Calories in Burger
A typical fast-food burger is 250-550 kcal. Restaurant burgers (with sides) are 800-1200 kcal. Smashed-patty homemade burgers can be calorie-modest.
Nutrition by portion size
| Portion | kcal | Carbs (g) | Protein (g) | Fat (g) | Fiber (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plain hamburger (no cheese) | 250 | 31 | 12 | 9 | — |
| Cheeseburger | 300 | 32 | 15 | 13 | — |
| Double cheeseburger | 440 | 33 | 25 | 23 | — |
| Quarter Pounder with cheese | 510 | 42 | 26 | 26 | — |
| Big Mac | 550 | 45 | 25 | 30 | — |
| Whopper (Burger King) | 660 | 49 | 28 | 40 | — |
| Five Guys hamburger | 700 | 39 | 30 | 43 | — |
About these numbers
Burger calorie content varies enormously. A plain fast-food hamburger is ~250 kcal — fits in most calorie targets. Specialty/double burgers reach 500-700+ kcal. Restaurant burgers with toppings (bacon, mushrooms, etc.) and sides (fries) easily exceed 1,000 kcal. For weight loss: plain or single-cheeseburger choices with no fries can fit; specialty doubles and triples with sides typically don't.
Use the calculators
- Calorie Deficit Calculator — find how this portion fits your daily target
- Glycemic Load Calculator — compute exact GL for any serving size
- Macro Calculator — set protein, carb, fat splits for cut/maintain/bulk
- Net Carbs Calculator — useful for keto and T1D insulin dosing
Related foods
Frequently asked questions
- How many calories in a burger?
- Plain hamburger: 250 kcal. Cheeseburger: 300 kcal. Double cheeseburger: 440 kcal. Quarter Pounder w/ cheese: 510 kcal. Big Mac: 550 kcal. Whopper: 660 kcal. Five Guys: 700 kcal.
- Can I eat a burger on a diet?
- Yes, with right choices. A plain or single cheeseburger (250-300 kcal) fits most calorie targets. Skip the fries (300+ kcal extra). Skip soda (140-200 kcal). Add a side salad if available. For sit-down restaurant burgers, share or take half home.
- Burger or pizza?
- A single cheeseburger (300 kcal) is comparable to a slice of cheese pizza (285 kcal). Both fit in measured portions. The traps are: full burger meal (1,100+ kcal with fries and soda) vs 3-slice pizza (850+ kcal). Single-item discipline matters more than item choice.
- Lower-calorie burger options?
- Order without cheese (-50 kcal), substitute lettuce wrap for bun (-150 kcal), skip mayo (-100 kcal), choose grilled chicken sandwich (-150 kcal). At Five Guys, "little hamburger" is half the size at ~480 kcal.
Track it
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