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McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese: calories, nutrition, ingredients and allergens
How many calories are in a McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese? It contains 743 kcal, 42g of fat (20g saturated), 9g of sugar and 3g of salt. At 743 kcal, it is one of the higher-calorie items on the core menu.
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Dessert or McFlurry
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Nutrition information
Nutrition information: Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese
Energy
743 kcal
Fat
42g
of which saturates
20g
Carbohydrate
40g
of which sugars
9g
Salt
3g
Protein
48g
Source: McDonald’s UK nutrition information. Figures are per item as sold, before any optional sauces or extras.
A McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese contains 743 kcal, which is 37% of the 2,000 kcal adult daily reference intake. It provides 42g of total fat, of which 20g is saturated, 9g of sugar, 3g of salt and 48g of protein.
At 20g, the saturated fat content is high, representing 100% of the adult daily guideline of 20g from this single item alone.
At 20g of saturated fat, the Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese meets the entire adult daily saturated fat guideline in a single item, before any fries, drink or dessert. It also delivers 3.0g of salt, half the adult daily limit of 6g.
Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese is one of the higher-calorie items on the core menu
A McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese contains 743 kcal and 20g of saturated fat, 100% of the adult daily saturated fat guideline of 20g. At 20g of saturated fat, the Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese meets the entire adult daily saturated fat guideline in a single item, before any fries, drink or dessert. It also delivers 3.0g of salt, half the adult daily limit of 6g.
Reference Intakes are EU-wide guideline daily amounts for an average adult (2,000 kcal). The free sugar limit of 30g is the NHS/SACN guideline, which is stricter than the 90g total sugars RI as it excludes naturally occurring sugars in whole foods and dairy.
Sugar, salt and protein by age group
The table below shows how the sugar, salt and protein in a McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese compares to daily guidelines for different age groups and life stages.
Sugar, salt and protein by age group: McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese
Age group
Sugar (g / % limit)
Salt (g / % limit)
Protein (g / % target)
Age 4 to 6
9g / 47%
3g / 100%
48g / 240%
Age 7 to 10
9g / 38%
3g / 60%
48g / 171%
Age 11 to 17
9g / 30%
3g / 50%
48g / 114%
Adult
9g / 30%
3g / 50%
48g / 96%
Sugar and salt % shown against NHS/SACN daily limits. Protein % shown against estimated daily targets. Red = 75%+ of limit, amber = 20-74%, green = under 20%. Protein is beneficial and has no upper limit, shown for reference only.
Protein
Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese provides 48g of protein. For comparison, a general guide for adult daily protein intake is around 50g, so this item alone provides 96% of that target.
Salt
Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese contains 3g of salt, 50% of the adult daily limit of 6g. This is a substantial share of the daily limit from one item, before any fries or sides are added.
Ultra-processed food: what is really in it
A McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese is assembled from 4 separate components, each manufactured and prepared separately, often at different factories, before being combined and cooked at the point of sale. The component is close to a single ingredient, with comparatively little additional formulation.
None of this means the ingredients are unsafe; all additives used are approved for use in UK food. What it indicates is the degree of industrial formulation involved. A home-cooked equivalent, made from a small number of fresh or minimally processed ingredients prepared in one kitchen, would typically involve far fewer steps and far fewer additives. The version sold at McDonald's reaches a comparable end result using a longer list of industrially processed components, several manufacturing sites, and a number of functional additives designed to keep the product consistent across thousands of restaurants.
What's in it: Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese
Sesame seed bun
Same as Quarter Pounder with Cheese
Quarter pound beef patties (x2)
Two 100% beef quarter-pound patties
Cheese slices (x2)
Two processed cheddar cheese slices
Onions, pickle, ketchup, mustard
Standard burger condiments
Looking at the ingredient list rather than just the nutrition panel tells a different story. Even where individual macros (sugar, salt, calories) look moderate, the number of separately manufactured components, and the additives used to bind, emulsify, preserve, colour and flavour them, place almost every hot item on the McDonald's menu in the most processed food category under the NOVA classification system.
Processing (NOVA classification)
A McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese falls into NOVA group 4, ultra-processed food. The NOVA classification system groups foods by the extent and purpose of the processing involved, rather than by their individual nutrients. Group 4 covers products that are formulated mostly or entirely from substances derived from foods, plus additives, using a series of industrial processes with little or no whole food remaining recognisable in the final product. In this item, that is reflected in the breaded or formed components, processed cheese, and multi-stage assembly typical of fast food production. This classification applies to almost all hot menu items at McDonald's, and indeed to most fast food and packaged convenience food generally; it is not a finding specific to this item.
Allergens at a glance
Allergen information: Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese
Wheat
Contains
Rye
May contain traces
Barley
May contain traces
Oats
Not present
Sesame
Contains
Soya
Not present
Milk
Contains
Eggs
Not present
Fish
Not present
Crustaceans
Not present
Celery
Not present
Mustard
Not present
Molluscs
Not present
Lupin
Not present
McDonald's UK prepares food in kitchens where allergens are present and equipment is shared. "May contain traces" reflects cross-contact risk from shared fryers, toasters and preparation areas. McDonald's cannot guarantee any item is completely allergen-free, even when ingredients are removed on request.
Frequently asked questions
A McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese contains 743 kcal, which is 37% of the 2,000 kcal adult daily reference intake.
A McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese contains 20g of saturated fat, 100% of the adult daily guideline of 20g, and 118% of the guideline for a child aged 11 to 17 (17g).
Yes. A McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese falls into NOVA group 4, ultra-processed food. This reflects the breaded or formed components and multi-stage assembly typical of the menu. This is a description of how the food is made and formulated, not a statement that it is unsafe to eat.
Calories, fat, sugar and salt only describe part of the picture. Two foods can have similar nutrition figures while differing substantially in how processed they are, how many ingredients they contain, and how many additives are used to replicate texture, flavour or appearance. The NOVA classification and ingredient list capture this difference, which the nutrition panel alone does not.
A McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese contains wheat, sesame and milk. May also contain traces of barley and rye from shared kitchen equipment.
A McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese contains 3g of salt, 50% of the adult daily limit of 6g.
At 743 kcal, the McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese is among the higher-calorie items on the core menu, more than double the calories of the Hamburger (248 kcal).
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Nutrition and allergen information from McDonald's UK official sources (allergen booklet and product pages). Figures are per item as sold, before optional sauces, dips or extras, and may vary slightly by recipe updates. Reference intakes: EU Reference Intakes for an average adult (2,000 kcal); NHS/SACN free sugar and saturated fat guidelines. For guidance only, not medical advice. Always check the McDonald's UK app or in-restaurant information for the most current data.
