Chains trot out meatless meals for Lent

A McDonald’s franchisee in Cincinnati created a fish sandwich in 1962 because he got tired of losing his Catholic customers every year during Lent, when many give up eating meat on Fridays.
Five decades later, fast-food chains still observe Lent in their own fashion by adding limited-time fish sandwiches to their menus or promoting nonmeat alternatives on their regular menus.

“This is a great time of year for fish and seafood items,” said Jamie Richardson, vice president of White Castle, known for its Slider sandwiches: small, square hamburgers topped with steamed onions on equally small buns.

“Those who observe Lent are really in tune with that,” Richardson said. “But because of that tradition, it’s become a big time of year for even customers who aren’t observing Lent.”

Thirty-four percent of Americans observe Lent — the 40 days leading up to Easter Sunday — when many Christians make sacrifices. That number comes from a 2009 poll by the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion and the Knights of Columbus. That’s 106.7 million people.

“Operators who are proactive are in a much better position than those who are reactive or don’t do anything with Lent,” said Darren Tristano, executive vice president of Technomic Inc., the restaurant- and food-research firm in Chicago.

Many fast-food chains are reintroducing their customers to fish for this Lenten season. Limited-time promotions abound, and there are a few nonmeat introductions this year. For a limited time, participating White Castle restaurants have added Mac & Cheese Nibblers — nuggets of battered and fried cheddar cheese and macaroni — and Shrimp Nibblers to the Fish Sliders and Fish Nibblers on their regular menu.

“Fish Nibblers have been a great bite-size menu option for 10 years, but this year (customers) can come back to try our new seafood lineup,” Richardson said.

The Mac & Cheese Nibblers range in price from $1.99 (small) to $6.99 (large), and the Shrimp Nibblers range from $2.99 (small) to $6.99 (large) at the N. High Street restaurant.

Wendy’s has brought back its Premium Cod Fillet Sandwich for a limited time. The S. High Street restaurant is selling the sandwiches for $3.79, and for $5.49 in a combo meal.

Arby’s is selling its limited-time Reel Big Fillet. Two sandwiches or a combo meal cost $5, at its W. Broad Street restaurant.

McDonald’s recently launched Fish McBites to accompany the Filet-O-Fish sandwich on its regular menu. Fish McBites are available in three sizes: snack ($1), regular ($3.49) and shareable ($5.49) at the W. Broad Street store.

Filet-O-Fish sandwiches go for $2.89 at that restaurant, which sells two sandwiches for $3.79, and a two-sandwich combo meal for $6.37.

No promotions have emerged locally for Burger King’s Premium Alaskan Fish Sandwich, which is on the restaurant chain’s regular menu. That sandwich sells for $3.39, or for $5.39 in a combo meal, at the W. Street Street restaurant.