What Fast Food Chain Has The Best Fish Sandwich: Top 10 Fast Food Fish Sandwich On The Market

What Fast Food Chain Has The Best Fish Sandwich? The best fish sandwich is a difficult thing to determine.

This is because the particular qualities of fish are largely subjective; some people might love the taste of salmon, and some people might hate it.

In order to provide a well-rounded perspective, the article will weigh each restaurant’s menu options and price point in their attempt to find “the best” fast-food chain with a decent quality seafood dish.

Price Point:

This criterion was the most difficult to come up with. The idea of a “best” fast-food chain is easier to grasp than a “best” fish sandwich, but to get an overall picture and examine the offerings of all the major chains, they must be compared on an equal level of price.

Therefore, any restaurant whose menu could afford more expensive items than other’s were excluded from further consideration. This includes places like The Cheesecake Factory and other sit-down restaurants.

Ultimately, this resulted in the exclusion of several chains, including Red Lobster and Long John Silvers. While their food offerings might be top tier, they are ultimately not what should be considered “fast food.”

The final seven candidates were Chili’s, McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Burger King, McDonald’s (again), Subway, and KFC.

Top 10 Fast Food Fish Sandwich On The Market

1.  Subway Fish Sub :

$4.99 – $6.49

Average Score: 27/40

Subway was one of the most surprising candidates in the group of seven. While their sandwiches are typically made with processed meats, their fish sandwich is among the best, even if it is a little pricier than some of the other options, like a McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish or a Wendy’s Gourmet Sandwich.

2.  KFC Fish & Potato:

$3.99 – $5.99

Average Score: 26/40

A Western-flavored fast-food chain, KFC does a respectable job of making a quality, fast-food fish sandwich, especially for the price point. At under $4 cents for this dish, it is one of the more reasonably priced options in the group of seven.

3.  Taco Bell Fish Tacos:

$2.99 – $4.99

Average Score: 23/40

Otherwise known as “Fish Burritos,” Taco Bell offers some of the best deals in the fast-food world. At under $5 bucks, this item is among the cheapest items on this list, and with a street value of over $8, it makes it one of the most valuable in the group.

4.  McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish:

$3.99 – $4.99

Average Score: 24/40

A staple of the fast-food industry, McDonald’s offers a wide selection of options for those looking for a good quality fish sandwich. Their Signature Fish Filet is one of the highest-rated fish sandwiches in their arsenal and is priced at the absolute lowest of all the restaurants on this list.

5.  KFC Southern Fried Chicken Clubhouse Fish Fillet:

$5.99 – $7.59

Average Score: 24/40

KFC offers a wide selection of options, from the “crispy tenders” to the fried chicken, and their selection of fish options is no different. At under $7 for a decent-sized fillet, it is the least expensive option on this list.

6.  Burger King Chicken Clubhouse Fish Fillet:

$5.00 – $6.50

Average Score: 24/40

Burger King has a wide selection of fish options, but their Chicken Clubhouse Fillet is the most notable. While it’s not the best on this list, it’s tough to beat for that price point. It does leave something to be desired in the breading and size department, but the flavor is not bad at all. 

7.  Wendy’s Gourmet Sandwich:

$4.99 – $6.29

Average Score: 23/40

Designed to provide a quality sandwich with great taste, Wendy’s offers an impressive selection of sandwiches at various price points. For under $6 bucks, you get a decent-sized fillet and two sides. It is by far the cheapest item on this list and the most reasonably priced. 

8.  Taco Bell Steak Bowl:

$4.49 – $4.99

Average Score: 23/40

A relatively new entree at Taco Bell, the Steak Bowl is an interesting take on fast food fish sandwiches. It’s not really a bowl of anything, more of a mess of fish and sauce on a plate.

This results in this one being underwhelming in taste but could be worth checking out if you’re hungry for something different. 

9.  Burger King Chicken Sandwich:

$4.99 – $5.99

Average Score: 22/40

Similar to the Steak Bowl, the Chicken Sandwich is nothing more than a mess of chicken and sauce. For under $5 bucks, it is pretty good. It’s a little chewy and lacking in flavor, but nothing too bad. 

10.  Chili’s Fish N’ Chips:

$3.50 – $7.00

Average Score: 20/40

If you can get past the fact that this dish is more of a fried appetizer instead of an actual fish sandwich, you might be surprised at how good Chili’s Fish N’ Chips actually is.

It’s not a particularly large serving and can be slightly greasy, but having it as an appetizer makes up for this by being one of the most reasonably priced items on this list.

List of Most Popular Fast Food Chains

McDonald’s is a well-known fast-food chain that provides traditional fish sandwiches. This is what the majority of people will think of when someone mentions “fish sandwich.” Because this is the most popular fast-food chain, it makes sense to start with them and see if they have any other fish sandwich options or if they’re all about Big Macs and Big Fries.

Summary of Fish Sandwich Menu Items

McDonald’s Traditional Fish Sandwich

This is a basic fish sandwich that is mostly consistent across the country. It includes a grilled or fried white fish fillet, mayonnaise, tartar sauce, and lettuce on a sesame seed bun.

There might be some regional differences based on the type of fish used, but each market has the basics.

” Fish Fillets: Cooked in peanut oil or other fat with salt and pepper. We also add other ingredients like vinegar, dill, or lemon juice. ” — Source

This is a decent fish sandwich. The quality of the fish varies from market to market, and there are some concerns about how their suppliers treat their fish. This is why I like to use this list to find more sustainable options for my fish sandwich.

McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish Sandwich

This is a combination of traditional and crispy fish fillet sandwiches. It includes all the ingredients of the traditional fish fillet, but you can choose to add tartar sauce or cheese.

My Experience at Each Fish Sandwich Chain

McDonald’s Traditional Fish Sandwich

I was originally planning to get a Big Mac, but I noticed that they had a recipe called the Filet-O-Fish. This sounded like a unique enough alternative to try instead if I wasn’t too hungry and didn’t want to fill up on fries. The Filet-O-Fish is a good choice if you want a traditional fish sandwich, but you don’t want the Big Mac.

It was flavorful, but there are some differences with the Filet-O-Fish. The bun is fluffier with soft, chewy edges, the lettuce is crisp and crunchy, and it’s mostly mayonnaise with less tartar sauce on top.

If you want a classic fish sandwich, the Filet-O-Fish will be good. If you’re in the mood for some tartar sauce, you might like this better.

The Bottom Line

Overall, I’m happy with the choice of the Filet-O-Fish over the Big Mac. The quality of the fish varies from market to market, but overall it is a good choice for something different to try.

I don’t see myself going out of my way to get another one, but it’s a good choice if you want to change things up a bit.