A quarter pound is exactly 4 ounces, because one avoirdupois pound holds 16 ounces and 16 divided by 4 is 4. In metric terms, it weighs 113.4 grams (113.398 g exactly), or about 0.113 kilograms. So four quarter pounds make one full pound of 453.6 g.
Convert a Quarter Pound to Ounces and Grams
Type any weight in pounds below. The converter starts at 0.25 lb, which is 4 ounces, and then shows ounces, grams and kilograms. It uses the exact legal definition of the pound (453.59237 g), so the results match what a calibrated scale should read.
You meet this weight all the time in the US: at the deli counter, on a package of ground beef, in a burger name, and on every stick of butter. Most of these labels simply mean 4 ounces of weight. Still, people often mix up weight ounces with fluid ounces, or quarts with quarter pounds, and that is where the errors begin.
The math itself is fixed by law, not by custom. Since 1959, the US and the other English-speaking countries have used an international pound of exactly 453.59237 grams, and an ounce of exactly 1/16 of that pound (28.349523125 g). The US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), for example, lists “1/4 pound (4 ounces)” as about 114 g in its metric kitchen equivalents table, which is the exact 113.4 g rounded for home cooks.
Quarter Pound Conversion Chart
This chart covers the fractions of a pound you see most on recipes and food labels. The gram values use the exact definition and are rounded to one decimal. In addition, the last column gives the decimal pound figure that many digital scales and price labels show.
| Fraction of a pound | Ounces | Grams | Decimal pounds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/16 lb | 1 oz | 28.3 g | 0.0625 lb |
| 1/8 lb | 2 oz | 56.7 g | 0.125 lb |
| 3/16 lb | 3 oz | 85.0 g | 0.1875 lb |
| 1/4 lb | 4 oz | 113.4 g | 0.25 lb |
| 1/3 lb | 5 1/3 oz | 151.2 g | 0.333 lb |
| 3/8 lb | 6 oz | 170.1 g | 0.375 lb |
| 1/2 lb | 8 oz | 226.8 g | 0.5 lb |
| 3/4 lb | 12 oz | 340.2 g | 0.75 lb |
| 1 lb | 16 oz | 453.6 g | 1 lb |
Printable tip: print this chart or save a screenshot, then tape it inside a cabinet door near your scale. Also, for a deeper look at the ounce on its own, see our guide on how much an ounce weighs.
Recommended Scales for Weighing a Quarter Pound
A digital kitchen scale is the only practical way to hit 4 ounces exactly at home. First, look for one that switches between ounces and grams with one button. Next, check that it reads in steps of 1 g or 0.1 oz and has a tare button, so you can zero out the bowl. Finally, a pull-out or large display helps when a wide plate covers the screen.
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Quarter Pound vs Quart vs Fluid Ounces
Most wrong answers online come from three mix-ups. For one, a quart sounds like “quarter,” but it is a unit of volume. In addition, a fluid ounce measures space, not weight. The table below keeps them apart.
| Term | What it measures | Size |
|---|---|---|
| Quarter pound | Weight (mass) | 4 oz = 113.4 g |
| Ounce (oz, avoirdupois) | Weight (mass) | 1/16 lb = 28.35 g |
| Fluid ounce (US fl oz) | Volume | 29.57 mL |
| Quart (US liquid) | Volume | 32 fl oz = 946.4 mL |
| Troy ounce (precious metals) | Weight (mass) | 31.10 g |
| Troy pound (historic) | Weight (mass) | 12 troy oz = 373.2 g |
So a quart of milk is 32 fluid ounces, not 4 ounces, and it weighs about 2 pounds. Similarly, the old claim that “some countries use a 10- or 12-ounce pound” mixes things up: the 12-ounce pound was the troy pound, which jewelers once used and which the US no longer uses for trade. Today, every pound on a US food label is the 16-ounce avoirdupois pound.
How Much Does a Quarter Pound Burger Weigh?
The quarter pound label on a burger refers to the raw patty, before cooking. McDonald’s, for example, sold its Quarter Pounder with a 4-ounce raw patty for decades. Then, in 2015, the company raised the patty to 4.25 ounces before cooking, or about 120.5 g. As a result, the name now promises a minimum rather than an exact weight.
Cooking changes the number, too. Ground beef loses water and fat on the grill, so a 4-ounce raw patty usually ends up around 3 ounces (about 85 g) once it is cooked, depending on fat content and doneness. That is why nutrition labels for burgers often list both a raw and a cooked weight.
For homemade burgers, a 4-ounce patty is a classic size. One pound of ground beef therefore makes exactly four of them, and two pounds make eight. Want a thicker burger? Use a third of a pound (5 1/3 oz, 151 g) instead; for sliders, by contrast, 2 oz is common.
How to Weigh a Quarter Pound at Home
Here is the method that gets you within a gram or two every time, whether you are portioning meat, cheese or butter.
- Place the scale on a flat, hard surface. A soft towel or an uneven counter can throw the reading off.
- Put your bowl or a sheet of parchment on the platform. Use something light so it does not eat into the scale’s capacity.
- Press the tare button. The display should drop to zero, so it now ignores the container.
- Choose ounces or grams. Aim for 4.0 oz, or for 113 g if your scale reads in whole grams.
- Add the food gradually. Stop a little early, then add small pieces until the reading settles on your target.
- Repeat for each portion. Tare again between portions so every portion starts from zero.
No scale? Then divide a known weight. A 1-pound package of ground beef split into four equal balls gives four portions of about 4 ounces each. Likewise, one US stick of butter weighs exactly that much; see our guide to a stick of butter in grams for the details.
Do and Don’t When Measuring a Quarter Pound
Do
- Use 4 oz or 113 g as your target.
- Tare the scale before each portion.
- Check whether a label weight is raw or cooked.
- Weigh sticky or thick liquids instead of using cups.
- Replace weak batteries, because they cause drifting readings.
Don’t
- Confuse a quart (volume) with 1/4 lb (weight).
- Treat fluid ounces as weight for oils, syrups or flour.
- Expect a cooked patty to still weigh 4 oz.
- Weigh food on a scale sitting on a towel.
- Round 113 g down to 100 g in recipes.
A Quarter Pound in Metric Countries
Outside the US, shops sell by the gram, so pound fractions rarely appear on labels. However, the nearest metric habit is the 100 g or 125 g portion. Our 4-ounce weight sits between them: 113.4 g is about 13 percent more than 100 g, yet roughly 9 percent less than 125 g.
In the UK, older recipes still say “4 oz” or “1/4 lb of butter.” These use the same avoirdupois ounce as the US, so the answer does not change: 113.4 g. Meanwhile, in Canada, deli counters often show both pounds and kilograms, and 0.25 lb appears as 0.113 kg.
Honest Limits of a Quarter Pound Figure
The conversion itself is exact: 4 ounces, or 113.398 grams, with no rounding error in the definition. Real food is messier, though. Under US weights-and-measures rules, store packages must meet the labeled weight on average, within set limits, so a single “4 oz” pack can vary slightly. Moreover, home scales usually read in steps of 1 g or 0.05 oz, and cheaper models can drift by a few grams. In short, expect 110 to 116 g on a typical kitchen scale for 4 ounces, and treat that as normal.
Cooking losses add a bigger swing. For example, fatty ground beef can lose a quarter of its weight, while lean chicken breast loses less. So if a recipe gives a cooked weight, weigh after cooking instead of guessing from the raw number.
When Accuracy Really Matters
For most cooking, a few grams either way is harmless. A handful of situations call for more care, however:
- Nutrition tracking. Calorie counts on labels refer to a stated weight, so weighing a portion beats eyeballing it.
- Baking with butter. Recipes that depend on fat ratios, such as pastry, behave differently with 100 g versus 113 g.
- Selling by weight. Anyone selling food by the pound needs a legal-for-trade scale, which state weights-and-measures offices inspect.
- Medical diets. Diets that limit protein or sodium per serving rely on accurate portions.
Quarter Pound FAQs
How many ounces are in a quarter pound?
There are exactly 4 ounces, because a pound has 16 ounces and one quarter of 16 is 4.
How many grams is a quarter pound?
It is 113.4 grams (113.398 g exactly). Most recipes round it to 113 g, and NIST’s kitchen table rounds it to 114 g.
Is 4 ounces half a pound?
No. Four ounces is a quarter of a pound. Half a pound is 8 ounces, or about 226.8 g.
Are 16 ounces always 1 pound?
Yes, for the avoirdupois pound used on US and UK food labels. The old troy pound used for precious metals had 12 troy ounces, but it is not used for food.
Is a quarter pound the same as a quart?
No. One is a weight of 4 ounces. A US quart is a volume of 32 fluid ounces, or about 946 mL.
How much does a Quarter Pounder patty weigh?
McDonald’s raised the raw patty from 4 ounces to 4.25 ounces (about 120 g) in 2015. After cooking, it weighs less because the meat loses water and fat.
How many quarter pound burgers are in a pound of ground beef?
One pound of ground beef makes four 4-ounce patties. Two pounds make eight.
What is a quarter pound in kilograms?
It is about 0.113 kg. Put another way, a kilogram holds about 8.8 of these portions.
Is a stick of butter a quarter pound?
Yes. A standard US stick of butter weighs 4 ounces, or 113 g, which is 1/4 lb and also 1/2 cup by volume.
How can I measure a quarter pound without a scale?
Divide a 1-pound package into four equal parts. Each part is about 4 ounces, although a scale is more precise.
The Bottom Line
To sum up, a quarter pound always means 4 ounces, or 113.4 grams, because the pound and ounce both have exact legal definitions. Just keep weight ounces separate from fluid ounces and quarts, and remember that burger weights describe raw meat.
Finally, for any other amount, use the converter at the top of this page, or a kitchen scale set to ounces or grams.
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