Which is cheaper, Chick-fil-A or Denny's?

Chick-fil-A is cheaper, averaging $5.32 per item versus $6.39 for Denny's — a 17% difference. Based on 273 menu items as of April 2026.

Which has more menu items, Chick-fil-A or Denny's?

Denny's has more menu items (171 vs 102). The total combined menu across both chains is 273 items.

Which has lower calories, Chick-fil-A or Denny's?

Chick-fil-A averages 381 calories per item, compared to 544 for Denny's. Both chains offer items under 500 calories.

Are Chick-fil-A and Denny's similar?

Chick-fil-A (3,140 US locations) and Denny's (1,350 US locations) compete on 2 similar menu categories. Cuisine overlap: 7%.

Chick-fil-A vs Denny's (2026)

Side-by-side comparison of menu prices, calories, and value. 102 items at Chick-fil-A vs 171 items at Denny's.

Quick answer: As of April 2026, Chick-fil-A averages $5.32 per item across 102 menu items, while Denny's averages $6.39 across 171 items. Chick-fil-A is $1.07 cheaper per item (17% difference). Chick-fil-A has lower average calories (381 vs 544 per item).

Quick Comparison

Chick-fil-A vs Denny's: Quick Price & Menu Comparison
Metric	Chick-fil-A	Denny's	Winner
Avg Price	$5.32	$6.39	Chick-fil-A
Menu Items	102	171	Denny's
Avg Calories	381	544	Chick-fil-A
US Locations	3,140	1,350	Chick-fil-A
Secret Menu	10	0	Chick-fil-A

Chick-fil-A is 17% cheaper on average than Denny's ($1.07 less per item).

Cheapest Items

Chick-fil-A

Icedream Topping $0.25

Upsize Fries & Drink $0.46

Buttered Biscuit $0.89

Hash Browns $0.99

Substitute Medium Premium Side $1.00

Denny's

Eggs $0.79

Eggs(Scrambled With Cheese) $0.79

Sauces & Dressings $0.89

2% Milk $1.19

Chocolate Milk $1.19

Lowest Calorie Options

Chick-fil-A

Fruit Cup 60 cal

1% Milk Plain or Chocolate 90 cal

Hand-Spun Milkshakes (Cookies & Cream, Chocolate, Strawberry, or Vanilla) 90 cal

Kale Crunch Side 120 cal

Grilled Nuggets (8-ct) 130 cal

Denny's

Lemonade Iced Tea 80 cal

Grilled Ham Slice 90 cal

Grits 90 cal

Seasonal Fruit 110 cal

Bacon (4 Bacon Strips) 130 cal

Deep Comparison: Chick-fil-A vs Denny's

Calorie Value (cents per calorie)

Chick-fil-A delivers 1.91¢/cal on average, while Denny's delivers 1.49¢/cal. Denny's gives more calories per dollar — a key metric for value-per-meal seekers.

Menu Category Overlap

Chick-fil-A and Denny's share 2 menu categories (7% Jaccard overlap). Shared categories: sides, desserts. Low overlap — these chains serve mostly different food categories.

Price Differences by Shared Category

Where these chains overlap, here is who undercuts whom on average price:

desserts: Chick-fil-A avg $1.75 vs Denny's $5.30 — Chick-fil-A is 67% cheaper
sides: Chick-fil-A avg $2.77 vs Denny's $3.44 — Chick-fil-A is 19% cheaper

What Fits in Your Budget

$10 budget: Chick-fil-A fits 0 items, Denny's fits 1 item (270 cal)
$15 budget: Chick-fil-A fits 3 items (650 cal), Denny's fits 0 items
$20 budget: Chick-fil-A fits 3 items (600 cal), Denny's fits 3 items (961 cal)

Where They Rank in Our 414-Chain Dataset

Chick-fil-A ranks #115 of 414 on price (cheaper than 72% of tracked chains). Denny's ranks #168 of 414 (cheaper than 60% of chains).

Calorie Distribution (items under 500 cal)

At Chick-fil-A, 79% of menu items with calorie data come in under 500 calories. At Denny's, 56% are under 500 calories. Chick-fil-A offers more lower-calorie options proportionally.

Bottom Line

Budget pick: Chick-fil-A ($5.32 avg vs $6.39)
More variety: Denny's (171 items)
More locations: Chick-fil-A (3,140 US locations)
Best calorie value: Denny's (1.49¢/cal)

Full Menus

Chick-fil-A Menu Denny's Menu Cheapest Fast Food Low Calorie Guide