Christ is truly in everything, even at the McDonald’s counter.
While many may be able to immediately see the connection between the Golden Arches’ Filet-O-Fish and Catholics, just how fundamental they are to the fried sandwich’s success can be surprising.
The history of the popular item dates back to 1962, when franchisee Lou Groen wanted to create an item for his majority Roman Catholic consumer base to enjoy, according to a February 2016 post on the McDonald’s corporate website.
At the time, nothing on the menu could be eaten as a main course for Catholics abstaining from meat on Fridays for Lent, and Groen wanted to change that. The businessman came up with the idea of a breaded whitefish sandwich that even those partaking in the tradition could enjoy.
While today the sandwich is known to be a big hit, founder Ray Kroc didn’t see it working out that way.
He instead created what he called a “Hula Burger” — grilled pineapple with cheese on a bun — and believed it would be more popular than the fish item, according to the McDonald’s post.
“Kroc made a deal with Groen that they would sell the Hula Burger and the Filet-O-Fish on a Friday, and whichever sandwich sold the most would be added to the permanent menu,” the post said.
The McDonald’s founder quickly found himself in the wrong after the iconic item managed to obliterate his fruit sandwich, selling 350 in a single day while the Hula Burger netted only six sales.
The Hula Burger would be discontinued before the end of 1963, while the Filet-O-Fish would be added to the national menu.
While Kroc may have been wrong, McDonald’s still managed to gain something massive from the experience, selling about 300 million Filet-O-Fish every year, according to USA Today.
The fast-food chain can greatly thank Catholics for that fact, as around 75 million of those sales within the 40 days of Lent, according to Fox News.
While the Filet-O-Fish is the most popular offering made by restaurants for lent, it’s far from the only one.
Hundreds of different restaurants change what they offer during the period, providing a new option for those wishing to continue their religious traditions.
Every day, whether people are aware or not, Christians continue to shape the culture around them.
Just as the country has major cultural roots in the faith, even new emerging aspects of it continue to see influence from followers of Jesus.
When 63 percent of the nation identifies as Christian, the United States will continue to see God at its center.
The love of Jesus will continue to influence everything it touches despite the efforts of his haters to make his influence dwindle.
And much like McDonald’s with its Filet-O-Fish, it’ll be better off for it.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.