Which McDonald’s sandwich was introduced in 1971 with a quarter-pound beef patty?

The Quarter Pounder was introduced by McDonald’s in 1971 with a quarter-pound beef patty before cooking.

Al Bernardin, a McDonald’s franchisee and later company executive, developed the sandwich as a larger hamburger for customers seeking more beef. The name directly described the patty’s pre-cooked weight, making the product easy to distinguish from McDonald’s regular hamburger and cheeseburger.

The sandwich joined the national menu after the Big Mac had already established itself as a signature item. Its branding emphasized size and beef content rather than the Big Mac’s special sauce and three-part bun. The Quarter Pounder became one of McDonald’s most recognizable menu names and later received regional variations, including versions with cheese.

A frequent source of confusion is the difference between the advertised quarter-pound weight and the cooked patty. Cooking reduces the patty’s weight because moisture and fat are lost. The name refers to the raw patty specification, not the weight of the finished sandwich in the wrapper.