Burger calories: Macca's vs Hungry Jack's vs KFC and more

A Big Mac is 2,600 kJ (621 calories) and a Whopper is 2,440 kJ (582 calories). A plain McDonald's hamburger is the lightest burger here at 1,080 kJ (258 calories), and a Triple Whopper with Cheese the heaviest at 5,570 kJ (1,331 calories). For protein per kJ, chicken burgers come out on top, led by the Grill'd HotBird. Every figure below is from the chain's own Australian nutrition information.

Hamburgers and cheeseburgers

The small ones. A slice of cheese adds about 48 calories at Macca's and 37 at Hungry Jack's. Five Guys' Little Hamburger is 433 calories, so "little" there is closer to a signature burger elsewhere.

The signature burgers

Big Mac, Quarter Pounder, Whopper and the like. At Macca's, the Big Mac is 88 calories more than the Quarter Pounder, but the Quarter Pounder has more protein (30.2g vs 28.7g). The Whopper is 2,440 kJ with 45.2g of fat, against 34.4g in a Big Mac.

Doubles and triples

A second patty adds protein, and plenty of energy with it. The Double Quarter Pounder is 3,370 kJ with 52.3g protein. The Triple Whopper with Cheese is 5,570 kJ, which is 64% of the 8,700 kJ daily intake used on Australian labels, before chips or a drink.

Chicken burgers

Grilled or roast chicken makes the biggest difference. Red Rooster's Reds Burger is 586 calories with roast chicken and 822 with a fried fillet. A McChicken is 435 calories and a KFC Zinger Burger 448, with 16.7g and 26.2g of protein.

Most protein per calorie

Across every burger on this page, these give the most protein for the energy.

1. Grill'd HotBird: 42.3g protein for 1,680 kJ (402 cal), 10.5 g per 100 calories
2. Betty's Burgers Grilled Chicken: 31.8g protein for 1,660 kJ (397 cal), 8 g per 100 calories
3. Betty's Burgers Betty's Double: 59.3g protein for 3,690 kJ (881 cal), 6.7 g per 100 calories
4. Five Guys Hamburger: 42g protein for 2,630 kJ (628 cal), 6.7 g per 100 calories
5. Five Guys Bacon Cheeseburger: 55.2g protein for 3,510 kJ (838 cal), 6.6 g per 100 calories

Making a burger lighter

Cheese, bacon and fried versus roast chicken explain a lot of the gaps above: a cheese slice adds 48 calories at Macca's, and a fried fillet adds 236 to Red Rooster's Reds Burger. A few chains publish what each part adds, and the item pages show it where they do (the Big Mac page breaks the burger down by bun, patties, sauce and cheese). Chips and a soft drink can double the kJ of a meal, so check those on the chain pages too: McDonald's, Hungry Jack's, KFC, Carl's Jr., Five Guys, Betty's Burgers, Grill'd, Red Rooster and Chicken Treat. Fried chicken shops are compared in the chicken shop calories guide.

Questions

How many calories in a Big Mac in Australia?

McDonald's Australia lists the Big Mac at 621 calories (2,600 kJ), with 28.7g protein, 46.5g carbs and 34.4g fat.

Is a Whopper or a Big Mac higher in calories?

The Big Mac, by 39 calories: Hungry Jack's lists the Whopper at 582 calories (2,440 kJ) and McDonald's lists the Big Mac at 621 (2,600 kJ). Add cheese to the Whopper and it's 657. The Whopper has more fat (45.2g vs 34.4g) and the Big Mac a little more protein (28.7g vs 28.1g).

How many calories in a McDonald's cheeseburger?

306 calories (1,280 kJ) with 14.5g protein. A plain hamburger is 258 calories, so the cheese slice adds about 48. At Hungry Jack's the cheeseburger is 322 calories.

How many calories in a Quarter Pounder?

McDonald's Australia lists the Quarter Pounder at 533 calories (2,230 kJ) with 30.2g protein. The Double Quarter Pounder is 805 calories with 52.3g protein.

What's the best burger for protein?

A chicken burger. Of the burgers on this page, the Grill'd HotBird gives the most protein per calorie: 42.3g for 402 calories. Among the beef burgers, the doubles do best, like Betty's Double (59.3g) and the Double Quarter Pounder (52.3g), though both are well over 3,000 kJ.

Sources

Nutrition information published by McDonald's Australia, Hungry Jack's, KFC Australia, Carl's Jr. Australia, Five Guys Australia, Betty's Burgers, Grill'd, Red Rooster and Chicken Treat, as held in KiloMate's fast-food data (as of October 2026). Each item page links its source. kJ is calories × 4.184, rounded to the nearest 10. "Protein per 100 cal" and the daily intake percentage are our own sums from the published figures. Recipes change, so check in store if a number matters to you.

General information only, not medical or dietary advice.