McDonald’s Quarter Pounder with Cheese Price, Nutrition & Allergens (2026)

$5.99 to $7.29 | 520 calories

Craving that iconic, fresh-beef patty stacked with melted American cheese, but not sure what it will cost you at the counter today? You might remember getting one for a quick $4.50 a few years back, only to pull into the drive-thru today and see the board showing over $6.00. Because individual franchise owners set their own menu rates, the price of this classic burger can swing significantly depending on which neighborhood store you visit.

If you’re trying to budget your next meal before opening the app or pulling up to the window, this updated 2026 guide breaks down the latest McDonald’s Quarter Pounder with Cheese prices, standalone vs. combo meal costs, full nutrition and allergen details, and smart ways to save on your order. For a complete list of costs across the entire menu, check out our full McDonald’s menu prices guide.

How Much Does a Quarter Pounder Cost?

A standalone Quarter Pounder with Cheese runs $5.99 to $7.29 depending on your location, with most markets landing close to $6.39.

Quick tip: McDonald’s is a franchise business, so pricing is set locally by each restaurant owner. The McDonald’s app shows live pricing for your nearest store always the most reliable number before you order.

Quarter Pounder Prices by State

Regional cost of doing business affects pricing more than most people expect.

These are regional averages, not a guarantee for any specific store confirm your exact price in the app before ordering.

What’s Included in the Quarter Pounder Meal?

Most people order the Quarter Pounder as a combo rather than on its own. The meal bundles in fries and a drink at a lower combined price than buying everything separately.

As with most combos, your drink choice does a lot of the calorie work. Swapping a regular Coca-Cola for a Diet Coke or unsweetened iced tea can cut close to 200 calories from the total without changing anything else about your order.

Quarter Pounder Nutrition Facts

At 520 calories, the Quarter Pounder sits between the McDouble and the Big Mac in overall size. The number worth paying attention to is sodium at 1,140mg, it covers half your daily recommended limit from the sandwich alone, more than the Big Mac’s 1,050mg.

What stands out for the better: 30g of protein is genuinely strong for a fast food burger, and it’s actually more protein than the Big Mac delivers (25g) despite having fewer calories overall.

What’s Inside the Quarter Pounder?

Worth knowing: McDonald’s has marketed the Quarter Pounder’s beef as fresh rather than frozen at many U.S. locations since 2018 a detail that sets it apart from several other items on the menu that use frozen patties. Availability of fresh beef can still vary slightly by market, so check with your local restaurant if this matters to your order.

Allergen Information

The Quarter Pounder carries fewer allergens than the Big Mac, mainly because it skips the special sauce.

• Wheat — in the bun
• Milk — in the American cheese
• Sesame — in the sesame seed bun

That’s three major allergens, compared to five in the Big Mac (which also includes egg and soy from its sauce). If soy or egg allergies are a specific concern, the Quarter Pounder is actually the safer standard burger option though cross-contact from shared kitchen equipment is still possible either way.

Not safe for: anyone with a wheat/gluten allergy, dairy allergy, or sesame allergy. Talk to the crew at your location if a severe allergy is involved.

Quarter Pounder vs Other McDonald’s Burgers

If protein per calorie matters to you, the Quarter Pounder actually edges out the Big Mac more protein (30g vs 25g) for fewer calories (520 vs 590). The trade-off is you lose the special sauce and the triple-bun texture that makes the Big Mac distinct.

Is the Quarter Pounder Worth the Price?

For the flavor and protein you get, yes it’s one of the stronger value picks among McDonald’s real burger options, especially if you’re prioritizing protein over the lowest possible price. It costs more than a McDouble, but the single fresh-beef patty and higher protein count justify the gap for a lot of people.

If you’re eating solo and want a filling, straightforward burger without the extra sauce or bun layers of a Big Mac, this is a strong pick. If you’re chasing pure value per dollar, the McDouble still wins but it won’t fill you up quite the same way.

How to Save Money

• Check the McDonald’s app before ordering — deals and location-specific pricing on the Quarter Pounder rotate regularly
• Earn MyMcDonald’s Rewards points on every purchase, redeemable later toward free menu items
• Compare the à la carte total against the combo price — sometimes ordering the sandwich, a small fry, and a water separately costs less than the pre-set medium meal
• Watch for limited-time bundles like “2 for $X” promotions that occasionally include the Quarter Pounder
• Skip delivery apps when possible — third-party delivery pricing typically runs 15–30% above in-restaurant pricing

Best Pairings

A few combinations that work particularly well with a Quarter Pounder:

• Medium or Large World Famous Fries — the classic pairing, and the one built into every combo meal
• Coca-Cola or Sprite — a straightforward, crisp match against the richer beef and cheese
• Small side salad — a lighter alternative if you want to offset the sandwich’s higher sodium and fat without giving up the burger itself
• Apple Slices — a simple way to add something fresh to the meal without adding much in the way of calories

FAQs

Conclusion

The Quarter Pounder with Cheese remains one of McDonald’s most straightforward, protein-forward burgers a single fresh-beef patty without the extra bun layers or sauce that define the Big Mac. At $5.99 to $7.29 for the sandwich alone, it sits in the middle of the burger lineup on price, but leads the pack on protein per calorie. Whether you order it solo or as part of a combo, checking the app before you order is still the easiest way to make sure you’re getting the best price at your specific location.