In 1962, Lou Groen, owner of a McDonald's franchise in Cincinnati, Ohio, had an idea for a "hamburger" that would appeal to his mostly Catholic customers who didn't eat meat on Fridays. McDonald's founder Ray Kroc was skeptical that Groen's so-called Filet-O-Fish would take off, and besides, he had is own meatless burger in mind. Kroc's Hula Burger consisted of a slab of grilled pineapple with cheese on a bun. From McDonadl's:
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. Kroc was so convinced that his Hula Burger would outsell the Filet-O-Fish that he made a side bet with his first grillman Fred Turner that the loser would buy the winner a new suit. The final score? Hula Burger: 6, Filet-O-Fish: 350.
"Fred got a new suit and McDonald's got the Filet-O-Fish," said McDonald's Company Historian Mike Bullington.
Apparently, McDonald's China does offer the Empress Pineapple Burger that is a slice of the fruit atop a chicken breast patty with barbecue sauce and mayo.
image: McDonald's Wiki
