What Are McDonald's Nutrition Facts?
Calories, sodium, and the full macro footprint of a Big Mac meal, Quarter Pounder, McChicken, Egg McMuffin, and World Famous Fries, plus the customization...
Quick Answer
A standard Big Mac Meal at McDonald's USA (Big Mac, medium World Famous Fries, medium Coca-Cola) lands at roughly 1,170 calories, 53 g of fat, 158 g of carbohydrate, and 1,385 mg of sodium.
That single meal is about 58 percent of a 2,000 calorie daily baseline and 60 percent of the 2,300 mg daily sodium limit recommended by the American Heart Association.
Swapping the soda for unsweetened iced tea and the fries for apple slices drops the same meal to about 720 calories with no change to the sandwich.
Build your order with the McDonald's nutrition calculator
Add the items you plan to order and the calculator totals calories, protein, fat, saturated fat, sodium, carbs and sugars for the whole tray, with percent daily values.
Core menu nutrition (current US menu)
Figures below come from the current McDonald's USA nutrition disclosure.
| Item | Calories | Protein | Total Fat | Sat Fat | Carbs | Sodium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Mac | 590 | 25 g | 34 g | 11 g | 46 g | 1,050 mg |
| Quarter Pounder with Cheese | 520 | 30 g | 27 g | 13 g | 42 g | 1,140 mg |
| Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese | 740 | 48 g | 43 g | 21 g | 43 g | 1,360 mg |
| McChicken | 400 | 14 g | 21 g | 3.5 g | 39 g | 560 mg |
| McDouble | 400 | 22 g | 20 g | 9 g | 33 g | 920 mg |
| Filet-O-Fish | 390 | 16 g | 19 g | 4 g | 39 g | 580 mg |
| 10 piece McNuggets | 410 | 23 g | 24 g | 4 g | 26 g | 840 mg |
| World Famous Fries (medium) | 320 | 5 g | 15 g | 2 g | 43 g | 290 mg |
| World Famous Fries (large) | 480 | 7 g | 23 g | 3 g | 64 g | 400 mg |
| Egg McMuffin | 310 | 17 g | 13 g | 5 g | 30 g | 770 mg |
| Sausage McMuffin with Egg | 480 | 21 g | 31 g | 11 g | 30 g | 830 mg |
| Hash Browns | 140 | 1 g | 8 g | 1 g | 16 g | 320 mg |
The classic Big Mac Meal breakdown
A medium Big Mac Meal as ordered:
- Big Mac: 590 kcal
- Medium fries: 320 kcal
- Medium Coca-Cola (21 oz): 260 kcal
Totals: roughly 1,170 calories, 53 g of fat, 158 g of carbohydrate, and 1,385 mg of sodium.
A large Big Mac Meal pushes those totals to about 1,420 calories with a large Coke (380 kcal) and large fries (480 kcal), driven almost entirely by sugar in the soda and starch in the fries.
Breakfast: the McMuffin is the smart pick
The Egg McMuffin is one of the most balanced quick service breakfasts available anywhere. It uses a real shell egg cracked into a metal ring on the grill, Canadian bacon, an English muffin, and a slice of American cheese.
- 310 calories
- 17 g of protein
- 30 g of carbohydrate
- 770 mg of sodium
Swapping a Sausage McMuffin with Egg (480 kcal) for an Egg McMuffin (310 kcal) saves 170 calories and 18 g of fat with no meaningful protein loss.
Where the calories and sodium actually come from
- Sauces. Big Mac Sauce is about 90 calories and 9 g of fat per serving. Asking for it on the side and using half cuts the sandwich by 45 calories.
- Cheese. A single slice of American cheese on a Quarter Pounder adds about 50 calories and 200 mg of sodium.
- Sweet beverages. A large Coca-Cola is 380 calories of pure sugar. Switching to unsweetened iced tea, black coffee, or Diet Coke saves all of it.
- Fries oil. McDonald's fries are cooked in a canola oil blend that includes trace beef flavor (the famous natural beef flavor with hydrolyzed wheat and milk). They are not vegetarian or vegan in the US.
- Salt on fries. Asking for fries unsalted drops sodium by roughly 200 mg per medium serving and they are cooked to order, which means they arrive fresh.
The smartest swaps
- Soda to unsweet tea or Diet Coke. Saves 260 to 380 calories instantly depending on size.
- Fries to apple slices. Saves 285 calories on a Happy Meal style swap.
- Big Mac to McDouble. Saves 190 calories and over 4 g of saturated fat, with similar protein.
- 10 piece nuggets to 6 piece nuggets. Saves 160 calories and 10 g of fat. Pair with a side salad for satiety.
- Side salad with Newman's Italian dressing. About 130 calories total, real volume on the plate, and a vegetable serving.
- Sausage McMuffin to Egg McMuffin. Saves 170 calories with similar protein.
Sauces, dressings, and dipping sauces
| Sauce or dressing | Calories | Sodium |
|---|---|---|
| Sweet 'N Sour Sauce (1 packet) | 50 | 140 mg |
| Honey (1 packet) | 50 | 0 mg |
| Tangy Barbeque Sauce | 45 | 240 mg |
| Spicy Buffalo Sauce | 30 | 650 mg |
| Honey Mustard | 60 | 120 mg |
| Creamy Ranch Sauce | 110 | 270 mg |
| Big Mac Sauce (side) | 90 | 170 mg |
FAQs
What is the lowest calorie meal at McDonald's?
A 4 piece McNuggets with apple slices and a bottle of water lands around 230 calories and 460 mg of sodium.
Are McDonald's fries gluten free?
No. The natural beef flavor used in the fry oil contains hydrolyzed wheat and milk, and the fries are cooked in shared oil with breaded products.
How much protein is in a Quarter Pounder?
30 g in the standard Quarter Pounder with Cheese, 48 g in the Double Quarter Pounder.
Which McDonald's breakfast is highest in protein?
The Sausage, Egg and Cheese McGriddles at 30 g, followed by the Bacon, Egg and Cheese Biscuit at 21 g.
Is the Filet-O-Fish actually fish?
Yes. It uses wild caught Alaska pollock, breaded and fried, served with tartar sauce and a half slice of American cheese.
The takeaway
McDonald's lives and dies by the combo. The sandwiches are mostly reasonable in isolation: a McDouble is 400 calories, a McChicken is 400, an Egg McMuffin is 310. The 1,000 plus calorie meals appear when fries and sugar sweetened drinks join the order. Pick the sandwich you actually want, then make the swaps on the sides and the drink, and a McDonald's meal lands in the 500 to 700 calorie range without sacrificing the part you came for.