Bottom Line: The Cheesy Jalapeno Bacon QPC from McDonald’s adds a nice, spicy kick to a fast food classic.
McDonald’s is one of the best-known fast food franchises the world over, but it is not exactly a go-to location for spicy food. Sure, it has the spicy chicken sandwich that is expected in the drive thru these days (more on that one here) and it brings back the spicy chicken nuggets from time to time (which are actually pretty good, more on those here), but beyond that, the Golden Arches does not offer much for those of us looking for some heat. Heck, they don’t even have jalapenos as a regular add-on to their menu items.
That is why the announcement of the new spicy take on the classic Quarter Pounder is so intriguing. They made room for jalapenos in the kitchen for this one and piled on several other tasty ingredients as well. Here’s what you get with this new sandwich: a fresh, quarter pound (before cooking) 100% beef patty, two slices of melty American cheese, three half strips of thick cut Applewood Smoked bacon, pickled jalapeno coins, and cheddar cheese sauce served on a sesame seed bun. There is so much cheese on this one that the word is used twice in the title.
When it comes to the Quarter Pounder with Cheese, you pretty much know what you are getting. A solid fast food burger that is cooked on the griddle with only a few extras added (cheese, pickles, onions, ketchup, and mustard). It is a long-time classic from the franchise and over the last few years they have started using fresh beef instead of frozen (unless you are in Hawaii, Alaska, or one of the U.S. territories), which makes it more juicy and beefy. McDonald’s offers several variations on this burger, though this is the first time I recall them putting a spicy version on the menu.
The Cheesy Jalapeno Bacon QPC is definitely cheesy with the two slices of American and the cheddar sauce. The latter delivers some extra creaminess with a cheddar sharpness, though it would have been even better if it was a spicy sauce. And despite all the cheese, it does not go overboard on the fromage to the point that it is too . . . . err . . . cheesy? The bacon adds a kick of saltiness and some good smokiness. It doesn’t dominate, but you know it is there and it works quite well with the other ingredients. The jalapeno slices (not sure why Micky D’s refers to them as “coins”) bring the expected pickle tang along with some heat and they are quite generous with those. So this version basically kicks up the classic with a lot of tasty stuff and some spice.
As for the heat, the jalapenos have a nice bite and since they are plentiful this sandwich is well above the Mild level on my scale and approaching Medium. And that is pretty good for McDonald’s where the few spicy items you find there typically do not bring much burn. If they had made that a spicy cheddar sauce, it could have kicked the burger up even more. But as is, it is still quite good. If you like the Quarter Pounder and you like some heat with your food, you will definitely enjoy this new version.
Nutrition-wise, this one amps up the calories to 650 (the regular QPC is 520 cals) and could find you tipping the scale depending on what else you order. If you add on a medium order of fries (320 cals)–and you know you will–you are close to one thousand calories for a single meal and needing to reserve some extra time on the treadmill. And don’t be looking at that hot apple pie (230 cals) or McFlurry (500+ cals), otherwise it is salads for the rest of the week!
The Cheesy Jalapeno Bacon QPC is visiting from Limited-Time-Only-Ville, and when it is gone they will probably clear the jalapenos out of the kitchen as well. (Hey McDonald’s, keep those in your stores for those of us who like some heat.) They also currently have a Cheesy Jalapeno Sausage and Egg Biscuit (plus a bacon version of the same), so the Golden Arches is spicing things up this summer. I will be trying the breakfast sandwich at some point soon, and I recommend you plan a trip to the drive thru because you don’t know how long these will stick around.
Nutrition Info:
Calories: 650
Fat: 38g (17g Sat/1.5g Trans)
Protein: 37g
Carbs: 41g
Sodium: 1760mg