Nutrition from McDonald’s official U.S. data · Checked Oct. 23, 2026 · Independent guide
Quarter Pounder with Cheese price, calories, protein, toppings, the meal, the Double and the Deluxe, all in one place.
A McDonald’s Quarter Pounder with Cheese is a 4 oz (before cooking) fresh beef patty with two slices of American cheese, slivered onions, pickles, ketchup and mustard on a sesame seed bun. It has 520 calories and 30 grams of protein, and many fans just call it the QPC.
The most common U.S. price we’ve seen is $7.59, and the meal is usually about $10.99. For other items, see our full McDonald’s menu with prices.
Quarter Pounder with Cheese at a glance
| Detail | Quarter Pounder with Cheese |
|---|---|
| Beef | One ¼ lb patty, 4 oz before cooking, 100% fresh beef |
| Calories | 520 |
| Protein | 30 g |
| Carbs | 42 g |
| Sodium | 1,140 mg (50% DV) |
| Toppings | 2 slices American cheese, slivered onions, pickles, ketchup, mustard |
| Bun | Sesame seed bun |
| Typical price | $7.59 (seen from $5.79 to $7.59) |
Nutrition figures come from McDonald’s U.S. product pages. Prices are set by each restaurant, so check your local store in the McDonald’s app before you order.
What comes on a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder with Cheese?
The burger has six parts, and McDonald’s keeps the build simple on purpose. Here is what goes on it, from the bottom up:
- Sesame seed bun (heel and crown)
- One quarter pound 100% beef patty, seasoned with salt and black pepper
- Two slices of pasteurized process American cheese
- Slivered onions
- Pickle slices
- Ketchup and mustard
The patty is fresh beef, not frozen, and it’s cooked on a flat iron grill when you order, so it reaches you hot and juicy with the melty cheese still soft. McDonald’s moved Quarter Pounders to fresh beef at most U.S. restaurants in 2018.
McDonald’s lists the patty as “100% Pure USDA Inspected Beef; No Fillers, No Extenders.” The only seasoning is a grill mix of salt and black pepper.
What are the full ingredients?
McDonald’s publishes an ingredient list for each part of the burger. Here’s what it shows for the U.S. version:
- Beef patty: 100% pure USDA-inspected beef with no fillers or extenders, cooked with a grill seasoning of salt and black pepper.
- Quarter pound bun: enriched wheat flour, water, sugar, yeast, soybean oil and 2% or less of sesame seeds, salt, wheat gluten, dextrose, guar gum, vinegar, vegetable proteins (pea, potato, rice), sunflower and/or canola oil, maltodextrin, natural flavors, dough conditioners and modified food starch.
- American cheese: milk, cream, water, sodium citrate, salt, cheese cultures, citric acid, enzymes, soy lecithin and added color.
- Ketchup: tomato concentrate, distilled vinegar, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, water, salt and natural flavors.
- Pickle slices: cucumbers, water, distilled vinegar, salt, calcium chloride, alum, potassium sorbate (preservative), natural flavors, polysorbate 80 and turmeric extract for color.
- Onions: just onions.
- Mustard: distilled vinegar, water, mustard seed, salt, turmeric, paprika and spice extract.
McDonald’s notes that the pickles are the only part with an artificial preservative. Ingredients can change, so check the official product page if you have a food allergy.
What condiments are on a Quarter Pounder with Cheese?
Just ketchup and mustard. There’s no mayo, lettuce, tomato or Big Mac sauce on the standard burger.
If you want mayo, lettuce and tomato, order the Quarter Pounder with Cheese Deluxe, covered further down. You can also add them to a regular one in the app or at the kiosk.
Why does it taste different from a regular cheeseburger?
A McDonald’s Cheeseburger uses a smaller, thinner patty made from frozen beef. The Quarter Pounder patty is larger, thicker and cooked from fresh, which keeps it juicier.
It also gets two cheese slices instead of one. And it uses slivered onions instead of the rehydrated minced onions on the smaller burgers.
How much is a Quarter Pounder with Cheese in 2026?
A Quarter Pounder with Cheese costs $7.59 at many U.S. McDonald’s restaurants. Prices we’ve seen run from about $5.79 to $7.59.
Most McDonald’s restaurants are franchised, and each owner sets their own prices. That’s why the same burger can cost more in a big city or an airport than in a small town.
How much is a Quarter Pounder with Cheese meal?
The meal adds medium fries and a medium soft drink, and it usually costs about $10.99. Upsizing to large fries and a large drink adds a little more.
| Item | Burger only | Meal (medium) |
|---|---|---|
| Quarter Pounder with Cheese | $7.59 | $10.99 |
| Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese | $8.29 | $11.97 |
| Bacon Quarter Pounder with Cheese | $8.29 | $11.59 |
| Quarter Pounder with Cheese Deluxe | $7.99 | $11.39 |
These are typical prices, not national ones. Your store may be higher or lower.
Where can you find the exact price?
Open the McDonald’s app, choose your nearest restaurant and tap the Quarter Pounder. The app shows that store’s real price before you check out.
The app also has rotating deals, and MyMcDonald’s Rewards gives you points on every order. Those offers often beat the menu board price.
Quarter Pounder with Cheese nutrition facts
McDonald’s U.S. lists these numbers for one standard Quarter Pounder with Cheese:
| Nutrient | Amount | % Daily Value |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 520 | — |
| Total fat | 26 g | 33% |
| Saturated fat | 12 g | 62% |
| Trans fat | 1.5 g | — |
| Cholesterol | 95 mg | 32% |
| Sodium | 1,140 mg | 50% |
| Total carbs | 42 g | 15% |
| Dietary fiber | 2 g | 9% |
| Total sugars | 10 g | — |
| Added sugars | 8 g | 16% |
| Protein | 30 g | — |
| Calcium | 190 mg | 15% |
| Iron | 4 mg | 25% |
| Potassium | 420 mg | 8% |
Daily values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet. If you change the toppings, the numbers change too, so use McDonald’s nutrition calculator for a custom build.
How many calories are in a Quarter Pounder with Cheese?
There are 520 calories in a standard Quarter Pounder with Cheese. That’s about a quarter of a 2,000-calorie day.
Most of those calories come from the beef, the two cheese slices and the bun. Ketchup and mustard add very little.
How much protein is in a Quarter Pounder with Cheese?
It has 30 grams of protein. That’s more than a Big Mac, which has 25 grams even though it has two patties.
The difference is patty size. The two Big Mac patties weigh 3.2 oz together before cooking, while the Quarter Pounder patty is 4 oz.
How many carbs and how much sugar does it have?
The burger has 42 grams of total carbs and 2 grams of fiber. Most of the carbs come from the sesame seed bun.
There are 10 grams of total sugars, and 8 grams of those are added sugars. The bun and ketchup are the main sources.
How much sodium is in a Quarter Pounder with Cheese?
One burger has 1,140 mg of sodium, which is 50% of the daily value. That’s the number most people overlook.
The cheese, pickles, bun, ketchup and grill seasoning all add sodium. Ordering it without pickles or with one slice of cheese brings it down a little.
Quarter Pounder with Cheese meal calories and carbs
The fries and drink add a lot. A medium order of McDonald’s fries has 320 calories, 43 grams of carbs and 260 mg of sodium.
| Meal combination | Calories (approx.) | Carbs (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Quarter Pounder with Cheese + medium fries + water or Diet Coke | 840 | 85 g |
| Quarter Pounder with Cheese + medium fries + medium Coca-Cola | 1,050 – 1,100 | about 140 g |
The burger and fries numbers are McDonald’s own. The regular soda row is an estimate, because drink calories depend on the cup size and the amount of ice.
If you’re watching calories, the drink is the easiest swap. Water, Diet Coke or unsweetened iced tea keep the meal around 840 calories.
Quarter Pounder patty only: low-carb and no-bun orders
McDonald’s doesn’t publish nutrition for the Quarter Pounder patty on its own. The quickest way to see it is to remove the bun and toppings in McDonald’s nutrition calculator.
Taking off the bun removes most of the 42 grams of carbs. Keeping the cheese, pickles, onions and mustard keeps the carb count very low.
For a keto or low-carb order, ask for no bun and no ketchup. Ketchup has added sugar, while mustard has almost none.
Many restaurants will serve it in a container if you ask. You can also make this change in the app under the burger’s customization options.
Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese calories and protein
The Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese uses two 4 oz patties, so it has half a pound of beef before cooking. It keeps the same two cheese slices and the same toppings.
| Quarter Pounder with Cheese | Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Beef (before cooking) | 4 oz | 8 oz |
| Calories | 520 | 740 |
| Protein | 30 g | 48 g |
| Total fat | 26 g | 42 g |
| Saturated fat | 12 g | 20 g |
| Carbs | 42 g | 43 g |
| Sodium | 1,140 mg | 1,360 mg |
The Double adds 220 calories and 18 grams of protein. It’s one of the highest-protein burgers on the McDonald’s menu.
Saturated fat climbs to 20 grams, or 98% of the daily value. That’s worth knowing if you order it often.
What’s on a Quarter Pounder with Cheese Deluxe?
The Deluxe keeps everything from the standard burger and adds shredded lettuce, three Roma tomato slices and mayo. It comes on the same sesame seed bun.
| Quarter Pounder with Cheese | Quarter Pounder with Cheese Deluxe | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 520 | 630 |
| Protein | 30 g | 30 g |
| Total fat | 26 g | 37 g |
| Carbs | 42 g | 44 g |
| Sodium | 1,140 mg | 1,210 mg |
Most of the extra 110 calories come from the mayo. Protein stays at 30 grams because the beef is the same.
There’s also a Bacon Quarter Pounder with Cheese, which adds bacon to the standard build. McDonald’s lists it at 630 calories, 36 grams of protein and 1,470 mg of sodium.
How does the Quarter Pounder compare to the Big Mac and McDouble?
The Quarter Pounder with Cheese has fewer calories, less fat and more protein than the McDonald’s Big Mac. The Big Mac has more bread and sauce.
| Quarter Pounder with Cheese | Big Mac | McDouble | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patties | 1 (4 oz before cooking) | 2 (3.2 oz total before cooking) | 2 small patties |
| Calories | 520 | 580 | 390 |
| Protein | 30 g | 25 g | 22 g |
| Total fat | 26 g | 34 g | 20 g |
| Carbs | 42 g | 45 g | 32 g |
| Sodium | 1,140 mg | 1,060 mg | 920 mg |
The Big Mac has a little less sodium. If protein is your goal, the Quarter Pounder is the better pick of the two.
Want chicken instead? A 10 piece Chicken McNuggets has 410 calories and 23 grams of protein, so it has fewer calories but less protein than the Quarter Pounder.
The McDouble is the budget option, with two small patties and one slice of cheese. It has 130 fewer calories than the Quarter Pounder with Cheese but 8 grams less protein, and it costs much less.
At other chains, the closest matches are the Burger King Whopper with Cheese and the Wendy’s Dave’s Single. Both chains post current nutrition on their own websites.
How to customize your Quarter Pounder order
The McDonald’s app and kiosks let you change almost every topping. Common changes include:
- No onions or extra onions
- Extra pickles
- No cheese, which makes it a plain Quarter Pounder (McDonald’s doesn’t list its nutrition separately, but the nutrition calculator shows it when you remove both slices)
- Add bacon
- Add lettuce, tomato or mayo
- No bun for a low-carb order
At the drive-thru, just tell the crew what to change. The patty is cooked when you order anyway, so custom orders rarely add much wait.
You can also get it through McDelivery with partners like DoorDash and Uber Eats. Delivery prices are often higher than in-store prices, so compare before you order.
Quarter Pounder with Cheese allergens
McDonald’s ingredient list shows the Quarter Pounder with Cheese contains wheat, sesame, milk and soy. The bun has wheat and sesame, and the cheese has milk and soy.
The beef patty itself is just beef with salt and pepper. Because kitchens are shared, McDonald’s can’t promise any item is free of cross-contact.
Is the Quarter Pounder with Cheese gluten-free?
No. The bun contains wheat flour and wheat gluten. Skipping the bun removes the main source, but shared grills and prep areas mean it isn’t safe for people with celiac disease.
What happened to the McDonald’s Quarter Pounder with Cheese?
In October 2024, the CDC linked an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak to McDonald’s Quarter Pounders. Investigators traced it to fresh slivered onions from one supplier, not to the beef.
McDonald’s pulled the Quarter Pounder from about one in five U.S. restaurants while the cause was found. It returned in early November 2024, at first without slivered onions.
The CDC declared the outbreak over in December 2024. Its final count was 104 sick people in 14 states, with 34 hospitalized and one death.
McDonald’s stopped using that onion supplier for the affected restaurants. Slivered onions are back on the burger today.
How to reheat a Quarter Pounder with Cheese
Take the burger apart before you reheat it. Heated pickles and onions go limp, and the bun gets soggy.
- Remove the pickles and onions and set them aside.
- Separate the patty and cheese from the bun.
- Heat the patty in an air fryer at 350°F for 3 to 4 minutes, or in a covered skillet over medium heat for about 2 minutes per side.
- Warm the bun in the air fryer or skillet for 30 to 60 seconds.
- Put the burger back together with the cold toppings.
A microwave works if it’s all you have. Wrap the bun in a damp paper towel and heat in short 15 to 20 second bursts so it doesn’t dry out.
For food safety, eat leftovers within a day or two and reheat the patty until it’s hot all the way through.
A short history of the Quarter Pounder
The Quarter Pounder was created in 1971 by Al Bernardin, a McDonald’s franchise owner in Fremont, California. It went national soon after as a bigger burger for adult customers.
In France it’s sold as the “Royale with Cheese,” a name made famous by the 1994 film Pulp Fiction. In 2018, McDonald’s switched the U.S. Quarter Pounder to fresh beef cooked when you order.
Common questions
Is the Quarter Pounder made with fresh beef?
Yes. In the U.S., Quarter Pounder patties are fresh beef, not frozen, and they’re cooked when you order.
How much does a Quarter Pounder patty weigh?
A quarter pound, or 4 oz, before cooking. Like any burger, it loses some weight as it cooks.
Is the Quarter Pounder with Cheese available all day?
At most restaurants it’s available once breakfast ends, usually at 10:30 a.m. on weekdays. See what time McDonald’s lunch starts for details. Some 24-hour locations serve it overnight too.
Is a Quarter Pounder with Cheese healthy?
It’s high in protein, but it also has 50% of the daily value for sodium and 62% for saturated fat. It fits best as an occasional meal, paired with water and a smaller side.
Your local McDonald’s app shows the current price and any deals for the Quarter Pounder with Cheese, so check it before you order.