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McDonald's Menu

Updated 17 August 2026

McDonald's Hamburger
Burgers

McDonald's Hamburger

$2.94 250 Cal 12g protein

The original burger starts with a 100% pure beef burger 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.

Checked across 60 restaurants, $1.79 to $4.59.

4.9 · 8 ratings

Nutrition Calculator Full Prices at McDonald's Menu

Nutritional Facts

Per serving · Based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Total250kcal
Protein12g24%
Carbs30g10%
Fat9g14%
NutrientAmount% DV
Calories250kcal13%
Total Fat9g14%
Saturated Fat3.5g18%
Trans Fat0g—
Cholesterol30mg10%
Sodium510mg22%
Total Carbohydrates30g10%
Dietary Fiber1g4%
Total Sugars5g10%
Added Sugars5g10%
Protein12g24%
Calcium15mg1%
Iron2.5mg14%
Potassium190mg4%
Caffeine0mg—
Nutritional values come from McDonald's published data and may vary by location or customisation. Updated 17 August 2026. Compare this item against the rest of the menu with the nutrition calculator.

McDonald's Hamburger Complete Information

A McDonald's Hamburger costs $2.94 and carries 250 calories, which makes it the cheapest and the lightest thing with beef in it on the entire menu. One patty of 100% beef seasoned on the grill, ketchup, mustard, a spoon of diced onion and two pickle slices, on a plain bun. No cheese, no sauce, nothing hiding the beef.

It is easy to read the Hamburger as the kids' order and miss what it actually is: the original 1948 build, unchanged, and the only burger here that stays under 300 calories. Anyone counting will find it does more work than the salads McDonald's no longer sells. Add a slice of cheese and it becomes the Cheeseburger for about 50 calories more. Pair it with Small French Fries and you have the cheapest full order on the board, or step up to the McDouble when one patty is not enough.

Health Insight

At 250 calories, this one is on the lighter side of the menu.

What Is in a McDonald's Hamburger?

16 ingredients, exactly as McDonald's lists them.

  • Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid)
  • Water
  • Sugar
  • Yeast
  • Soybean Oil
  • Contains 2% Or Less: Salt
  • Dextrose
  • Corn Starch
  • Modified Food Starch
  • Wheat Gluten
  • Vinegar
  • Vegetable Proteins (Pea, Potato, Rice And/or Faba)
  • Sunflower And/or Canola Oil
  • Maltodextrin
  • Natural Flavors
  • Dough Conditioners (Enzymes, Ascorbic Acid, Monoglycerides)
Ingredient statements are published by McDonald's and can change without notice. Regional suppliers mean a restaurant near you may use a slightly different formulation.

How to Make a Hamburger at Home?

The Hamburger is the easiest McDonald's item to reproduce at home, because there is nowhere to hide. Thin beef, a soft bun, and the exact condiment ratio doing all the work. Get the patty thin enough and the onion fine enough and it lands remarkably close to the $2.94 original.

15 min10 prep, 5 cookEasydifficulty2 burgersyield
Servings2

Ingredients0 of 7

Beef

To assemble

Method0 of 6 steps

Tips

  • Use 80/20 mince. Leaner beef dries out at this thickness before it browns.
  • The onion goes on the ketchup side, never on the patty. Dry onion on hot beef turns bitter.
  • Warm the bun, never crisp it. A toasted crunch belongs to a different burger.

Variations

  • Add one slice of American cheese for the Cheeseburger, about 50 calories and $3.39 at the counter.
  • Double the patty and add cheese for a McDouble, which is the value order on the real menu too.
  • Skip the mustard for a milder version that children usually prefer.

Serve straight from the pan with fries. A restaurant Hamburger runs $2.94, so a home batch only makes sense once you are cooking for a table.

Pairs Well Together

Perfect Combination

Small French Fries is the side a Hamburger is built around, and the pair is what a meal bundles anyway.

Hamburger $2.94 Hamburger Small French Fries $4.49 Small French Fries

Allergen Information

This item may contain the following allergens

  • Wheat
  • Gluten
  • Sesame

Allergen information for the Hamburger is based on McDonald's standard recipe. Cross contamination is possible in restaurant kitchens, so tell staff about any allergy before you order.

Compare Items

Pick an item above to see it against the Hamburger on price, calories and macros.

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Hamburger Questions

How much is a McDonald's Hamburger?

A Hamburger is $2.94 at a typical US restaurant, the lowest priced item with beef on the menu. That is the median of the real restaurant listings we checked, and the full range appears under the price at the top of this page. Every franchise sets its own prices, so an airport or interstate location charges more.

How many calories are in a McDonald’s Hamburger?

A Hamburger has 250 calories, which makes it the lightest beef item McDonald's sells. It carries 12g of protein alongside that. The full breakdown with fat, carbs and sodium is in the nutrition table on this page.

What is the difference between a Hamburger and a Cheeseburger?

One slice of American cheese, and about 50 calories. The Cheeseburger is $3.39 against the Hamburger's $2.94, with everything else identical: the same patty, ketchup, mustard, onion and pickle on the same bun.

What is on a McDonald’s Hamburger?

A 100% beef patty seasoned with salt and pepper on the grill, tomato ketchup, yellow mustard, finely diced onion and two dill pickle slices, on a regular bun. Nothing else, which is why it stays so light.

Is the McDonald’s Hamburger still on the menu?

Yes, and it is the oldest item McDonald’s still sells, dating to 1948. It also anchors the Hamburger Happy Meal. Availability is standard at every US restaurant, though a few locations push the value menu versions harder at the board.

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