McDonald’s has a long history of experimenting with menu items to cater to diverse tastes and cultural preferences. Among the many forgotten experiments, one of the most intriguing was the Hula Burger—a sandwich designed to appeal to Catholic customers who abstained from eating meat on Fridays. This attempt, however, was short-lived, overshadowed by a more popular alternative that would go on to become a fast-food staple.
The Birth of the Hula Burger
In the early 1960s, McDonald’s was expanding rapidly across the United States. The fast-food giant, under the leadership of Ray Kroc, sought ways to maximize revenue by adapting to regional and cultural dietary habits. One challenge emerged in areas with large Catholic populations, where many customers refrained from eating meat on Fridays due to religious observances. This practice led to a noticeable dip in burger sales, particularly in cities with significant Catholic communities such as Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.
One of McDonald’s franchise owners, Lou Groen, who operated a location in Cincinnati, noticed the decline in business every Friday. He proposed a seafood-based sandwich to counteract the slump. However, Ray Kroc had a different idea—he believed that a meatless alternative made with pineapple could be a viable substitute. Thus, the Hula Burger was born.
What Was the Hula Burger?
The Hula Burger was a simple sandwich: a slice of grilled pineapple topped with a slice of cheese on a toasted bun. It was intended as a vegetarian-friendly option for customers who couldn’t eat beef or pork on Fridays.
Kroc was confident that the combination of sweet and savory flavors would be well received. However, there was skepticism from franchise owners and customers alike. Would a fruit-based sandwich really satisfy the cravings of McDonald’s patrons?
The Great Showdown: Hula Burger vs. Filet-O-Fish
Ray Kroc wasn’t the only one with a meatless idea. Lou Groen, convinced that pineapple wouldn’t be the answer, developed his own alternative: the Filet-O-Fish, a sandwich made with deep-fried breaded white fish topped with tartar sauce and served on a steamed bun.
To settle the debate, Kroc and Groen decided to conduct a sales competition at a Cincinnati McDonald’s. On one Friday, both the Hula Burger and the Filet-O-Fish were added to the menu to see which would perform better.
The results were decisive:
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Filet-O-Fish: 350 sandwiches sold
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Hula Burger: 6 sandwiches sold
The overwhelming preference for the Filet-O-Fish made it clear that customers were not interested in a pineapple-based burger. With such a poor reception, the Hula Burger was quickly discontinued, while the Filet-O-Fish was officially added to McDonald’s menu in 1965.
Why Did the Hula Burger Fail?
Several factors contributed to the failure of the Hula Burger:
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Taste Mismatch: While pineapple and cheese can work in some culinary combinations, placing a warm slice of pineapple on a burger bun wasn’t appealing to most customers. The contrast between sweet and savory did not resonate with McDonald’s patrons.
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Customer Preferences: People visiting McDonald’s wanted something more substantial and familiar. Fried fish was a more acceptable and satisfying alternative to beef than pineapple.
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Texture Issues: The soft, juicy pineapple slice lacked the satisfying bite and mouthfeel that a typical sandwich provides. The Filet-O-Fish, on the other hand, had a crispy, breaded texture that was far more appealing.
The Legacy of the Hula Burger
Although the Hula Burger was a failure, it played a pivotal role in McDonald’s menu evolution. Its loss in the head-to-head battle with the Filet-O-Fish led to the latter becoming a permanent menu item, which remains one of McDonald’s best-selling sandwiches to this day.
Additionally, the experiment highlighted the importance of customer-driven innovation—McDonald’s learned that market testing and consumer preferences should drive menu changes rather than top-down assumptions from executives.
Other Unusual McDonald’s Experiments
The Hula Burger was just one of many experimental menu items McDonald’s has tried over the years. Other notable attempts include:
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McPizza: A short-lived attempt to introduce pizza to McDonald’s locations in the 1980s.
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McLobster: A seasonal lobster roll offered in certain regions, mostly in the Northeastern U.S. and Canada.
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McSpaghetti: An attempt to introduce pasta to the McDonald’s menu, which remains available in limited locations such as the Philippines.
Conclusion
While the Hula Burger was a failure, it represents an important lesson in fast-food history. McDonald’s willingness to experiment helped shape its modern menu, and the competition between the Hula Burger and the Filet-O-Fish stands as a perfect example of how customer preferences ultimately determine success or failure. Today, the Filet-O-Fish remains a beloved menu item, while the Hula Burger remains a quirky footnote in McDonald’s history.