Where to Catch Fast-Food Fish Sandwiches and Seafood This Lent

The season leading up to Easter means eating more seafood for a lot of people, whether they're religious or not. Fast-food chains, always eager to please, release new fish sandwiches and other seafood items right before Lent to cater to the seasonal trend. (Of course, there's no shortage of year-round fish sandwiches, like McDonald's Filet-O-Fish.) With Mardi Gras already here, it's time to check out which drive-thrus offer fish sandwiches and seafood that'll satisfy your Lenten cravings.

The Big Fish is available again this year, though the spicy version has not returned, unfortunately. It's got an Alaskan pollock filet coated in crunchy panko and topped with lettuce, pickles, and tartar sauce on a potato bun.

Popeyes isn't just for chicken. The chain's crispy fried flounder filet sandwich is back for the season. It's on a brioche bun with pickles and either tartar sauce or spicy spread. Plus, popcorn shrimp and larger fried butterfly shrimp are also available. Get 8 of them in the $6 Shrimp Tackle Box with a side and a biscuit.

Walleye is available at Culver's again this year, and fans are thrilled. Wisconsin is known for its fish fry, which is why this Dairy State chain knows how to do it right. The battered and fried walleye filet is available on a sandwich or as a dinner with two sides and a dinner roll. Fried cod and shrimp are also available year-round.

Seafood is on the menu all the time at Long John Silver's. Currently on the menu for $6, you can get one of four shrimp baskets: six grilled shrimp over rice, six batter-dipped fried shrimp, popcorn shrimp, or six new coconut shrimp. The battered and the popcorn shrimp meals comes with your choice of side and two hushpuppies. The grilled shrimp comes with savory rice and a side. There's also a limited-time offer for a 15-piece Shrimp Sea-Share meal for $10.

Del Taco has a solid lineup of Tex-Mex seafood items this year. The beer-battered Crispy Fish Taco features wild-caught Alaskan pollock with secret sauce and pico de gallo (3 for $7). Also available are the Crispy Jumbo Shrimp tacos (2 for $6) and the Crispy Jumbo Shrimp Burrito.

Wienerschnitzel is all about hot dogs, but it's also offering a Sea Dog sandwich for Lent that features a fish filet with American cheese and tartar sauce on a steamed bun. Also on the menu for Lent are good old-fashioned fish and chips.

Freddy's, a frozen custard and burger chain, is ready for seafood season with a deluxe crispy fish sandwich that features a 4-ounce piece of battered and fried Alaskan flounder along with American cheese, lettuce, pickles, and homemade tartar sauce, cooked to order on a toasted bun. 

Forget burgers because Shrimp Nibblers are back at White Castle. The Lenten favorite are essentially popcorn shrimp, though a bit larger. There's also bite-size Fish Nibblers made with Alaskan pollock, and panko breaded Fish Sliders if sandwiches are what you're after.

Qdoba, too, offers a unique seafood option. The citrus lime shrimp protein option is back this year, made with a tangy lime citrus sauce. You can order it as your protein in any bowl, burrito, quesadilla, or salad, or order a citrus lime shrimp burrito or bowl topped with chile crema, cotija cheese, and pico de gallo, or a surf and turf burrito or bowl that adds steak to the mix.

If you're looking for a seafood sandwich that isn't fried, Quiznos could be your stop. The classic tuna melt is made with tuna salad, melted cheddar, pickles, and tomatoes, and it took one of the top spots in our tuna salad sub taste test.

The King's Hawaiian Fish Deluxe is back at Arby's this season. It's got a crispy fish filet on a slightly sweet King's Hawaiian bun along with cheddar cheese, tartar sauce, lettuce, and tomato. You can also get a simpler fish sandwich and a Fish 'n Cheddar with cheese sauce. 

The Crispy Panko Fish sandwich is once again available at Wendy's. It's a pollock filet coated in crispy panko breadcrumbs along with lettuce and cheese on a bun. But what sets this sandwich apart is that it also comes with pickles and a creamy dill tartar sauce for extra briny flavor.

Shrimp has come back to the Zaxby's menu just in time for Lent. This year, you can get Southern fried shrimp that are coated in buttermilk and garlic, onion, and pepper seasoning. You can get them plain, coated in buffalo garlic sauce for a spicy twist, or on top of an Asian Zensation salad.

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