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Updated: 9/19/2024
Contrary to popular opinion, McDonald’s is denying any claims about the Filet-O-Fish shrinking as being valid and prices rising faster than inflation.
Reports across social media with multiple accusations point out that there’s something fishy about the size of the sandwich. And dozens of these posts can be found with barely any investigation.
This post from months ago claims the fish sandwich has now become the size of a slider:
“Am I crazy, or did the filet-o-fish used to be like…bigger? I opened the box to find (essentially) a slider”
The original poster attached a picture of the Filet-O-Fish with a dollar bill next to it for size comparison which did indeed look suspiciously teeny.
With all the hubbub, word eventually reached a former McDonald’s corporate chef who decided to visit a local McDonald’s to scope out the situation for himself after being tagged by so many people complaining about the Filet-O-Fish shrinking.
His name is Mike Haracz, and he also documented his experience where he noted it (the sandwich) is a “bit expensive”, the filet seemed “thinner” and “tiny” overall but he wasn’t able to provide a wholly conclusive stance on the matter.
In response to another Filet-O-Fish dissenter he added:
“I don’t think it’s as small as that one video leads. It looked like somebody maybe fabricated it, cut down the Filet-O-Fish, got a different kind of bun, or that person’s hand is gigantic “
A TikTok video by another user @Neilybob estimates that the Filet-O-Fish has shrunk by about 20%.
In response to the public dissemination of the sandwiches size, McDonald’s begged to differ, and provided a statement to Business Insider on the controversy:
“The size and build of the Filet-O-Fish, including a half slice of American cheese, has not changed in decades.”
And now McDonald’s wants to set the record straight on their prices and inflation. The chain has released an open letter to customers to address “rumors” in regards to price concerns and recent viral posts that posit McDonald’s prices have risen well above the inflation rate.
In an attempt to set the facts straight, the letter signed by, McDonald’s President Joe Erlinger discusses the $18 Big Mac and even has a facts vs myths section where they debunk common “misconceptions” appearing online and on social media.
This letter comes as the chain sees reduced sales and traffic for the first time in years. The new, fleeting $5 Value Deal was one tactic to try and stop a bleeding wound…and now the letter is another attempt to stop the blood flow.
McDonald’s has come under fire for raising prices repeatedly over the past year while also posting record profits. The term greedflation has been thrown around to describe the situation. And McDonald’s isn’t the only chain or brand doing it. The practice has become rampant with businesses citing various reasons behind the price hikes including COVID, inflation, and supply chain issues to name a few.
This comes as the chain gets more heat for introducing a $5 Value Deal which will only be available for one month.
In spite of what McDonald’s says, portions are still downsizing, and prices are still on the rise. The Filet-O-Fish is just one of the victims of such circumstances…
