The Cheesiest Quarter Pounder: Unveiling The Mystery Melt

The Quarter Pounder is a hamburger sold by McDonald's. It features a quarter-pound beef patty, ketchup, mustard, slivered onions, pickles, and cheese, all served on a sesame seed bun. The cheese used in the Quarter Pounder is pasteurized processed American cheese. Interestingly, in France, the Quarter Pounder with Cheese is called a Royale with Cheese.

The Quarter Pounder in France

The Quarter Pounder is a hamburger brand introduced by McDonald's in 1971. It features a beef patty weighing 120 g (4.2 oz) before cooking and 85 g (3 oz) after. The Quarter Pounder comes with toppings such as pickles, raw onion, ketchup, and mustard. In the United States, Portugal, and South Africa, there are three variations: the Quarter Pounder with Cheese, the Quarter Pounder with Cheese and Bacon, and the Quarter Pounder Deluxe.

In France, the Quarter Pounder with Cheese is called the "Royale with Cheese" or "Royal Cheese." This name change is due to the metric system used in France, as the term "quarter pounder" doesn't make sense in a country that doesn't customarily use the pound as a unit of weight. The French adaptation of the name was popularised by the 1994 film Pulp Fiction, in which the characters discuss the cultural differences in naming the burger in France.

In France, every burger at McDonald's comes with cheese, and customers are not allowed to request its removal. This differs from other countries, where the Quarter Pounder is typically offered with or without cheese. The French McDonald's, affectionately called "McDo," also serves beer with meals and has a wider range of food options designed to appeal to the French palate, such as the McBaguette with terroir cheeses.

The popularity of McDonald's in France is notable, with almost 900 branches across the country, second only to the United States. The first French McDonald's opened in Strasbourg in 1979, and despite some initial resistance from anti-globalization supporters, the chain has become a fixture in the French dining landscape.

Cheese alternatives

The Quarter Pounder with Cheese from McDonald's features two slices of melty American cheese. If you're looking for a non-dairy alternative, there are several vegan cheese options that can be used instead.

Vegan cheese is typically made with plant-based ingredients such as nuts, seeds, tofu, oats, or beans, and thickened with starch or flour. Some common ingredients in homemade and store-bought vegan cheese include:

• Nuts and seeds: Cashews, almonds, macadamia nuts, pistachios, sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds
• Coconut: Coconut oil or coconut milk
• Starches/flour: Potato starch, all-purpose flour, tapioca starch, cornstarch, agar agar, or carrageenan
• Flavoring agents: Nutritional yeast, garlic powder, cumin, salt and pepper, apple cider vinegar, paprika, liquid smoke, dry mustard powder, miso paste, dry herbs, lemon juice, and more
• Violife shreds: Both mozzarella and cheddar shreds that melt quite nicely, especially in a covered pan
• Daiya Cutting Board Collection Shreds: An improved version of their classic shredded cheese, the mozzarella melts well and tastes good
• Chao Creamery Vegan Shreds: Melts great and has a nice mellow, neutral cheesy flavor with no weird aftertaste
• Follow Your Heart Smoked Gouda Slices: Tasty and melts and stretches pretty well
• Daiya Swiss Style Slices: Tastes remarkably similar to dairy-based Swiss cheese
• Violife Mature Cheddar Slices: Soft, flavorful, and melts pretty well

In addition to shredded and sliced options, there are also some spreadable vegan cheese alternatives that could work well on a Quarter Pounder:

• Kite Hill Foods Cream Cheese Alternative: Almond-based vegan cream cheese with a subtle tang and made with wholesome ingredients
• Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese: Tastes just like dairy cream cheese and is great for vegan cheesecake or when you want an authentic cream cheese taste
• Boursin Dairy-Free Garlic and Herb Spread: Tastes just like the original and is AMAZING according to one commenter
• Follow Your Heart Dairy-Free Parmesan: The best store-bought option for pre-shredded parmesan with a nice neutral taste; melts really great in the oven
• Violife Just Like Feta: Salty and briny, this is the best store-bought vegan feta one commenter has tried
• Trader Joe's Vegan Feta Cheese Alternative: A close second; tastes remarkably similar to dairy-based feta and sold at a very reasonable price

Nutritional value

The Quarter Pounder with Cheese from McDonald's contains 520 calories. The burger is made with a quarter-pound beef patty, ketchup, mustard, pickle slices, chopped onions, and two slices of American cheese on a sesame seed bun.

The beef patty is made with 100% real beef, with no fillers, additives, or preservatives. It is seasoned with salt and pepper and cooked on a hot grill to lock in the juices. The patty weighs 4 oz. before cooking.

The American cheese used in the Quarter Pounder is pasteurized processed cheese, made with milk, cream, water, sodium citrate, salt, cheese cultures, citric acid, enzymes, soy lecithin, and added color.

The sesame seed bun contains enriched flour (wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, and folic acid), water, sugar, yeast, soybean oil, sesame seeds, salt, wheat gluten, dextrose, guar gum, vinegar, vegetable proteins (pea, potato, rice), sunflower and/or canola oil, maltodextrin, natural flavors, dough conditioners (DATEM, ascorbic acid, mono and diglycerides, enzymes), and modified food starch.

The Quarter Pounder with Cheese also contains tangy pickles, which are made with cucumbers, water, distilled vinegar, salt, calcium chloride, alum, potassium sorbate (preservative), natural flavors, and polysorbate 80, and colored with turmeric extractives.

Overall, the Quarter Pounder with Cheese is a high-calorie, protein-rich food item, providing a substantial amount of energy. The American cheese and sesame seed bun contribute to the overall calorie count and provide additional nutrients such as carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.

How to order without cheese

Ordering a Quarter Pounder without cheese can be a little tricky, as the default option includes cheese, and there is no separate menu item for a Quarter Pounder without cheese. However, it is definitely possible to make a special request and get your burger cheese-free. Here are some tips on how to order a Quarter Pounder without cheese:

• Know what you want: Before placing your order, be clear that you want a Quarter Pounder without any cheese. This may seem obvious, but it's important to be confident in your request, especially if you have dietary restrictions or allergies.
• Specify "no cheese": When placing your order, simply say, "Quarter Pounder, no cheese." This direct approach clearly communicates your preference. You can also say, "Quarter Pounder without cheese" or "Quarter Pounder, hold the cheese."
• Provide context: If you want to be extra clear, you can explain why you're making this request. For example, you could say, "I'm allergic to cheese, so could I please have a Quarter Pounder without any cheese?" or "I don't eat cheese, so please leave it off my Quarter Pounder."
• Confirm your order: After placing your request, confirm with the staff member taking your order to ensure they understand. You could ask, "So, that's a Quarter Pounder with no cheese, right?" or "Just to confirm, a Quarter Pounder without cheese—is that possible?"
• Check your order: Once you receive your burger, take a moment to check that it doesn't have any cheese. Mistakes can happen, and it's better to catch them before you start eating!
• Be polite: Remember to be friendly and respectful to the staff. They are there to help you, and a little kindness goes a long way.

Keep in mind that the availability of a cheese-free Quarter Pounder may vary by location. Some McDonald's restaurants, particularly in France, are known for their strict "eat it as it comes or bugger off" policy when it comes to removing cheese or making special requests. In such cases, you may not be able to get a Quarter Pounder without cheese, but it's always worth asking politely.

The history of the Quarter Pounder

The Quarter Pounder, a hamburger sold by international fast-food chain McDonald's, has been a staple on the menu since its introduction in 1971. Created by franchise owner and former McDonald's Vice President of product development Al Bernardin, the Quarter Pounder was first introduced in Fremont, California, in 1971, as a competitor to the Whopper from Burger King.

The name Quarter Pounder refers to the weight of the beef patty, which was originally four ounces (a quarter of a pound or 113.4 grams) before cooking. In 2015, the weight was increased to 4.25 ounces (120 grams). The burger was initially priced at 60 cents, with an additional 10 cents to upgrade to a Quarter Pounder with Cheese.

The Quarter Pounder became so popular that it was added to the national American menu in 1973, and it has since undergone several changes. In 2013, the Quarter Pounder was expanded to represent a whole line of hamburgers that replaced the Angus hamburger, which was discontinued due to high prices for Angus beef. In 2018, McDonald's started using fresh beef with no preservatives for their Quarter Pounders at their continental U.S. locations and removed all artificial preservatives, flavors, and coloring from the Quarter Pounders.

In some countries where the pound is not used as a unit of weight, the Quarter Pounder is sold under different names. For example, in France, Belgium, Croatia, and Cyprus, it is called the Royal Cheese, and in Germany, it is known as the Hamburger Royal TS, which includes lettuce and tomato.

The Quarter Pounder has also inspired imitations from competing chains, such as the A&W, which introduced a larger burger with a one-third pound patty in the 1980s. However, this burger was met with customer disinterest due to the perception that a one-third pound patty was lighter than a quarter-pound patty.

The Quarter Pounder has become a cultural icon, even appearing in the opening scene of the 1994 film Pulp Fiction, where the characters discuss the cultural differences in the naming of the sandwich in Europe, specifically France, due to the use of the metric system.

Today, the Quarter Pounder continues to be a popular menu item at McDonald's, with various variations offered in different countries, including the Quarter Pounder with Cheese, Quarter Pounder with Cheese & Bacon, and the Quarter Pounder Deluxe.

Frequently asked questions