Two of McDonald’s most popular menu items are the classic Quarter Pounder and Big Mac! Although they are both excellent, there has been considerable debate about which one is better. So, let us clear this debate once and for all with this article on Quarter Pounder Vs. Big Mac!
Out of the Big Mac and Quarter Pounder from McDonald’s, Big Mac is the clear winner. Many factors determine the same, which are discussed further in this blog post.
Both these burgers from McDonald’s are so famous that they have remained one of the best burgers on the McDonald’s menu everywhere! Although McDonald’s has the most significant presence in the United States, these two burgers are trendy in almost every country with a McDonald’s!
However, people are highly divided over this whole thing regarding which is better. So, in this blog post, we will look at some hard facts about the differences between the two, including their prices, which will help us decide the clear winner! So, let us get right into the debate!
What Is A Big Mac And A Quarter Pounder?
Before we begin exploring the differences between a Big Mac and a Quarter pounder, it is first essential to understand what these burgers are all about. Despite their popularity, most of us are still determining exactly what goes inside these burgers. So, let us have a look at the same.
Big Mac is the enormous burger on the McDonald’s menu. It consists of two beef patties and a middle bun instead of one. Along with two beef patties, the Big Mac has a special Big Mac sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, and onions.
All of this is in a sizable sesame-seeded bun. The middle bun was added to this. Otherwise, it was messy to eat.
The Quarter Pounder, on the other hand, does not have two beef patties. However, the single patty is much thicker than the beef patty used in the Big Mac. Along with the ¼ lb patty, the Quarter Pounder also has lettuce, ketchup, mustard, onions, and cheese.
One of the franchise owners invented Quarter Pounder as they thought they would want an option for adults who would like a burger with a giant meat patty.
What’s The Difference Between A Big Mac and A Quarter Pounder?
Before we get into the differences between a Big Mac and a Quarter Pounder, here is a table that shows the fundamental differences between the two McDonald’s classic burgers.
Basis Of Difference | Big Mac | Quarter Pounder |
Ingredients | Sesame Bun, 2 thin beef patties, Big Mac Sauce, lettuce, onions | Bun, ¼ lb beef patty, ketchup, mustard, dill pickles, and onions |
Price | Cheaper | Expensive |
Quantity of Beef | Less | More |
Nutrition | More calories | Fewer calories |
Popularity | Extremely popular | Less popular |
Differences In The Ingredients Of Big Mac and Quarter Pounder
The first difference between a Big Mac and a Quarter Pounder lies in the ingredients used to make the two. While the quality of beef remains the same, the proportions of the patties differ.
Moreover, the components that make up a Quarter Pounder are very similar to that of various other McDonald’s burgers. A Quarter Pounder has parts like ketchup, mustard, cheese, pickles, and onions, identical to the classic McDonald’s Cheeseburger.
The Big Mac, on the other hand, has very different and unique components and ingredients that go into making them. Firstly, the Big Mac sauce is the special sauce that goes into a Big Mac and makes this burger what it is.
Other than that, this burger has lettuce, cheese, and onions. Moreover, the middle bun is also unique to the Big Mac at McDonald’s.
Winner – As Big Mac has unique ingredients compared to the Quarter Pounder, Big Mac is the winner.
Differences In The Price Of Big Mac and Quarter Pounder
You may have thought that the Big Mac may be the most expensive burger because it is much larger than the Quarter Pounder. Moreover, the rest of the components in a Big Mac, like the Big Mac sauce, are specially made for this burger.
However, regardless of that, Quarter Pounder is the most expensive of the two burgers. It eventually all comes down to the quantity of meat in each burger; hence, the quarter pounder is priced at $ 5.19, whereas the cost of a Big Mac is $ 4.79.
Winner – As far as value for money goes, Big Mac is the clear winner.
Which Burger Has More Beef?
One of the differences between these two burgers that may seem less obvious but is central is the amount of beef that goes into each burger. The Big Mac, as you know, has two beef patties, whereas the Quarter Pounder has just one.
However, regardless of that, the Quarter Pounder has more beef by weight compared to the Big Mac. As the burger’s name suggests, Quarter pounder has ¼ lb of meat. Despite the two beef patties in the Big Mac, the quantity does not add up to ¼ lb, as the patties are much thinner.
Winner – In terms of the quantity of beef, Quarter Pounder is the winner.
Nutritional Values Of Both Burgers
Calories | Total Fat | Carbohydrates | Protein | Sugar | Cholesterol | Calcium | Iron | |
Big Mac | 550 cal | 30 g | 45 g | 25 g | 9 g | 80 mg | 120 mg | 4.5 mg |
Quarter Pounder | 520 cal | 26 g | 42 g | 30 g | 10 g | 95 mg | 190 mg | 4 mg |
- Calories – As you can see, the Big Mac has more calories than the Quarter Pounder. With the Big Mac, quite a lot of the calories come from carbohydrates, whereas the Quarter Pounder has more calories from protein.
- Total Fat – Big mac has more fat than Quarter Pounder, mainly because the Big Mac special sauce is much fattier than the spices in the Quarter Pounder.
- Carbohydrates – The next is carbohydrates, where Big Mac has the higher content. This is because of the extra added middle bun.
- Protein – As the quarter pounder has a thicker beef patty and more beef, the amount of protein is higher than the Big Mac.
- Sugar – The following criterion for comparison is the quantity of sugar. Big Mac is better than Quarter Pounder since it has less sugar.
- Cholesterol – Since the beef patty is thicker for the quarter pounder, it has a higher cholesterol level.
- Calcium – Quarter Pounder has a higher amount of calcium, which is good in this case.
- Iron – Lastly, there is a minor difference in the iron content of the two burgers, but Big Mac wins this one.
Winner – Quarter Pounder is the healthier option to consider out of these two burgers.
Which Is More Popular Among People?
The last difference between the classic Big Mac and Quarter Pounder lies in their popularity amongst people. We have seen some of the differences between the two. However, although the Quarter Pounder is the healthier version of the two, Big Mac has remained the more popular burger.
Due to the different ingredients used in a Big Mac, when compared to a Quarter Pounder, more people tend to prefer it. The components that go into making the Big Mac are unlike no other. That makes this burger unique in its way.
The Quarter Pounder is also unique in many ways. However, there is also the fact that all the ingredients used in making this burger are very similar to the cheeseburger. The only thing that stands out about it is the fact that it has a large beef patty.
Winner- Big Mac is the clear winner here.
Which Burger Wins- Quarter Pounder or Big Mac?
Now that we have seen all the differences between the two burgers, we can finally conclude which is the better burger. Based on all the comparisons, the Big Mac has many advantages over the Quarter Pounder.
Hence, it can be concluded that Big Mac is the better burger out of the two. If you want to know more about the differences between various menu items offered at fast-food restaurant chains, you can also look at our articles on Big Mac vs. Whopper, Grand Big Mac Vs. Big Mac and McGriddle Vs. McMuffin.Â
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Which burger has better ingredients?Â
As Big Mac has more specific ingredients for that particular burger, most people agree that the Big Mac is the better burger.Â
Which burger is more nutritious?Â
Quarter Pounder is more nutritious than Big Mac.Â
Which burger has more beef?Â
Quarter Pounder has a thicker beef patty than the Quarter Pounder, making it a burger with more beef.Â
Which burger is more popular?Â
Big Mac is the most popular burger among the Big Mac and Quarter Pounder from McDonald’s.Â