Quick Answer
A McDonald’s hamburger patty by itself without any toppings or condiments contains 180 calories. A standard McDonald’s hamburger patty weighs 100 grams before cooking and contains around 17 grams of protein, 9 grams of fat, and 1 gram of carbohydrates.
Calories in a McDonald’s Hamburger Patty
McDonald’s hamburger patties come pre-prepared and are simply heated on a grill before serving. A standard McDonald’s hamburger patty contains the following nutrition information according to the McDonald’s website:
| Calories | 180 |
| Total Fat | 9 g |
| Saturated Fat | 3.5 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.5 g |
| Cholesterol | 35 mg |
| Sodium | 125 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 1 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 g |
| Sugars | 0 g |
| Protein | 17 g |
So a plain McDonald’s hamburger patty contains 180 calories. This is without any additional toppings, buns, condiments or preparation methods that would add more calories.
McDonald’s Hamburger Patty Ingredients
According to McDonald’s, their hamburger patties contain the following ingredients:
– 100% pure USDA inspected beef; no fillers, no extenders
– Grill seasoning (salt, black pepper)
The beef patties arrive at McDonald’s pre-formed and frozen. They are simply reheated on a grill before serving.
The patties weigh 100 grams before cooking, which shrinks down to around 52 grams after cooking due to moisture loss. The nutrition information is based on the pre-cooked 100 gram patty weight.
How Many Calories in a McDonald’s Hamburger?
Adding the standard toppings and buns increases the total calories in a McDonald’s hamburger. Here is the full nutrition breakdown:
| Hamburger Patty | 180 calories |
| Regular Bun | 150 calories |
| Ketchup (1 packet) | 20 calories |
| Mustard (1 packet) | 0 calories |
| Onion (1 slice) | 5 calories |
| Pickle Slices (2) | 5 calories |
| Total Calories | 360 calories |
A full McDonald’s hamburger with a standard 100 gram patty and regular bun and toppings contains about 360 calories.
The patty alone is 180 calories, so the additional ingredients add another 180 calories. The bun accounts for over half the additional calories.
How Many Calories in Other McDonald’s Burgers
The number of calories in a McDonald’s burger depends on the size of the patty and bun:
| Burger | Calories |
| Hamburger | 360 |
| Cheeseburger | 390 |
| Double Hamburger | 490 |
| Double Cheeseburger | 540 |
| Big Mac | 540 |
| Quarter Pounder | 520 |
The double burgers have around twice as many calories as the regular hamburgers since they contain two patties instead of one. The other ingredients like the bun, cheese, and sauces also contribute to extra calories.
Comparing McDonald’s Burgers
The number of calories in McDonald’s burgers compared to a regular hamburger patty are:
- Hamburger: 360 calories
- Cheeseburger: 390 calories
- Double Hamburger: 490 calories
- Double Cheeseburger: 540 calories
- Big Mac: 540 calories
- Quarter Pounder: 520 calories
So McDonald’s burgers range from 360 calories for a basic hamburger up to 540 calories for a Double Cheeseburger or Big Mac.
The more meat patties and cheese a burger contains, the more calories it will provide. Bigger buns also increase the calorie count.
McDonald’s Patty Calories Compared to Other Fast Food Chains
McDonald’s 180 calorie burger patties are fairly typical compared to similar fast food chains:
| Restaurant | Patty Calories |
| McDonald’s | 180 |
| Burger King | 180 |
| Wendy’s | 220 |
| Hardee’s | 160 |
| Sonic | 180 |
Most fast food chains have hamburger patties ranging from 160 to 220 calories. So McDonald’s 180 calorie beef patties are right in line with the overall fast food industry.
Patties at different restaurants can vary based on the exact size, thickness, and blends of beef used. But in general most fast food burgers contain patties with around 180 calories.
Low Calorie McDonald’s Sandwich Options
For a lower calorie sandwich at McDonald’s, some options contain under 300 calories:
- Hamburger: 360 calories
- Cheeseburger: 390 calories
- Filet-O-Fish: 380 calories
- McChicken: 370 calories
- Bacon McDouble: 380 calories
- Mayo Chicken: 300 calories
The basic hamburgers, the Filet-O-Fish, McChicken, and Mayo Chicken all provide reasonable sandwich options under 400 calories.
You can also customize burgers and remove higher calorie toppings like cheese and sauces to reduce the calories. Another option is to order a burger with no bun, which saves around 150 calories from the bun.
High Calorie McDonald’s Menu Items
While the burgers at McDonald’s contain 300-500 calories, some menu items are much higher in calories:
- Big Breakfast with Hotcakes: 1,150 calories
- Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese: 770 calories
- Large Fries: 510 calories
- Chocolate Shake (Large): 890 calories
- McFlurry with M&M’s (Large): 1,120 calories
- 20 Piece McNuggets: 1,280 calories
Items like the Big Breakfast, Double Quarter Pounder, shakes, McFlurries, and McNuggets can all add up to over 1,000 calories for a single meal.
Sticking to the burgers and sandwiches under 400 calories can help limit calorie intake when dining at McDonald’s.
Low Calorie Options at McDonald’s
To keep your meal under 500 calories at McDonald’s, some low calorie menu items include:
- Hamburger: 360 calories
- 4 piece McNugget: 190 calories
- Side salad with vinaigrette: 15 calories
- Kids size fries: 230 calories
- Cinnamon melts: 210 calories
- Coffee or tea: 0 calories
Having a hamburger or McNuggets along with a salad, kids fries, a small dessert like cinnamon melts, and a zero calorie beverage can keep your total meal under 500 calories.
Splitting meals or portions with a friend is another way to reduce calories when dining at McDonald’s.
Tips for Eating Low Calorie at McDonald’s
Here are some tips to enjoy McDonald’s while limiting your calorie intake:
- Order small or kid-size fries instead of large
- Choose grilled chicken sandwiches instead of beef
- Mix up sides like apple slices, yogurt, and salads
- Order basic hamburgers and cheeseburgers instead of deluxe burgers
- Ask for light ketchup and mustard instead of regular
- Skip sugary dressings and sauces or order them on the side
- Opt for water, diet soda, unsweetened tea, or black coffee for lower calorie drinks
- Share a meal with a friend or split a meal into two portions
Following these simple tips when ordering can help reduce hundreds of calories from your McDonald’s meal.
McDonald’s Nutrition Calculator
McDonald’s provides an online nutrition calculator that allows you to customize burgers and meals to see the calorie count and nutrients for different menu options.
You can subtract ingredients like cheese or condiments and see how it changes the totals. Or add extra items to see how many more calories it adds.
Using the nutrition calculator when ordering at McDonald’s can help you make lower calorie choices while still enjoying your favorite menu items.
Conclusion
A McDonald’s hamburger patty on its own contains 180 calories. A full McDonald’s hamburger with a bun and toppings comes to around 360 calories. Other McDonald’s burgers range from 360 calories for a basic hamburger up to 540 calories for a Double Cheeseburger or Big Mac.
While the burgers contain a reasonable number of calories, some McDonald’s menu items like shakes, McFlurries, and Big Breakfasts can add up to over 1,000 calories. Choosing grilled chicken, salads, and smaller sized options can help keep your McDonald’s meal under 500 calories. Using the online nutrition calculator when ordering is also a great tool to customize lower calorie meals.
