Filet-O-Fish on McDonald's box

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McDonald's has some pretty iconic mascots. Just look at the viral moment Grimace had in the months following his 52nd birthday celebration in 2023. Not all mascots achieve the same longevity however. Phil A. O'Fish, the cod-shaped fisherman, came and went before most would have a reason to remember his name (let alone his birthday).

Lou Groen developed the Filet-O-Fish in 1962 to keep his struggling McDonald's franchise in Ohio from going under. (He was located in a Roman Catholic area, where folks didn't typically eat meat on Fridays, and found his fish-sandwich-serving competitor across the street was getting all the business.) By 1965 the sandwich had secured a place on the regular menu, and by 1976 it had its very own mascot.

Phil A. O'Fish came on the scene as a cartoon cod decked out in a teal sailor's jacket bearing the McDonald's logo and a straw-colored hat with a red ribbon. Sporting a fishing net and a cheeky grin, he looked like quite a catch. One gloriously '70s-esque ad features Phil, a massive image of McDonald's seafood sandwich over the ocean, and the text, "Phil A. O'Fish says: For a surprisingly good taste try Filet-O-Fish."

Phil barely made it a year

Although Phil A. O'Fish was introduced in roughly the same era as the rest of the McDonald's gang. (Ronald McDonald arrived in 1963 while Grimace and the Hamburgler showed up in 1971), he didn't stay long. By 1978 the company had moved on without him. It's a shame, really, as he's probably the least nightmare inducing mascot of the bunch.

However, he did have a pretty cute stint in the spotlight. Some locations were handing out Phil A. O'Fish bumper stickers to people who purchased the sandwich. Ads encouraged kids to color in a printed-out picture of the mascot and bring it to the restaurant for a free order of fries.

McDonald's ran through a slew of advertising campaigns after Phil, but none seemed to stick in people's heads quite as much as the 2009 commercial featuring the mounted fish singing "Give me that Filet-O-Fish." Still, some folks remember Phil and his sweet retro look. Some companies even print T-shirts with his face on them.