What A McDonald's Quarter Pounder With Cheese Is Called Around The World
At one point in time, McDonald's menu was simple: burgers, fries, and shakes. As the chain expanded and appetites expanded with it, new innovations came. One of its bigger and better burgers to grace its roster is the Quarter Pounder with Cheese. It was the brainchild of Al Bernardin, who invented it in 1971, later noting, "I felt there was a distinct need for a sandwich with a higher meat-to-bun ratio." (via Monterey Herald). The burger went nationwide in 1973 and has subsequently been gobbled up at locations across the globe.
That fractional product's name is so ubiquitous now it's hard for us Americans to believe that it's called something else in other countries. That notion was challenged in the revered 1994 Quentin Tarantino film "Pulp Fiction," which provided one of the most iconic film moments about chain restaurants. Vincent Vega (John Travolta) revealed to his partner Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson) that since France uses the metric system the name wouldn't make sense to them, and thus the burger goes by the more regal "Royale with Cheese."
If you walked into a McDonald's in Paris today, the name is a little different from what Vincent recalled, as its exact name is Le Royal Cheese. Curious about what its name is in other countries? We're glad you asked. Here's a handy McList, including one with an umlaut!
- Le Royal Cheese — France
- Royal Cheese — Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus
- McRoyal — Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia
- McRoyal Cheese — Portugal
- Sajtos ("Cheesy") McRoyal — Hungary
- Hamburger Royal Cheese — Germany
- Hamburger Royal mit Käse ("with cheese") — Austria
- Cheeseburger Royal — Switzerland
- QP Cheese — Sweden
- מק רויאל ("McRoyal" phonetically spelled) — Israel
A Quarter Pounder is still a Quarter Pounder in many countries
While the Quarter Pounder with Cheese goes by other names in many countries, others stick to the original name or hew very closely to it. If you walked into a McDonald's in Canada, Malta, South Africa, United Kingdom, Ireland, or Finland, you'll easily find what you're looking for. In French Canada, the name Quart de Livre avec Fromage translates to the same exact menu item. McDonald's locations in Australia, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Norway omit the word "cheese" from the name and call it a Quarter Pounder (it still comes with cheese on it).
Heading south of the United States; Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, and several other Latin American countries use a direct Spanish translation — Cuarto de Libra con Queso. Spain is over the fractions and call it a Cuarto de Libra. In Brazil, it's all about the Q's, so Quarterão com Queijo is the ticket.
South Korea says 쿼터파운더 치즈, while Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates say كوارتر باوندر بالجبنة. These may not be on the tip of your tongue, but rest assured they're just local ways of saying Quarter Pounder with Cheese. In Taiwan, the measurement is the same but the name isn't honored; its burger is called 四盎司牛肉堡, which translates to Four-ounce Beef Burger. McDonald's in Hong Kong offers plenty of curious items, but its version of the Quarter Pounder with Cheese, the 足三両 (which means "full three taels," roughly equal to four ounces), was sadly removed from the menu.