McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish is made from wild-caught Alaskan pollock , a mild white fish that’s popular in many fast-food fish sandwiches.

Quick Scoop

  • Main fish: Wild-caught Alaskan pollock (not cod or tilapia in the U.S. today).
  • Why they use it: Mild flavor, flaky texture, and large, well-managed populations that support sustainable sourcing.
  • How it’s served: Breaded pollock patty, American cheese, tartar sauce, steamed bun.

Has the fish ever changed?

  • Early years: The original Filet-O-Fish reportedly used halibut, then moved through other white fish like hoki/cod as McDonald’s scaled up and supply changed.
  • Today: McDonald’s states that Filet-O-Fish in the U.S. is made with wild-caught Alaskan pollock from certified sustainable fisheries.

In some other countries, McDonald’s uses different white fish (like hoki or tilapia) depending on local supply and sustainability programs, but the global “standard” is still pollock.

Meta description (SEO):
Curious what kind of fish is in McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish? It’s wild-caught Alaskan pollock, chosen for its mild taste, flaky texture, and sustainable sourcing, with some regional variations worldwide.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.