What Type Of Fish Does Bojangles Use In Its Bojangler Sandwich?

Bojangles is a popular southern fast food chain known for its fried chicken and biscuits, but like a lot of fast food businesses, it's had to expand its menu in order to appeal to more consumers. And also like a lot of the competition, these expanded offerings include fish sandwiches.

The original Bojangler Fish sandwich is now back at Bojangles for a limited time only, with one slice of American cheese melted over a seasoned crispy fish filet, and tartar sauce on a toasted bun. Not only that, but the chain is rolling out a new deluxe version of the sandwich, which adds shredded lettuce, sliced tomato and pickles, and the signature "Bo Sauce" to the original. But what kind of fish is in these sandwiches?

Despite the chain's birthplace in North Carolina, Bojangles uses panko-breaded Alaskan pollock for each of its Bojangler fish sandwiches. Alaska is a far way away from all Bojangles locations, but its coastal waters are a prime location for fast food fish in general.

Many fast food giants choose Alaskan pollock for their fish offerings for a few main reasons. For one, the mild flavor of pollock enjoys a wider appeal than fishier-tasting options like salmon, and the medium texture and flake make it perfect for breading and frying. Another reason is their abundance; the Alaskan pollock fishery in the Gulf of Alaska is the continent's single largest fishery. The great numbers of these fish mean large amounts of them are easy and inexpensive to catch.

Despite the high demand, all Alaskan pollock fished in the Gulf of Alaska are from a Marine Stewardship Council-certified sustainable fishery, meaning that fish stocks are healthy and well-managed, ensuring long-term availability with minimal impact on the ecosystem. McDonald's uses MSC-certified pollock for the venerable Filet-O-Fish, as does the rival Burger King Big Fish sandwich  and Wendy's recurring, limited time panko breaded fish sandwich.