This Limited-Time McDonald's Filet-O-Fish From 2015 Deserves To Be Back On The Menu

The Filet-O-Fish, with its iconic square shape, may not be McDonald's most popular menu item — that honor belongs to the chain's best-selling french fries. But it's got a faithful following of loyalists who can't get enough of that wild-caught Alaskan pollock patty, melted cheese, and creamy tartar sauce. Once upon a time in McDonaldland, though, another, upgraded version of the Filet-O-Fish existed that seriously deserves another turn on the Mickey D's menu.

Back in 2015, a limited number of McDonald's restaurants, concentrated in Maryland, Washington, D.C., Delaware, Virginia, and West Virginia, offered limited-time Filet-O-Fish sandwiches that were slathered with a special tartar sauce seasoned with Old Bay. For the uninitiated, Old Bay is a Maryland-born spice blend with a rather fascinating history. While it was originally created for use on seafood, its applications have been broadly expanded by fans to the point of wackiness, like its popular use on ice cream by Marylanders. Adding Old Bay to the Filet-O-Fish was a natural pairing, though, and one that should have been expanded far beyond the 700-ish McD's restaurants that got to serve it.

The sandwich was launched through an official partnership between McDonald's and McCormick, which bought the Old Bay brand back in 1990. The idea was hatched by a Baltimore-based McDonald's franchise owner named Mark Furr, who pitched it to local McDonald's representatives.

When exactly the Old Bay Filet-O-Fish was discontinued isn't clear. A February 2016 post on McDonald's corporate website stated the sandwich was still available in select restaurants as of that time. Online posters reported buying it as late as 2017. Whenever it was ousted, plenty of folks want it back — including Filet-O-Fish fans outside those states who never got to try it.

The Old Bay Filet-O-Fish was created at a time when McDonald's was honing in on offering region-specific items to appeal to local customers. The chain also introduced other area-unique dishes. Included among them was an item called Gilroy Garlic Fries, which were exclusively offered in the San Francisco Bay area and featured garlic sourced from Gilroy, California. McDonald's also offered lobster rolls containing North Atlantic lobster in New England.

The only way in which the Old Bay sandwich differed from the original Filet-O-Fish was in its specially formulated tartar sauce. The inclusion of Old Bay gave it a distinctive, salmon-esque color, in contrast with the white tartar sauce found on the original FoF. Interestingly, 18 spices comprise Old Bay, and while the product label doesn't give much away regarding what they are, it does reveal that red and black pepper, celery salt, and paprika are among them. Some who tried the Old Bay Filet-O-Fish reported it was pepper-forward in taste, giving the classic Golden Arches sammie a bit of a kick.

Until McDonald's elects to bring the sandwich back — whether regionally or more widely — those desirous to try it can create an approximation by simply sprinkling some Old Bay atop their regular Filet-O-Fish sauce. Alternatively, you can order your tartar sauce on the side and stir some in for a better blend. In Maryland, birthplace of the spice blend, its commonness is reportedly right up there with salt and pepper, and many Marylanders carry a can of Old Bay with them, in purses or otherwise, as a matter of course. So, next time you visit Mickey D's, just think like a Marylander and take along some Old Bay.