McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese: calories, nutrition, ingredients and allergens

A McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese contains 743 kcal. With small fries the total reaches 993 kcal. With medium fries the total reaches 1,073 kcal. With large fries the total reaches 1,173 kcal. Adding a medium Coca-Cola to a medium meal brings the total to 1,253 kcal. The Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese represents 37% of the 2,000 kcal adult daily reference intake from the burger alone and is one of the highest-calorie items on the core McDonald's menu.

Per item: 743 kcal, 42g fat (20g saturated), 40g carbohydrate (9g sugar), 3g salt, 48g protein. The saturated fat content of 20g equals 100% of the adult daily guideline from a single item. The salt content of 3g is 50% of the adult daily limit of 6g and 100% of the daily limit for a child aged 4 to 6. The protein content of 48g is 96% of the adult daily guide — the highest protein contribution of any item covered in this guide.

A McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese contains 20g of saturated fat — the entire adult daily guideline of 20g from a single item before any sides are added. For a child aged 11 to 17 with an estimated daily saturated fat guideline of approximately 17g, it represents 118% of their daily allowance. For a child aged 7 to 10 it represents approximately 125% of their estimated daily allowance. The two quarter-pound beef patties and two processed cheese slices together drive the saturated fat total, with the patties contributing the majority.

A McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese contains 3g of salt, which is 50% of the adult daily limit of 6g. For a child aged 4 to 6 with a daily salt limit of 3g, the burger alone uses 100% of their entire daily allowance — the full daily limit from a single item before any fries, drink or condiments. Adding medium fries brings the total to approximately 3.6g, which is 120% of the daily limit for a child aged 4 to 6. No additional salt should be added at the table if ordering this item.

A McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese contains 743 kcal compared to 511 kcal in a Quarter Pounder with Cheese — 232 extra calories from the second patty. Saturated fat rises from 12.5g to 20g — an increase of 7.5g, pushing from 63% to 100% of the adult daily guideline. Salt rises from 2.4g to 3g. Protein rises from 30g to 48g. The second quarter-pound patty accounts for the entire difference. The jump from 12.5g to 20g saturated fat — from one patty to two — is the largest single saturated fat increase of any step up across the entire McDonald's burger range.

A McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese provides 48g of protein, which is 96% of the adult daily protein guide of around 50g from a single item. For a child aged 7 to 10 with a daily protein guide of around 28g, one Double Quarter Pounder provides 171% of their daily target. At 48g it is the highest protein contribution of any burger covered across this guide. However this protein comes alongside 20g of saturated fat — the entire adult daily guideline — and 3g of salt, so the protein benefit needs to be considered in that context.

A McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese with small fries contains approximately 993 kcal. With medium fries the total is approximately 1,073 kcal. With large fries the total is approximately 1,173 kcal. Adding a medium Coca-Cola to a medium meal brings the total to approximately 1,253 kcal — over 60% of the adult daily calorie reference intake from a single meal. For an adult, this meal represents more than the entire adult daily saturated fat guideline, more than half the daily salt limit and more than the daily free sugar limit if a Coca-Cola is included.

A McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese contains 9g of sugar, all of which counts as free sugar under NHS guidelines. This is 30% of the adult daily free sugar limit of 30g and 38% of the limit for a child aged 7 to 10. The sugar content is identical to the Quarter Pounder with Cheese — the second patty adds no meaningful sugar. Adding a medium Coca-Cola adds approximately 35g of free sugar, which on its own exceeds the entire adult daily free sugar limit.

No. Like the Quarter Pounder with Cheese, the Double Quarter Pounder does not contain soya as a declared allergen. It contains wheat, sesame and milk. This contrasts with the standard cheeseburger range — Hamburger, Cheeseburger, Double Cheeseburger — which all contain soya. The bun used in the Quarter Pounder range has a different formulation from the standard burger bun. Always verify allergen information against the current McDonald's UK allergen booklet before ordering for anyone with a soya allergy, as formulations can change.

Yes. A McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese falls into NOVA group 4, ultra-processed foods. The sesame seed bun contains emulsifiers, maltodextrin and dextrose. Each of the two processed cheese slices 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 two beef patties themselves are the most minimally processed component — 100% beef seasoned with salt and pepper — but the overall assembly places the item in the ultra-processed category.

A McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese contains wheat, sesame and milk. It does not contain soya, unlike the standard cheeseburger range. It may contain traces of barley and rye from shared kitchen equipment. It does not contain eggs, fish, crustaceans, celery, mustard, molluscs or lupin as ingredients. McDonald's UK cannot guarantee any item is completely allergen-free due to shared kitchen equipment and preparation areas. Always check the McDonald's UK app or in-restaurant allergen booklet for the most current information.

A McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese contains 743 kcal compared to 509 kcal in a Big Mac — 234 more calories. The Double Quarter Pounder has more than double the saturated fat at 20g versus 9.6g in the Big Mac. It has more salt at 3g versus 2g. It has significantly more protein at 48g versus 26g. The Big Mac is a dramatically more moderate choice on every nutritional measure except sugar, where both sit at 9g. The Double Quarter Pounder is in a different nutritional category from the Big Mac despite both being core McDonald's burgers.

No. The Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese is not on the McDonald's Happy Meal menu and is emphatically not appropriate for children. For a child aged 4 to 6, the salt content of 3g uses 100% of their entire daily allowance and the saturated fat of 20g exceeds their estimated daily guideline by a significant margin. For a child aged 7 to 10, the saturated fat represents approximately 125% of their estimated daily guideline. Even for teenagers and adults the saturated fat content equals the entire daily guideline from a single item. The Hamburger remains the most appropriate choice for children from the core McDonald's burger menu.

Water is the lowest calorie option at zero calories and zero sugar. A medium water with a Double Quarter Pounder and medium fries keeps the meal at approximately 1,073 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 — taking the full medium meal to approximately 1,253 kcal and more than the adult daily free sugar limit from the drink alone. Given that the burger already uses the entire adult daily saturated fat guideline, minimising other nutritional loads through drink choice is essential.

A McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese medium meal — burger with medium fries and medium Coca-Cola — contains approximately 1,253 kcal, 44g of free sugar (9g from the burger and 35g from the drink), approximately 3.6g of salt from the burger and fries combined, and approximately 22g of saturated fat including fries. That is 63% of the adult daily calorie reference intake, more than the adult daily free sugar limit, and more than the entire adult daily saturated fat guideline from a single meal. Substituting water for the Coca-Cola reduces the meal to approximately 1,073 kcal and brings free sugar down to 9g.