McDonald’s introduced the Quarter Pounder nationally in the United States in 1973.
The Quarter Pounder is named for the approximate pre-cooking weight of its beef patty: one quarter of a pound, or four ounces. McDonald’s had tested the sandwich in selected markets before expanding it across the United States. Its larger patty distinguished it from the chain’s smaller standard hamburgers.
The burger is commonly served with cheese, onions, pickles, ketchup, mustard, and a sesame-seed bun. The cheese version is known as the Quarter Pounder with Cheese and became one of McDonald’s best-known menu items.
A common mix-up is the introduction date. The sandwich was created earlier than its 1973 national rollout, and some locations carried it before that expansion. The year 1973 refers to its national introduction in the United States.