLobster returned in only the New England area in 2005 and again in 2015, 2016, and 2017. It mysteriously disappeared after the 2017 summer and has yet to return, though the possibility of a resurgence isn't necessarily off the table.
McDonald's' seafood profile extends beyond the Filet-O-Fish
The McLobster was made from thawed Atlantic lobster meat mixed with various seasonings and mayonnaise, though we think the key to a stellar lobster roll is both mayonnaise and butter. Served on a toasted bun similar to the kind you'd get with a chicken sandwich, the lobster meat sat on a serving of shredded iceberg lettuce. When it first debuted, the sandwich cost $3.99, but by its 2015 return, the McLobster was up to $8.99. While it was by no means one of the best lobster rolls in the Northeast, it became a summer staple for McDonald's locations in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
Around the time that the McLobster disappeared from menus, McDonald's tested the release of two other seafood items: a crab cake and a crab sandwich. The crab cakes were on a limited release in Baltimore, Maryland, while the crab sandwiches temporarily graced McDonald's locations in the San Francisco Bay Area. Neither item performed exceptionally well nor made a nationwide release, though there were plans to release the crab sandwich to over 250 locations.