Quarter Pounder
![]() Quarter Pounder with Cheese | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Nutritional value per 1 burger (220 g) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Energy | 520 kcal (2,200 kJ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
41 g (14%) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Sugars | 10 g | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Dietary fiber | 3 g (11%) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
26 g (41%) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Saturated | 12 g (61%) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Trans | 1.5 g | ||||||||||||||||||||||
30 g (43%) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Other constituents | Quantity | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Energy w/o cheese | 420 kcal (1,800 kJ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Energy from fat | 240 kcal (1,000 kJ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Cholesterol | 95 mg (31%) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
May vary outside U.S. market. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
†Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults,[1] except for potassium, which is estimated based on expert recommendation from the National Academies.[2] Source: McDonalds |
The Quarter Pounder is a hamburger product sold by international fast food chain McDonald's, so named for containing a patty with a precooked weight of a quarter of a pound (113.4 g). It was first introduced in 1972. In 2013, the Quarter Pounder was expanded to represent a whole line of hamburgers that replaced the company's discontinued Angus Third Pounder hamburger. In 2015, McDonald's increased the precooked weight to 4.25 oz (120.5 g).[3]
History
The Quarter Pounder was created by Al Bernardin, a franchise owner and former McDonald's Vice President of product development, in Fremont, California, in 1971.[4] Bernardin had moved to Fremont in 1970 after purchasing two company-owned McDonald's restaurants.[4]
Bernardin began experimenting with new menu items for his McDonald's franchises. According to a 1991 interview, Bernardin noted that he "felt there was a void in our menu vis-à-vis the adult who wanted a higher ratio of meat to bun."[4] In 1971, Bernardin introduced the first Quarter Pounders at his McDonald's in Fremont using the slogan, "Today Fremont, tomorrow the world."[4] His Quarter Pounder became a success and was added to the national American menu in 1972.
In November 2008, McDonald's Japan (which did not ordinarily offer the Quarter Pounder) converted two Tokyo restaurants into "Quarter Pounder" branded restaurants which only sold Quarter Pounder meals. These promotional branches closed on November 27, 2008 coinciding with the re-introduction of the Quarter Pounder at regular McDonald's branches throughout the Kantō (Tokyo) region from November 28.[5] The Quarter Pounder was launched at one McDonald's restaurant in the Kansai (Osaka) region on December 23, 2008.[6] It was later reported that 15,000 customers had visited the restaurant on the first day, generating a record 10.02 million yen in sales for a single restaurant in one day. However, it was also revealed that McDonald's had hired 1,000 "extras" to queue up on the first day. McDonald's Japan explained that the hirees were used for "product monitoring purposes".[7]
Product description
In most markets that do not use US customary measurements, the Quarter Pounder is known as the Hamburger Royale, Royal, McRoyal, or variants thereof. In France, Belgium and Portugal the Quarter Pounder includes cheese as standard and is named Royal Cheese. In Italy, formerly known as McRoyal DeLuxe, it goes by Deluxe, Cheese and Bacon variants.
In English-speaking countries that have adopted metrication, the burger retains the Quarter Pounder name. The term Quarterão com Queijo is used in metric Brazil, Cuarto de Libra con Queso in Spain and in Latin America, and Quarter Pounder Cheese is used in Sweden and Finland. In the United States and South Africa there are two variations: the Quarter Pounder with cheese, and the Quarter Pounder Deluxe. In some Middle-Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, McDonald's provides both a Quarter Pounder and a McRoyale burger on its menu, the McRoyale having slightly different ingredients. In Chinese markets, the Quarter Pounder is known as a "full three taels" (Chinese: 足三両) because three taels is approximately equal in weight to a quarter pound. In Russia, it is known as Royal Cheeseburger.
The burger comprises a beef patty weighing 4.25 oz. (120.5 g) before cooking[8] and 3 oz. prepared, pickles, raw onion, ketchup, and mustard.
The nutritional content of the Quarter Pounder varies between countries and locations. For example, in Australia, which uses local beef for its McDonald's products, the average Quarter Pounder has 33.7 g of protein per serving, a higher value than that stated for the same burger in the United States.[9]
Other quarter-pound hamburgers
"Quarter Pounder" is a trademark in the United States, but restaurants in other countries have been able to use similar names for their own products, such as the British Wimpy chain's "Quarterpounder."[10]
See also
References
- ^ United States Food and Drug Administration (2024). "Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels". FDA. Archived from the original on March 27, 2024. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
- ^ National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Health and Medicine Division; Food and Nutrition Board; Committee to Review the Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium (2019). Oria, Maria; Harrison, Meghan; Stallings, Virginia A. (eds.). Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium. The National Academies Collection: Reports funded by National Institutes of Health. Washington, DC: National Academies Press (US). ISBN 978-0-309-48834-1. PMID 30844154. Archived from the original on May 9, 2024. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
- ^ Little, Katie (June 26, 2015). "McDonald's Quarter Pounder is getting bigger (really!)". CNBC. Retrieved October 26, 2015.
- ^ a b c d Artz, Matthew (December 31, 2009). "Fremont's 'hamburger king' dead at 81". Oakland Tribune. Retrieved January 12, 2010.
- ^ "Kitajima gets his hands on Quarter Pounder" (27 November 2008). Retrieved on November 30, 2008.
- ^ "Hundreds line up for an hour at Osaka McDonald's for Quarter Pounder debut" (24 December 2008). Retrieved on December 26, 2008.
- ^ Sankei News: "マクドナルドがサクラで行列演出? 新商品先行販売で" (McDonald's used shills to queue for new product launch?)(25 December 2008). Retrieved on December 26, 2008. Template:Ja icon
- ^ "Food / Product Nutrition / Quarter Pounder with Cheese". McDonalds.com. McDonald's Corporation. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
- ^ November 17, 2009, Nutrition Information, McDonald's Australia
- ^ Wimpy menu. Retrieved on August 26, 2012.