Quarter Pounder
The Quarter Pounder is a signature hamburger offered by the McDonald's fast-food chain, featuring a ¼ lb. (4 oz. before cooking) patty of 100% beef that's seasoned with salt and pepper, grilled, and topped with slivered onions, tangy pickles, ketchup, mustard, and two slices of melty American cheese, all served on a sesame seed bun.[1] Introduced nationally in 1973 as a larger alternative to McDonald's standard hamburgers, it quickly became one of the brand's most iconic menu items, appealing to customers seeking a heftier beef patty. The burger originated in 1971 when franchise owner Al Bernardin created it at his McDonald's locations in Fremont, California, using the slogan "Today Fremont, tomorrow the world" to promote its potential.[2] Over the decades, the Quarter Pounder has evolved while maintaining its core appeal, with McDonald's emphasizing fresh, never-frozen beef in the U.S. since 2018 to enhance quality and taste. In 2024, the recipe was updated with softer buns and meltier cheese. However, the product faced a temporary suspension in some U.S. locations due to an E. coli outbreak linked to slivered onions, which was resolved by late October.[3][4] It is available in variations such as the Quarter Pounder without cheese, which omits the cheese slices but retains the other toppings, and limited-time offerings like the Quarter Pounder BLT, adding bacon, lettuce, and tomato.[5] Nutritionally, a standard Quarter Pounder with Cheese contains 520 calories, making it a substantial yet accessible option on McDonald's menu, which also includes classics like the Big Mac and Filet-O-Fish.[1] The product's enduring popularity is evident in its role as a bestseller, contributing significantly to McDonald's global sales, and it has been celebrated with milestones like its 50th anniversary in 2021.History
Development and introduction in the United States
The Quarter Pounder was invented in 1971 by Al Bernardin, a McDonald's franchise owner who operated two locations in Fremont, California.[6] Bernardin developed the burger to address what he perceived as a gap in the menu for adult customers seeking a larger option with a higher ratio of beef to bun.[7] He initially tested and introduced it at his Fremont restaurants that year, promoting it with the slogan "Today Fremont, tomorrow the world."[8] McDonald's Corporation adopted the Quarter Pounder for a nationwide rollout beginning in 1973, positioning it as the chain's first hamburger explicitly named after the precooked weight of its beef patty—one quarter of a pound.[2] This marked a shift toward more standardized, premium menu items at the fast-food chain, which at the time primarily offered smaller, basic hamburgers.[9] The burger's introduction helped drive menu evolution by emphasizing portion size as a key selling point. Following its national launch, the Quarter Pounder rapidly became one of McDonald's top-selling items, solidifying its role in the chain's core offerings alongside staples like the Big Mac and contributing to broader menu standardization across U.S. locations.[10] In a significant evolution, McDonald's transitioned the Quarter Pounder to 100% fresh, never-frozen beef patties in the United States starting in spring 2018, initially rolling it out across most stores by May of that year to enhance flavor and appeal.[11] The change expanded fully nationwide by 2019, boosting sales and helping the chain regain market share for the first time in five years.[12]International expansion and adaptations
The Quarter Pounder expanded internationally following its national U.S. launch in 1973, aligning with McDonald's broader global growth into Canada, Europe, and Australia during the 1970s, while expansion into Asia occurred later.[9] In Australia, the burger was introduced the same year with minimal changes to its original formulation, quickly becoming a staple on local menus.[13] Canada's early adoption mirrored this timeline, with the item added in the early 1970s after the chain's first restaurant opened there in 1967.[9] European markets, starting with Germany in 1971, incorporated the Quarter Pounder as part of core offerings by the mid-1970s, supporting the chain's rapid continental rollout.[9] Adaptations to local preferences emerged as McDonald's tailored products to diverse markets while maintaining the burger's essential 113-gram pre-cooked patty. In metric-system countries, the name was adjusted to equivalents like "Royal Cheeseburger" in France or "Hamburger Royal" in Germany to better resonate with consumers unfamiliar with imperial measurements, though the weight and preparation remained unchanged.[14] This preserved the core concept amid global standardization efforts. In Australia, the introduction retained the U.S.-style recipe with no significant alterations, reflecting similar tastes in English-speaking markets.[13] Japan's launch was notably delayed until 2008, marking a strategic reintroduction with heavy promotional emphasis to build demand in a market dominated by lighter fare.[15] To generate excitement, McDonald's Japan hired 1,000 people to queue at stores in Osaka, simulating organic hype for the debut.[16] Further adaptations for local tastes appeared in 2013 with the limited-edition "Quarter Pounder Jewelry" series, featuring premium toppings: the Gold Ring variant included thick-cut bacon and Camembert cheese; the Black Diamond added truffle sauce and shiitake mushrooms; and the Ruby Spark incorporated spicy salsa and jalapeños, each priced at around ¥1,000 for one day only.[17][18] The Quarter Pounder was discontinued from Japan's regular menu in 2017 due to supply challenges with fresh beef and has not been reintroduced as of 2025.[19] In 2025, global collector interest surged around a preserved 30-year-old uneaten Quarter Pounder from Australia, originally purchased in 1995 and kept unrefrigerated without significant decay, highlighting the burger's enduring cultural fascination beyond consumption.[20][21]Product description
Ingredients and preparation
The standard Quarter Pounder features a ¼ lb (4 oz raw, 113 g) patty made from 100% beef, seasoned only with salt and pepper, along with slivered raw onions, dill pickle slices, ketchup, mustard, and a sesame seed bun. The beef patty contains no fillers, extenders, additives, or preservatives, adhering to USDA inspection standards, and is sourced from approved U.S. suppliers such as Lopez Foods. The sesame seed bun is baked fresh daily at regional baking facilities across the country to ensure quality and consistency. In preparation, the beef patty is formed from fresh, never-frozen beef and cooked to order on a restaurant griddle, a practice implemented nationwide starting in mid-2018 to enhance juiciness and flavor. The burger is then assembled fresh, with condiments and toppings applied directly to the toasted bun just before serving. This made-to-order approach replaced the previous method of using pre-formed frozen patties, which had been standard since the Quarter Pounder's introduction in 1971. Common variants build on this base recipe. The Quarter Pounder with Cheese incorporates two slices of American cheese melted atop the patty. The Quarter Pounder Deluxe, launched in 2019, adds shredded lettuce, tomato slices, and mayonnaise while retaining the cheese, onions, and pickles for a more elaborate profile.Nutritional information
The Quarter Pounder is offered in a basic version without cheese, providing 420 calories per serving based on current U.S. standards. The more popular variant, the Quarter Pounder with Cheese, contains 520 calories per serving.[1] The macronutrient profile for the Quarter Pounder with Cheese includes 26 g of total fat, of which 13 g is saturated fat and 1.5 g is trans fat, along with 105 mg of cholesterol, 41 g of total carbohydrates (including 2 g of dietary fiber), 30 g of protein, and 1,100 mg of sodium.[22] These values reflect a standard serving size of approximately 201 g.| Nutrient | Amount per Serving (Quarter Pounder with Cheese) | % Daily Value* |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 520 | - |
| Total Fat | 26 g | 33% |
| Saturated Fat | 13 g | 65% |
| Trans Fat | 1.5 g | - |
| Cholesterol | 105 mg | 35% |
| Sodium | 1,100 mg | 48% |
| Total Carbohydrates | 41 g | 15% |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g | 7% |
| Protein | 30 g | 60% |