A fuel cell system having first and second fuel cells that each receive anode reactant flows and cathode reactant flows. Each of the fuel cells uses the reactant flows to produce electricity. The electricity production by the fuel cells produces respective first and second anode and cathode effluents that are exhausted from the respective fuel cells. The second fuel cell is connected to and downstream from the first fuel cell so that the anode reactant flow to the second fuel cell is formed from a portion of the anode effluent exhausted from the first fuel cell.