Which is cheaper, Burger King or Panda Express?

Burger King is cheaper, averaging $3.33 per item versus $7.73 for Panda Express — a 57% difference. Based on 76 menu items as of April 2026.

Which has more menu items, Burger King or Panda Express?

Burger King has more menu items (65 vs 11). The total combined menu across both chains is 76 items.

Which has lower calories, Burger King or Panda Express?

Panda Express averages 479 calories per item, compared to 491 for Burger King. Both chains offer items under 500 calories.

Are Burger King and Panda Express similar?

Burger King (6,809 US locations) and Panda Express (2,500 US locations) compete on 1 similar menu categories. Cuisine overlap: 7%.

Burger King vs Panda Express (2026)

Side-by-side comparison of menu prices, calories, and value. 65 items at Burger King vs 11 items at Panda Express.

Quick answer: As of April 2026, Burger King averages $3.33 per item across 65 menu items, while Panda Express averages $7.73 across 11 items. Burger King is $4.39 cheaper per item (57% difference). Panda Express has lower average calories (479 vs 491 per item).

Quick Comparison

Burger King vs Panda Express: Quick Price & Menu Comparison
Metric	Burger King	Panda Express	Winner
Avg Price	$3.33	$7.73	Burger King
Menu Items	65	11	Burger King
Avg Calories	491	479	Panda Express
US Locations	6,809	2,500	Burger King
Secret Menu	10	1	Burger King

Burger King is 57% cheaper on average than Panda Express ($4.39 less per item).

Cheapest Items

Burger King

Hamburger $1.00

Cheeseburger $1.00

Crispy Chicken Jr. $1.00

Spicy Crispy Chicken Jr. $1.00

Rodeo Crispy Chicken $1.00

Panda Express

Honey Walnut Shrimp $1.50

Bowl (1 entree + 1 side) $8.30

Plate (2 entrees + 1 side) $9.80

Bigger Plate (3 entrees + 1 side) $11.30

Lowest Calorie Options

Burger King

Apple Juice 80 cal

Orange Juice 140 cal

Soft Serve (Cup or Cone) 200 cal

Soft Serve (Cone or Cup) 200 cal

Hamburger 250 cal

Panda Express

Broccoli Beef 150 cal

Kung Pao Chicken 290 cal

Honey Walnut Shrimp 360 cal

White Steamed Rice 380 cal

Beijing Beef 470 cal

Deep Comparison: Burger King vs Panda Express

Calorie Value (cents per calorie)

Burger King delivers 0.72¢/cal on average, while Panda Express delivers 1.18¢/cal. Burger King gives more calories per dollar — a key metric for value-per-meal seekers.

Menu Category Overlap

Burger King and Panda Express share 1 menu categories (7% Jaccard overlap). Shared categories: sides. Low overlap — these chains serve mostly different food categories.

What Fits in Your Budget

$10 budget: Burger King fits 0 items, Panda Express fits 0 items
$15 budget: Burger King fits 3 items (1228 cal), Panda Express fits 1 item (360 cal)
$20 budget: Burger King fits 3 items (2850 cal), Panda Express fits 2 items (860 cal)

Where They Rank in Our 414-Chain Dataset

Burger King ranks #20 of 414 on price (cheaper than 95% of tracked chains). Panda Express ranks #218 of 414 (pricier than 52% of chains).

Calorie Distribution (items under 500 cal)

At Burger King, 65% of menu items with calorie data come in under 500 calories. At Panda Express, 55% are under 500 calories. Burger King offers more lower-calorie options proportionally.

Bottom Line

Budget pick: Burger King ($3.33 avg vs $7.73)
More variety: Burger King (65 items)
More locations: Burger King (6,809 US locations)
Best calorie value: Burger King (0.72¢/cal)

Full Menus

Burger King Menu Panda Express Menu Cheapest Fast Food Low Calorie Guide