Story perspectives

Fast Food Chains Dive into Seafood with New Menus

2/21/2026

Summary

Story summary

Popeyes launches a new seafood menu featuring a crispy fried flounder sandwich and various shrimp options, including a $6 Shrimp Tackle Box.
Wendy's reintroduces its Crispy Panko Fish Sandwich, while Arby’s brings back the King’s Hawaiian Fish Deluxe.
Sonic and Whataburger offer fish sandwiches, while Smashburger introduces shrimp sandwiches and platters.
Del Taco features a beer-battered Crispy Fish Taco, and Freddy’s offers a deluxe crispy fish sandwich.

History

Historical Context

In 1962, Lou Groen created the Filet-O-Fish at McDonald's to address declining sales on Fridays among Catholics abstaining from meat. By 2019, seafood consumption in the U.S. reached 16.1 pounds per capita, prompting fast food chains like Popeyes and Wendy's to expand seafood offerings, reflecting a growing consumer focus on nutrition and sustainability in dining choices.

1 of 2

Story summary

Popeyes launches a new seafood menu featuring a crispy fried flounder sandwich and various shrimp options, including a $6 Shrimp Tackle Box.
Wendy's reintroduces its Crispy Panko Fish Sandwich, while Arby’s brings back the King’s Hawaiian Fish Deluxe.
Sonic and Whataburger offer fish sandwiches, while Smashburger introduces shrimp sandwiches and platters.
Del Taco features a beer-battered Crispy Fish Taco, and Freddy’s offers a deluxe crispy fish sandwich.

1 / 2