Third pounders at MCD in the US?

November 21, 2007 6:05 AM

Short question on Quarter pounders at MickeyDs in the US...why are they 3rd pounders? Are american lbs different from UK lbs?
posted by aherdofturtles to Food & Drink (14 answers total)

As far as I know they are 4oz pre cooked weight. 4oz is 1/4 of a 16oz pound. I don't know how they make a burger in London.
posted by sanka at 6:13 AM on November 21, 2007

Weight or price?
posted by Reggie Digest at 6:16 AM on November 21, 2007

Pre-cooked weight here in U.S..
posted by 6:1 at 6:20 AM on November 21, 2007

The US uses "4:1"'s, which are 4oz pre-cooked patties. (Pronounced as "Four in One")

FWIW, the regular hamburgers are 10:1's.
posted by unixrat at 6:27 AM on November 21, 2007

yes, pre-cooked weight. once all the water and fat are cooked out of that patty, there's a lot less of it.
posted by cosmicbandito at 6:36 AM on November 21, 2007

I'm confused by the "why are they 3rd pounders?" part.
posted by The Deej at 6:39 AM on November 21, 2007

In the UK quarter pounders are 113.4g precooked. I believe that's the same as the US 4oz.
posted by edd at 6:50 AM on November 21, 2007

pretty sure the regular burgers are 20 to 1's, not 10 to 1's. at least when i worked at the one in Buffalo in 1986 they were!
posted by thilmony at 7:34 AM on November 21, 2007

Best answer: The 1/3 pounder is a new product being pushed by McD's...the 1/4 punder still exists.
posted by digiFramph at 7:43 AM on November 21, 2007

I worked at McDonalds from '94 to '97 and we had 10:1 and 4:1 meat.

Never work at a fast food restaurant for that long.
posted by drezdn at 8:05 AM on November 21, 2007

Best answer: As for why they might be moving to the 1/3 of a pound. It seems to be becoming the more common size at non-fast food restaurants. McDonalds is probably trying to hold its own.
posted by drezdn at 8:06 AM on November 21, 2007

I'm slightly confused by the question as well. Are you sure you're not talking about the new Angus Third Pounders? There are regular Quarter Pounders at McD's in the US and I've never heard of them being referred to in another way, unless you're actually talking about the precooked weight of the meet or something like that and not the name. The Third Pounders are new and being tested in some markets (I don't know if there's a full roll-out across the country just yet).
posted by kkokkodalk at 8:28 AM on November 21, 2007

"...pretty sure the regular burgers are 20 to 1's"

I really, really don't think a regular McDonalds burger is 1/5th the size of a QPWC. White Castle, maybe.
posted by dirtdirt at 8:55 AM on November 21, 2007

yeah looking at the math that seems crazy as 20 to 1's. i worked at hardee's about that same time and perhaps they did 12 to 1's or something.
posted by thilmony at 9:38 AM on November 21, 2007