McDonald’s McDouble vs Double Cheeseburger Food Guide

The name sounds the same. They look the same. So what’s the biggest distinction between the McDouble and the Double Cheeseburger? A single slice of cheese.

But that’s not all. Nutritional values differ. That said, the differences are minor and once again it comes down to how much cheese is on each burger.

Although there is only a slight difference between these two burgers, they are both popular choices by loyal customers. So we created this food guide to provide an in-depth, detailed comparison of these two fast food favorites.

What’s on the McDouble and the Double?

Here is a quick overview of what’s on each of these hearty sandwiches.

Cheeseburgers Nutritional Information

Any reference to percentage daily value (% DV) in this food guide illustrates how much a nutrient per serving contributes to a daily diet of 2,000 calories. Individual needs vary and your daily value may be higher or lower.

Calories

Total calories differ by only 50 calories due to the extra slice of cheese in McDonald’s Double Cheeseburger.

Here is a summary of the total calories in each component used to make the two cheeseburgers. Note that the sum of each separate food item may not equal the total burger calories due to rounding.

Calories by Macronutrient

As mentioned, these cheeseburgers differ by only one slice of melty American cheese.

With two pieces of cheese, the Double Cheeseburger derives 48% of total calories from fat, two points higher than in the McDouble.

The following data table summarizes the percentage of total calories in each cheeseburger derived from fat, carbs, and protein.

The summary of calories by macronutrient above is a rounded estimate based on the nutrition facts provided by McDonald’s. Calories may vary as a result of how the cheeseburgers are prepared.

Fat Content

For essentially the same flavors with fewer calories and the least amount of dietary fats, select the McDouble which contains four grams less total fat.

Here is the amount of dietary fats in McDonald’s McDouble and Double Cheeseburger.

Amount of Fat is High

According to the U.S. FDA, a 20% daily value or greater per serving is considered high.

With that in mind, take note that the amount of both total dietary fats and saturated fat in both double patty cheeseburgers exceed a 20% daily value.

Here is a quick summary of the daily value of fat and saturated fat in both cheeseburgers (based on a 2,000 calorie diet):

Sodium

Each cheeseburger contains over 900 milligrams of sodium. For context, the recommended daily limit of sodium is 2,300 milligrams (based on a 2,000 calorie diet).

Here is a summary of the amount of sodium in each of the burgers:

Nutritional Value Summary

Here is a summary of the nutrition facts for each cheeseburger.

Classic Cheeseburger

For another comparison point, McDonald’s classic cheeseburger contains 300 calories, 13 grams of fat, 31 grams of total carbs, and 15 grams of protein.

The classic cheeseburger is made with a single beef patty and a single slice of cheese.

Ingredients and Allergens

Ingredients

Both of these cheeseburgers on McDonald’s menu are made with the same ingredients. The only difference is the extra slice of American cheese.

Here is the list of ingredients for each food component used to make McDonald’s cheeseburgers.

Beef Patty

Ingredients:100% Pure USDA inspected Beef prepared with Salt and Black Pepper.

Bun

Ingredients:Enriched Flour, Water, Sugar, Yeast, Soybean Oil, Salt, Dextrose, Corn Starch, Modified Food Starch, Wheat Gluten, Vinegar, Vegetable Proteins (pea, potato, rice and/or faba), Sunflower and/or Canola Oil, Maltodextrin, Natural Flavors, and Dough Conditioners.

Pasteurized Process American Cheese

Ingredients:Milk, Cream, Water, Sodium Citrate, Salt, Cheese Cultures, Citric Acid, Enzymes, Soy Lecithin, and Color Added.

Pickles

Ingredients:Cucumbers, Water, Distilled Vinegar, Salt, Calcium Chloride, Alum, Potassium Sorbate, Natural Flavors, Polysorbate 80, and Extractives of Turmeric (for color).

Mustard

Ingredients:Distilled Vinegar, Water, Mustard Seed, Salt, Turmeric, Paprika, and Spice Extractive.

Ketchup

Ingredients:Tomato Concentrate, Distilled Vinegar, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Corn Syrup, Water, Salt, and Natural Flavors.

Chopped Onions

Ingredients:Onions

Allergens

The cheeseburgers are made with ingredients that contain milk, soy, and wheat. Burger buns may also contain sesame due to potential cross-contamination with other food items during production.

McDonald’s Burgers Menu with Prices

So it all comes down to the extra cheese. The presence of a single piece of melty cheese increases the total calories from 390 in the McDouble to 440 in the Double Cheeseburger.

What do you think? Does the absence of the second slice of cheese make a difference?

If it’s not about the taste test and your best option is based on price, then check the following table for a summary of prices, including how much the McDouble costs vs the price of a Double Cheeseburger or even a Quarter Pounder with Cheese.

Here are the prices and summary nutritional information for McDonald’s classic and specialty burgers and cheeseburgers.

Updated Mar 2025	Price	Calories	Fat	Carbs	Protein	Sodium
Hamburger	$1.79	250	9g	30g	12g	510mg
Cheeseburger	$2.09	300	13g	31g	15g	720mg
Double Cheeseburger	$3.29	440	24g	34g	25g	1120mg
McDouble	$2.99	390	20g	32g	22g	920mg
Big Mac	$5.59	590	34g	46g	25g	1050mg
Quarter Pounder with Cheese	$5.89	520	26g	42g	30g	1140mg
Quarter Pounder with Cheese Deluxe	$6.49	630	37g	44g	30g	1210mg
Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese	$7.09	740	42g	43g	48g	1360mg
Bacon Quarter Pounder with Cheese	$6.99	630	35g	43g	36g	1470mg
Double Bacon Quarter Pounder with Cheese	$7.99	850	51g	44g	54g	1680mg
Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese Deluxe	$7.39	850	53g	45g	49g	1420mg
BBQ Bacon Quarter Pounder with Cheese	$6.99	630	35g	44g	36g	1460mg
Double BBQ Bacon Quarter Pounder with Cheese	$7.99	850	51g	45g	54g	1670mg
Double Hamburger	$2.49	340	16g	30g	20g	710mg
Triple Cheeseburger	$4.09	530	31g	33g	32g	1280mg
Bacon McDouble	$3.79	460	26g	32g	26g	1140mg

Ingredients, allergens, and nutrition facts are based on available information as of the date this article was published and/or updated. Restaurants and food manufacturers may change their recipes without notice. Check directly with the food provider for the most accurate and up-to-date information. NutritionandIngredients.com does not provide health or wellness advice or dietary recommendations. Our aim is to research commercially processed food and publish articles for informational purposes only. Unless otherwise stated, % Daily Value is based on 2,000 calories per day, but calorie needs vary by individual. Always consult your physician for any healthcare or dietary advice.

Nutrition facts and ingredients source: McDonald’s