McDonald’s Credits Christians in Proud Success Story of Prominent Menu Item

Christ is truly in everything, even at the McDonald’s counter.

While many may be able to immediately see the connection between the Golden Arches’ Filet-O-Fish and Catholics, just how fundamental they are to the fried sandwich’s success can be surprising.

The history of the popular item dates back to 1962, when franchisee Lou Groen wanted to create an item for his majority Roman Catholic consumer base to enjoy, according to a February 2016 post on the McDonald’s corporate website.

At the time, nothing on the menu could be eaten as a main course for Catholics abstaining from meat on Fridays for Lent, and Groen wanted to change that. The businessman came up with the idea of a breaded whitefish sandwich that even those partaking in the tradition could enjoy.

While today the sandwich is known to be a big hit, founder Ray Kroc didn’t see it working out that way.

He instead created what he called a “Hula Burger” — grilled pineapple with cheese on a bun — and believed it would be more popular than the fish item, according to the McDonald’s post.

“Kroc made a deal with Groen that they would sell the Hula Burger and the Filet-O-Fish on a Friday, and whichever sandwich sold the most would be added to the permanent menu,” the post said.

The McDonald’s founder quickly found himself in the wrong after the iconic item managed to obliterate his fruit sandwich, selling 350 in a single day while the Hula Burger netted only six sales.

The Hula Burger would be discontinued before the end of 1963, while the Filet-O-Fish would be added to the national menu