Birthplace of the Filet-o-Fish Sandwich

Cincinnati, Ohio

The McDonald's Filet-o-Fish sandwich, originally promoted by a cartoon character named "Phil A. O'Fish," was invented in 1962 by Cincinnati franchisee Lou Groen as a way to boost sales on Fridays during Lent. He worked tirelessly to develop his own batter and tartar sauce, and introduced the breaded fish sandwich at this restaurant, which he owned, and which already had a pedigree as the first McDonald's in Ohio. Filet-o-Fish turned out to be hugely popular, and in 1965 became a staple of the McDonald's corporate menu year-round.

Unfortunately, McDonald's has a reputation for buying out its franchisees, homogenizing all of its locations, and refusing to talk about its history. Lou, however, held on to this restaurant, and after it was bought by his granddaughter in 2018, she installed a permanent indoor display honoring her grandfather's creation.