Change Up The McDonald's Filet-O-Fish By Ordering It French-Style

McDonald's Filet-O-Fish layers a piece of breaded fish between a pillowy steamed bun, and customers rave about it. The sandwich found a home on U.S. menus in 1965, and with so many delicious ways to customize the Filet-O-Fish, seafood lovers won't easily tire of it. However, you may be surprised to hear that the Filet-O-Fish we've come to love in the United States doesn't look quite the same everywhere else in the world. In fact, at French locations, the popular sandwiches feature two key differences.

Stateside, orders are topped with American cheese and tartar sauce, and you can even ask for an extra fish patty or additional cheese. McDonald's locations in France take a more minimalistic approach. Known as the McFish Mayo, the French version replaces the tartar sauce with a coating of mayo and skips the cheese entirely. You'll find subtle differences in the Filet-O-Fish throughout the world (including in the U.K.), but the French may be onto something. 

Without the melted cheese slice, the taste of the wild-caught Alaskan pollock can step forward. Tartar sauce adds a punchy dimension, but a swipe of mayonnaise can bring just enough richness to a sandwich without overpowering the fish. It is the kind of order that lets the fish be the star, which is not necessarily guaranteed with the saucier American version.

Rather than trying to order the McFish Mayo at your local McDonald's, simply request your American-version Filet-O-Fish to be made without cheese or tartar sauce, and ask for a light spread of mayo instead. Most McDonald's locations will accommodate this swap. The result is a cleaner, lighter build and one that parallels longstanding European culinary traditions. 

In French cuisine, pairing fish with creamy sauces is a go-to move. Sole meunière and colorful Niçoise salads coated in olive oil and herbs are prime examples. Homemade mayo mixed from egg yolk and oil aligns with the practice, delivering fat and creaminess without the sharpness from pickles or any heaviness from melted cheese. Many chefs shudder at the thought of combining fish and cheese, asserting that dairy can overwhelm the delicate flavors of fish. Skipping cheese on your Filet-O-Fish is a European move that may have you feeling like you're taking a bite out of something served in another country, no passport required.