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

Chick-fil-A is cheaper, averaging $5.32 per item versus $6.03 for McDonald's — a 12% difference. Based on 266 menu items as of April 2026.

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

McDonald's has more menu items (164 vs 102). The total combined menu across both chains is 266 items.

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

Chick-fil-A averages 381 calories per item, compared to 413 for McDonald's. Both chains offer items under 500 calories.

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

Chick-fil-A (3,140 US locations) and McDonald's (13,786 US locations) compete on 2 similar menu categories. Cuisine overlap: 7%.

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

Side-by-side comparison of menu prices, calories, and value. 102 items at Chick-fil-A vs 164 items at McDonald's.

Quick answer: As of April 2026, Chick-fil-A averages $5.32 per item across 102 menu items, while McDonald's averages $6.03 across 164 items. Chick-fil-A is $0.71 cheaper per item (12% difference). Chick-fil-A has lower average calories (381 vs 413 per item).

Quick Comparison

Chick-fil-A vs McDonald's: Quick Price & Menu Comparison
Metric	Chick-fil-A	McDonald's	Winner
Avg Price	$5.32	$6.03	Chick-fil-A
Menu Items	102	164	McDonald's
Avg Calories	381	413	Chick-fil-A
US Locations	3,140	13,786	McDonald's
Secret Menu	10	15	McDonald's

Chick-fil-A is 12% cheaper on average than McDonald's ($0.71 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

McDonald's

Butter $0.15

Syrup $0.25

Creamy Ranch Sauce $0.30

Spicy Buffalo $0.30

Honey Mustard $0.30

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

McDonald's

Honey Mustard 60 cal

Medium Frozen Fanta® Wild Cherry 80 cal

Medium Frozen Coca-Cola® 80 cal

Medium Frozen Fanta® Blue Raspberry 80 cal

Mayonnaise Packet 90 cal

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

Calorie Value (cents per calorie)

Chick-fil-A delivers 1.91¢/cal on average, while McDonald's delivers 6.07¢/cal. Chick-fil-A gives more calories per dollar — a key metric for value-per-meal seekers.

Menu Category Overlap

Chick-fil-A and McDonald's share 2 menu categories (7% Jaccard overlap). Shared categories: beverages, breakfast. 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:

breakfast: Chick-fil-A avg $3.23 vs McDonald's $3.63 — Chick-fil-A is 11% cheaper
beverages: Chick-fil-A avg $3.28 vs McDonald's $3.17 — McDonald's is 3% cheaper

What Fits in Your Budget

$10 budget: Chick-fil-A fits 0 items, McDonald's fits 1 item (290 cal)
$15 budget: Chick-fil-A fits 3 items (650 cal), McDonald's fits 0 items
$20 budget: Chick-fil-A fits 3 items (600 cal), McDonald's fits 3 items (260 cal)

Where They Rank in Our 414-Chain Dataset

Chick-fil-A ranks #115 of 414 on price (cheaper than 72% of tracked chains). McDonald's ranks #156 of 414 (cheaper than 63% 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 McDonald's, 70% are under 500 calories. Chick-fil-A offers more lower-calorie options proportionally.

Bottom Line

Budget pick: Chick-fil-A ($5.32 avg vs $6.03)
More variety: McDonald's (164 items)
More locations: McDonald's (13,786 US locations)
Best calorie value: Chick-fil-A (1.91¢/cal)

Full Menus

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