McDonald’s Quarter Pounders: Nutrition Comparison of 4 Options
Did you know there are four separate options for a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder®? Here is your best guide to learn about and compare the calories, nutrition, and ingredients in this popular cheeseburger.
This report has a different format than many of our other food reviews as we focus on comparing the four menu options. Here are the four cheeseburgers covered in this report:
What’s on a Quarter Pounder with Cheese?
First, note that the name comes from the pre-cooked weight of the beef patty, which weighs 4 ounces (one quarter of a pound). The Double Quarter Pounder is essentially a Half Pound burger.
Let’s start with a simple overview of what’s on each type of McDonald’s Quarter Pounder cheeseburger.
| MENU ITEM | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
| Quarter Pounder with Cheese | Single beef patty seasoned with salt and pepper, 2 slices of American cheese, pickles, onions, ketchup, and mustard. Served on a sesame seed bun. |
| Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese | Two beef patties seasoned with salt and pepper, 2 slices of American cheese, pickles, onions, ketchup, and mustard. Served on a sesame seed bun. |
| Quarter Pounder with Cheese Deluxe | Single beef patty seasoned with salt and pepper, 2 slices of American cheese, pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, mustard, ketchup, and mayonnaise. Served on a sesame seed bun. |
| Bacon Quarter Pounder with Cheese | Single beef patty seasoned with salt and pepper, applewood smoked bacon, 2 slices of American cheese, pickles, onions, ketchup, mustard. Served on a sesame seed bun. |
Nutritional Information
Any reference to percentage daily value (% DV) in this food guide is a measure of how much one nutrient per serving contributes to a daily diet of 2,000 calories.
Calories
Total calories range from 520 calories to 740, depending on which Quarter Pounder you order.
Here is a summary of the total calories in each cheeseburger:
Calories by Macronutrient
An original Quarter Pounder single patty cheeseburger has the fewest calories. Moreover, about 44% of total calories is derived from fat, which is lower than the other three options.
Conversely, the double patty cheeseburger has the highest total calories per serving.
Dietary fats contribute about 50% of the total calories, with the exception of the original QPC, as described above.
Carbohydrates deliver between 23% to 33% of the total calories per serving, depending on which burger is selected. The remaining calories are derived from protein.
Here is a summary table illustrating the percentage of total calories in each cheeseburger derived from fat, carbs, and protein.
% of Total Calories from Fat, Carbs, and Protein
| MENU ITEM | FAT | CARBS | PROTEIN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quarter Pounder | 44% | 33% | 23% |
| Double Quarter Pounder | 51% | 23% | 26% |
| Quarter Pounder Deluxe | 52% | 29% | 19% |
| Bacon Quarter Pounder | 50% | 27% | 23% |
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.
For a lower calorie option, remove the bun. A regular Quarter Pounder without the bun has 340 total calories, which 180 fewer calories than a standard order.
Total Fat
For the same flavors with the least amount of dietary fats, select the original version of the Quarter Pounder with Cheese. It has 26 grams of total fat.
While that is still high (33% daily value), it’s least amount of total fats of all four burgers.
On the other hand, the double beef patty version contains the most fat per serving with 42 grams of total fat, including 20 grams of saturated fat. That is significant and should not be overlooked.
Here is the amount of dietary fats in each of the QP cheeseburgers from McDonald’s.
Total Fat and Saturated Fat
| MENU ITEM | TOTAL FAT | SATURATED FAT |
|---|---|---|
| Quarter Pounder | 26g | 12g |
| Double Quarter Pounder | 42g | 20g |
| Quarter Pounder Deluxe | 37g | 14g |
| Bacon Quarter Pounder | 35g | 15g |
20% Daily Value is High
According to the U.S. FDA, a 20% daily value or greater per serving is considered high.
To that end, take note that the amount of fat and saturated fat in all four of the Quarter Pounder with Cheese options exceed that 20% DV threshold.
As such, the cheeseburgers contain a high level of dietary fats in high. Here is a summary of the daily value of saturated fat in each cheeseburger:
Sodium
The recommended daily limit of sodium is 2,300 milligrams (based on a 2,000 calories).
Each cheeseburger contains more than 1,100 milligrams of sodium per serving. That’s at least half the limit for an entire day.
Here is a summary of the amount of sodium in each of the four burgers:
Nutritional Value Summary
Here is a summary of the nutrition facts for each cheeseburger.
Summary of Nutritional Information
| QPC | DOUBLE QPC | DELUXE | BACON | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 520 | 740 | 630 | 630 |
| Fat | 26g | 42g | 37g | 35g |
| – Saturated Fat | 12g | 20g | 14g | 15g |
| – Trans Fat | 1.5g | 2.5g | 1.5g | 1.5g |
| Cholesterol | 95mg | 165mg | 105mg | 115mg |
| Sodium | 1140mg | 1360mg | 3g | 1470mg |
| Total Carbs | 42g | 43g | 44g | 43g |
| – Fiber | 2g | 2g | 3g | 3g |
| – Total Sugar | 10g | 10g | 11g | 10g |
| – – Added Sugar | 8g | 8g | 8g | 8g |
| Protein | 30g | 48g | 1210mg | 36g |
Ingredients and Allergens in Quarter Pounders
All four of the cheeseburgers are made with a beef patty, sesame seed bun, processed American cheese, pickles, onions, ketchup, and mustard.
The Deluxe also includes lettuce, Roma Tomatoes, and mayonnaise.
A Bacon QPC is served with Applewood smoked bacon.
Here is the list of ingredients for each component used to make each of the four varieties of McDonald’s Quarter Pounder with Cheese burgers.
Ingredients
|
Beef Patty |
|
100% Pure USDA inspected Beef prepared with Salt and Black Pepper |
|
Bun |
|
Enriched Flour, Water, Sugar, Yeast, Soybean Oil, Sesame Seeds, Salt, Wheat Gluten, Dextrose, Guar Gum, Vinegar, Vegetable Proteins (pea, potato, rice), Sunflower and/or Canola Oil, Maltodextrin, Natural Flavors, Dough Conditioners, Modified Food Starch |
|
Pasteurized Process American Cheese |
|
Milk, Cream, Water, Sodium Citrate, Salt, Cheese Cultures, Citric Acid, Enzymes, Soy Lecithin, Color Added |
|
Pickles |
|
Cucumbers, Water, Distilled Vinegar, Salt, Calcium Chloride, Alum, Potassium Sorbate, Natural Flavors, Polysorbate 80, Extractives of Turmeric (for color) |
|
Applewood Smoked Bacon |
|
Pork Bellies cured with Water, Salt, Sugar, Natural Smoke Flavor, Sodium Phosphate, Sodium Erythorbate, Sodium Nitrite |
|
Mustard |
|
Distilled Vinegar, Water, Mustard Seed, Salt, Turmeric, Paprika, Spice Extractive |
|
Ketchup |
|
Tomato Concentrate, Distilled Vinegar, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Corn Syrup, Water, Salt, Natural Flavors |
|
Mayonnaise |
|
Soybean Oil, Egg Yolk, Water, Distilled Vinegar, Salt, Sugar, Spice, Lemon Juice Concentrate |
Allergens
The cheeseburgers are made with ingredients that contain egg, sesame, soy, and wheat.
To avoid consuming egg, do not order the Deluxe QPC, which contains mayonnaise.
McDonald’s Burger Menu Prices
Here are the prices and summary nutrition facts for McDonald’s burgers and cheeseburgers.
| Updated July 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 |
Nutrition facts, prices, and ingredients are based on available information as of the date of publication. Restaurants and food manufacturers may change recipes or formulations without notice. Check package labels and ask the product manufacturer or restaurant for the most up-to-date information. Unless otherwise stated, %DV is based on a 2,000 calorie diet. All reports and reviews published on this site are for informational purposes only. NutritionandIngredients.com does not provide healthcare advice or dietary recommendations. Always consult your licensed physician for any healthcare or dietary advice.
Nutrition facts and ingredients source: McDonald’s. Burger images courtesy of McDonald’s. Original designs by Nutrition & Ingredients for purposes of research and commentary related to fast food nutrition reports.