Wait, what’s really in McDonald’s burgers? (2024)

FAQs

Wait, what’s really in McDonald’s burgers? ›

That's the only ingredient: 100% real beef. Our patties contain no preservatives or fillers, and the only thing we ever add is a touch of salt and pepper when the patties are sizzling hot on the grill.

Every one of our McDonald's burgers is made with 100% pure beef and cooked and prepared with salt, pepper and nothing else—no fillers, no additives, no preservatives.

The best fillers for the best burgers

Black beans typically take the spotlight in the burger arena, but pinto beans or navy beans work well, too. Beans will also add a creamier, softer texture that lessens meat's chewiness. Another health-conscious, cost-saving option is cooked whole grains.

Our simple, classic cheeseburger begins with a 100% pure beef burger patty seasoned with just a pinch of salt and pepper. The McDonald's Cheeseburger is topped with a tangy pickle, chopped onions, ketchup, mustard, and a slice of melty American cheese.

And most importantly: the quarter pound* of 100% fresh McDonald's beef^ that's cooked when you order. That's what makes our Quarter Pounder® with Cheese the hottest and juiciest yet. It's perfect made perfecter. We serve our 100% fresh beef patties on a variety of burgers.

That's the only ingredient: 100% real beef. Our patties contain no preservatives or fillers, and the only thing we ever add is a touch of salt and pepper when the patties are sizzling hot on the grill.

McDonald's. With 36,000 restaurants worldwide, the famed Golden Arches has mastered the art of fast food, and you'll be glad to know its burgers are "always made with 100% USDA-inspected beef," according to the company's website.

The Classic McDonald's Hamburger starts with a 100% pure beef patty seasoned with just a pinch of salt and pepper. Then, the McDonald's burger is topped with a tangy pickle, chopped onions, ketchup, and mustard. What's the difference between a Hamburger and a Cheeseburger, you ask? A slice of cheese in the latter!

McDonald's burgers are made of 100% ground beef, formed into hamburger patties, and then quickly frozen at our suppliers to seal in great fresh flavor. We add salt and pepper to our burgers when they are cooked on the grill at our restaurants to bring out all that great beef taste. * Weight before cooking 4 oz.

Square beef patties make it easy to know you're enjoying the very best hamburger for your buck: fresh, never frozen and made from 100% real beef. Our signature square hamburger patties have no fillers or additives, because we know the beef is what matters when it comes to making the best hamburger in the game.

What makes a McDonald's cheeseburger unhealthy? ›

Sodium increases the risk of hypertension, which is high blood pressure, and the industrial oils used for frying burgers, french fries, Chicken McNuggets, and other popular McDonald's menu items increase inflammation and are packed with calories, which can cause weight gain over time.

The classic McDouble burger stacks two 100% pure beef patties seasoned with just a pinch of salt and pepper. Wondering what the difference is between a McDouble and a Double Cheeseburger? A slice of cheese!

450 Cal.450 Cal. The McDonald's Double Cheeseburger features two 100% pure all beef patties seasoned with just a pinch of salt and pepper. It's topped with tangy pickles, chopped onions, ketchup, mustard, and two melty American cheese slices.

Some consumers may be familiar with the practice of using lean, finely textured beef sometimes treated with ammonia, which is referred to by some as “pink slime.” We do not use this.

Fewer burgers are placed on the grill, which somehow results in a hotter, juicier, tastier burger, and the diced white onions are added to the beef patties on the grill as they are cooking, rather than afterwards at the prep table. The cheese has been “tempered” longer to make it meltier as well, Schafer says.

10:1 is the most popular meat. It is used in items such as Big Macs, Cheeseburgers and any variant of the two (ie McDouble, Double Cheeseburger, Mega Mac, Double Beef n Bacon). It is named 10:1 as it is a 10th of a pound. They take roughly 40 seconds to cook a batch of six.

McDonald's doesn't buy beef directly from cattle ranches, feedlots or slaughterhouses. Rather, it purchases "individually quick-frozen" patties from dozens of processors worldwide, the tail end of one of the world's most complex supply chains.

French Fries

Ingredients: Potatoes, Vegetable Oil (canola Oil, Corn Oil, Soybean Oil, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Natural Beef Flavor [wheat And Milk Derivatives]*), Dextrose, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate (maintain Color), Salt.

Fewer burgers are placed on the grill, which somehow results in a hotter, juicier, tastier burger, and the diced white onions are added to the beef patties on the grill as they are cooking, rather than afterwards at the prep table. The cheese has been “tempered” longer to make it meltier as well, Schafer says.

All McDonald's Burgers Are Made With The Same Beef

The Hamburger, Cheeseburger, Double Cheeseburger, McDouble, and Big Mac use frozen patties, while the Quarter Pounders are made with fresh beef. However, all the beef comes from the same source.