McDonald's Double Cheeseburger: calories, nutrition, ingredients and allergens

A McDonald's Double Cheeseburger contains 436 kcal. With small fries the total reaches 686 kcal. With medium fries the total reaches 766 kcal. With large fries the total reaches 866 kcal. Adding a medium Coca-Cola to a medium meal brings the total to 946 kcal. The Double Cheeseburger represents 22% of the 2,000 kcal adult daily reference intake and sits in the middle of the calorie range for the core McDonald's menu.

Per item: 436 kcal, 22g fat (10.5g saturated), 33g carbohydrate (7g sugar), 2g salt, 25g protein. The saturated fat content of 10.5g is 53% of the adult daily guideline of 20g. The salt content of 2g is 33% of the adult daily limit of 6g and 67% of the daily limit for a child aged 4 to 6. The protein content of 25g is 50% of the adult daily guide and 125% of the daily target for a child aged 4 to 6.

A McDonald's Double Cheeseburger contains 10.5g of saturated fat, which is 53% of the adult daily guideline of 20g from a single item. For a child aged 7 to 10 with an estimated daily saturated fat guideline of approximately 16g, it represents 66% of their daily allowance. For a child aged 4 to 6 it represents approximately 95% of their estimated daily allowance. Saturated fat is the most significant nutritional concern on this page. Adding medium fries adds a further 2-3g of saturated fat, potentially exceeding the daily guideline for younger children from one meal alone.

A McDonald's Double Cheeseburger contains 436 kcal compared to 295 kcal in a Cheeseburger — 141 extra calories. The most significant difference is saturated fat, which rises from 5.5g to 10.5g — an increase of 5g, almost doubling it. Salt rises from 1.4g to 2g. Protein rises from 15g to 25g. The second beef patty and second cheese slice account for the entire difference. If saturated fat intake is a concern, the Cheeseburger is the significantly more moderate choice at 5.5g versus 10.5g.

A McDonald's Double Cheeseburger contains 2g of salt, which is 33% of the adult daily limit of 6g. For a child aged 4 to 6 with a daily salt limit of 3g, the Double Cheeseburger alone uses 67% of their daily allowance. Adding medium fries brings the total salt to approximately 2.6g, which is 87% of the daily limit for a child aged 4 to 6 from one meal. The salt content is substantially higher than the Cheeseburger at 1.4g, with the extra 0.6g coming from the additional beef patty and cheese slice.

A McDonald's Double Cheeseburger contains 7g of sugar, all of which counts as free sugar under NHS guidelines. This is 23% of the adult daily free sugar limit of 30g and 29% of the limit for a child aged 7 to 10. The sugar content is identical to the Cheeseburger — the additional patty and cheese slice add no meaningful sugar. As with all McDonald's orders, the drink is where sugar escalates most rapidly. Adding a medium Coca-Cola adds approximately 35g of free sugar, exceeding the daily limit for adults and more than tripling the limit for children aged 7 to 10.

A McDonald's Double Cheeseburger with small fries contains approximately 686 kcal. With medium fries the total is approximately 766 kcal. With large fries the total is approximately 866 kcal. For a child aged 7 to 10 with a daily energy need of around 1,700 to 2,000 kcal, a Double Cheeseburger with medium fries represents approximately 38 to 45% of their daily requirement from one meal — a very significant portion of the day's energy from a single sitting.

A McDonald's Double Cheeseburger provides 25g of protein, which is 50% of the adult daily protein guide of around 50g. For a child aged 7 to 10 with a daily protein guide of around 24g, one Double Cheeseburger provides more than their entire daily target from a single item. The protein comes from the two beef patties and two processed cheese slices. At 25g, it is the strongest protein contribution of any basic burger on the core McDonald's menu, though the saturated fat and salt figures are also substantially higher.

The Double Cheeseburger is not on the McDonald's Happy Meal menu and is not specifically marketed at children. For a child aged 4 to 6 the saturated fat content of 10.5g represents approximately 95% of their estimated daily saturated fat guideline and the salt content of 2g represents 67% of their daily salt limit — both from the burger alone before any sides. For children, the Hamburger or Cheeseburger are significantly more moderate choices. The Double Cheeseburger is better considered an adult portion item.

Yes. A McDonald's Double Cheeseburger falls into NOVA group 4, ultra-processed foods. It is assembled from components manufactured at different facilities. The bun contains emulsifiers, antioxidants, maltodextrin and dextrose. Each processed cheese slice contains emulsifying salts, whey powder and colours. The pickle slices contain a firming agent and preservative. All additives are approved for use in UK food. The NOVA classification reflects the degree of industrial formulation rather than whether the food is unsafe to eat.

A McDonald's Double Cheeseburger contains wheat, soya and milk. It may also contain traces of barley, rye and sesame from shared kitchen equipment. It does not contain eggs, fish, crustaceans, celery, mustard, molluscs or lupin as ingredients. The milk allergen comes from the two processed cheese slices. McDonald's UK cannot guarantee any item is completely allergen-free due to shared kitchen equipment and preparation areas.

A McDonald's Big Mac contains approximately 509 kcal compared to 436 kcal in a Double Cheeseburger — 73 more calories. The Big Mac contains approximately 9.6g of saturated fat versus 10.5g in the Double Cheeseburger, making the Double Cheeseburger higher in saturated fat despite being lower in calories. The Big Mac contains approximately 2g of salt, similar to the Double Cheeseburger. The Double Cheeseburger has more protein at 25g versus approximately 25g in the Big Mac. Despite its lower calorie count the Double Cheeseburger is actually the higher saturated fat option of the two.

Water is the lowest calorie option at zero calories and zero sugar. A medium water with a Double Cheeseburger and medium fries keeps the meal at approximately 766 kcal with no drink sugar. A medium Diet Coke or sugar-free Sprite adds zero calories and zero sugar. A medium Coca-Cola adds approximately 180 kcal and 35g of free sugar — five times the sugar of the burger itself. Given that the Double Cheeseburger already contributes significantly to saturated fat and salt limits, keeping sugar low through drink choice is the most practical lever available.

The Double Cheeseburger is not available as a Happy Meal option at McDonald's UK. The Happy Meal menu is limited to the Hamburger, Cheeseburger, Chicken McNuggets (4 pieces) and Veggie Wrap. For a child's meal order, the Hamburger Happy Meal is the most moderate choice in terms of saturated fat and salt. The Double Cheeseburger at 10.5g of saturated fat and 2g of salt is not sized or nutritionally appropriate for younger children.

A McDonald's Quarter Pounder with Cheese contains approximately 520 kcal compared to 436 kcal in a Double Cheeseburger — 84 more calories. The Quarter Pounder uses a single larger beef patty (approximately 113g before cooking) versus two standard patties in the Double Cheeseburger. The Quarter Pounder has a similar saturated fat content at around 10-11g and similar salt at around 2g. The Double Cheeseburger is the lower-calorie option of the two despite containing two patties, because the individual patties are smaller than the Quarter Pounder patty.