Here's Why McDonald's Filet-O-Fish Only Has Half A Cheese Slice In Each Burger

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You feel cheated. Betrayed. How could they?

That's exactly what happened to one Malaysian customer who recently took to Facebook to question it. 

Several years back, another customer in Singapore shared his dismay when he discovered the same thing and assumed that it was the fast-food chain's feeble attempt at saving money.

This actor also had the same thought:

Filet-O-Fish was the first non-hamburger to be sold at the fast-food joint and was added to the menu permanently in 1962. According to QSR Magazine, the recipe has not changed much since then. It consists of "a steamed bun, tartar sauce, half of a slice of cheese, and a fish filet".

But why half instead of a full slice? McDonald's spokeswoman Julie Caturano tells JournalStar that "it's always been that way".

For the average McDonald's customer, a full slice of cheese might be considered too overpowering to pair with a Filet-O-Fish, she explains. "When you think of a cheeseburger, it's really cheesy. With the filet, a half slice complements the taste, rather than overwhelming it." 

We checked McDonald's Malaysia's website and it describes the same ingredients as well: "... topped with zesty tartar sauce and half slice of cheddar cheese between a soft steamed bun".

McDonald's in other countries have also given the same reason when questioned:

Meanwhile, some mentioned that if you order the Double Filet-O-Fish, you'll get a full slice of cheese instead, which if going by the same ratio of cheese to fish, it kinda makes sense.

So the bottom line? The company isn't trying to cut costs. It's actually saving the flavour.