The fuel flow channels (20a) of the end fuel cell (9a) at the anode end (34) of a fuel cell stack are significantly deeper than the fuel flow field channels (20) of the remaining fuel cells (9) in the stack, whereby fuel starvation caused by ice in the fuel flow channels is avoided during cold startup. The fuel flow field channels of the end cell (9) at the anode end of the stack is between about 0.15 mm and about 1.5 mm deeper than the fuel flow field channels in the remaining fuel cells of the stack, or between about 35% and about 65% deeper than the fuel flow field channels in the remaining fuel cells of the stack.