Lou Groen

Education

Born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, Groen graduated from North College Hill High School in 1935.

Career

Groen invented the Filet-O-Fish sandwich in 1962. He invented the sandwich at his floundering McDonald"s restaurant to satisfy his customers. At the time, most of his customers were Roman Catholic, who had to abstain from eating meat on Friday.

The Filet-O-Fish, served with cheese and tartar sauce, is now served at McDonald"s restaurants throughout the world.

Early life and career

Career with McDonald"s"

for he thought that he had a better idea, a "Hula" burger, which had simply a breaded, fried pineapple slice in between a toasted bun and a slice of cheese. Recalls Groen: "I told Ray (Kroc) about it (the idea of the Filet-O-Fish sandwich, and he said, “You’re always coming up here with a bunch of crap!” “I don’t want my stores stunk up with the smell of fish.” after Groen, who engaged in a wager with Kroc on whose idea would sell better, he called the McDonald"s headquarters to check on the results of Kroc"s "Hula" burger idea compared to his.

Groen recalls again: "I called in (McDonald"s) and asked, "How many sandwiches did (Kroc) sell?" They (McDonald"s Corporation) said “I can"t tell you.” They asked “How many did you sell?” I said “350!” Then, they said “lieutenant"s on the menu!”

Groen died peacefully of natural causes on May 30, 2011 in Cincinnati.

Achievements

• A prominent McDonald"s hamburger restaurant franchisee from 1959 to 1986, after he introduced his sandwich in 1962, McDonald"s Corporation founder and Chief Executive Officer Ray Kroc was not exactly thrilled at the idea of a fish sandwich on his franchise menu.

Views

Quotations: “I can"t tell you.”; “How many did you sell?”.