Figures from McDonald’s US nutrition information , collected by Boone, checked 11 September 2026
Bacon Quarter Pounder with Cheese, as published. High and Low follow FDA’s 20% and 5% Daily Value marks. Calorie split calculated by Boone. How
The Bacon Quarter Pounder with Cheese as published, seen four ways.
2 of 3 are 20% of the Daily Value or more in one burger, FDA’s mark for high.
Saturated fat is the biggest issue: 15g is 75% of the Daily Value in one burger.
Lower saturated fatMcChicken →3.5g saturated fat (18% DV), 390 caloriesSodium limits by age: 64% for an adult, 98% at age 4 to 8.
For age 4 to 8, 1,470mg of sodium is 98% of the day’s 1,500mg limit in one burger. The Dietary Guidelines advise no added sugar at this age; this has 8g.
Lower-sodium swapHamburger →510mg sodium, 34% of the 1,500mg limitFor age 9 to 13, 1,470mg of sodium is 82% of the day’s 1,800mg limit in one burger.
Lower-sodium swapHamburger →510mg sodium, 28% of the 1,800mg limitFor age 14 to 18, 1,470mg of sodium is 64% of the day’s 2,300mg limit in one burger.
Lower-sodium swapHamburger →510mg sodium, 22% of the 2,300mg limitProtein counts in your favour here, but the saturated fat is still 75% of the Daily Value.
36g of protein, #7 on the menu. Per calorie the McCrispy Strips (smaller) gives more: 7.8g per 100 calories against 5.7g.
Most protein per calorieMcCrispy Strips (smaller) →31g protein in 400 caloriesHere the 1,470mg of sodium counts as useful after sweaty exercise.
43g of carbohydrate, and 50% of the energy is fat, which is slow to digest. Better after a long session than in the hours before one.
Sugar naturally in milk, fruit and vegetables is not added sugar. Dietary Guidelines →
For smaller portions: the most nutrition per calorie, against all 247 McDonald’s US items.
More protein per calorie than 92% of the 247 items on the menu.
More fibre per calorie than 86% of the 247 items on the menu.
McDonald’s USA does not publish vitamins or minerals for this item, so Boone does not estimate them.
Would not meet FDA’s ‘healthy’ criteria for a main dish: over the sodium, saturated fat and added sugars limits.
43 of 247 McDonald’s US items are within the limits for their category. Portion weight estimated by Boone from similar items.
FDA final rule, December 2024. Food makers must comply by 25 February 2028.
60 ingredients across 8 parts; 20 are additives or processed (orange).
Group 4 because of the additives or industrial ingredients listed above. How NOVA works →
Quarter Pounder with Cheese 30g protein, 1,140mg sodium520
Spicy Deluxe McCrispy 27g protein, 1,200mg sodium530
Spicy McCrispy 27g protein, 1,320mg sodium530
Deluxe McCrispy 27g protein, 1,050mg sodium530
Big Mac 25g protein, 1,060mg sodium580
Quarter Pounder with Cheese Deluxe 30g protein, 1,210mg sodium630
Bacon Quarter Pounder with Cheese 36g protein, 1,470mg sodium630
Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese 48g protein, 1,360mg sodium740630 calories as published. That is 32% of the 2,000-calorie Daily Value used on US food labels.
For a child aged 4 to 8 it is 98% of the day’s 1,500mg sodium limit in one item. It has 8g of added sugar, and the Dietary Guidelines advise none for children aged 10 and under. A Hamburger has 510mg of sodium, 34% of that limit.
10g of total sugars, of which 8g is added sugar as published. That is 2.0 teaspoons and 16% of the 50g Daily Value. The Dietary Guidelines advise no more than 10g of added sugar a meal from age 11.
36g, 5.7g per 100 calories. It ranks #7 of 237 items on the menu for protein. The McCrispy Strips (smaller) gives the most protein for the calories, 7.8g per 100 calories.
No. Judged as a main dish, it is over FDA’s limit for sodium, saturated fat and added sugars. This is Boone’s reading of the FDA criteria; McDonald’s USA makes no ‘healthy’ claim.
Yes, NOVA group 4. The ingredient list includes emulsifiers, emulsifying salts, flour treatment agents and acidity regulators.
Of the 9 major US allergens, it contains milk, wheat, soybeans and sesame.
Source. McDonald’s US nutrition information , per item as sold.
Collected. Copied by Boone from McDonald’s USA’s published figures. Data checks are led by Murray Dare.
Calculated by Boone. Labelled where it appears.
References. FDA Daily Values; USDA estimated calorie needs; Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025 to 2030; sodium limits by age from the National Academies; FDA ‘healthy’ claim criteria.
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