Fast food combination hacks might be the most innocent fun on social media next to observing red pandas. Combining existing menu ingredients in new ways to create a unique flavor profile or a double sandwich where none exists sometimes leads to delicious innovation. For example, swapping out the steamed bun from a McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish can upgrade most of the chain’s burgers. But there’s an even better trick that directly involves the brand’s classic fish sandwich: Turn it into a quickie fish and chips meal with the addition of french fries. Inspired by an iconic dish at chip shops and British pubs, this trick pops up on social media and is both fiendishly simple and surprisingly tasty.
The seafood sandwich stands apart on the menu, and there are a bunch of interesting facts about McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish, beyond the steamed bun. For example, the fish is cooked in a dedicated fryer. The end result is that it already has a distinctively different vibe from Quarter Pounders and Big Macs. So, taking it to the next level with the addition of french fries may seem pretty simple when it comes to a menu hack, but it really is delicious — especially if you play with the sauces a bit, which will impart even more of a fish and chips vibe, rather than simply french fries on a sandwich.
Add a small fries to craft a McFish and Chips
The hack itself might be one of the simplest out there. You don’t need unusual sides, or double sauces, or a secret menu item that’s not all that secret, like at Shake Shack. Nope, just drive or walk up to a McDonald’s and order the Filet-O-Fish (or a Double Filet-O-Fish) and a small fries. Though this is a fairly simple order, a content creator testing this trick did observe that a small fries is no bargain these days since fast food has gotten so expensive (ordering it as a combo meal might help).
All you really need to do is layer hot, crispy french fries on top of the fish patty, and you’ve got a salty, umami, potato-sweet approximation of fish and chips … on a bun. It’s even served in a paper wrapper like classic British fish and chips, and McDonald’s uses pollock, one of several fish commonly served as fish and chips.
There are a couple of tweaks you can make if you want to get even closer to the taste of classic fish and chips, long a defining street food in Britain. First, ask for no cheese or tartar sauce (though honestly both work pretty well here, and the tartar sauce holds the fries in place). Second, bring a packet or bottle of malt vinegar or Original HP sauce (also known as brown sauce). Both are considered traditional condiments with fish and chips (note that the vinegar might drip). And that’s it!
