Which is cheaper, Chili's or McDonald's?

McDonald's is cheaper, averaging $6.03 per item versus $12.93 for Chili's — a 53% difference. Based on 241 menu items as of April 2026.

Which has more menu items, Chili's or McDonald's?

McDonald's has more menu items (164 vs 77). The total combined menu across both chains is 241 items.

Which has lower calories, Chili's or McDonald's?

McDonald's averages 413 calories per item, compared to 800 for Chili's. Both chains offer items under 500 calories.

Are Chili's and McDonald's similar?

Chili's (1,235 US locations) and McDonald's (13,786 US locations) compete on 1 similar menu categories. Cuisine overlap: 3%.

Chili's vs McDonald's (2026)

Side-by-side comparison of menu prices, calories, and value. 77 items at Chili's vs 164 items at McDonald's.

Quick answer: As of April 2026, Chili's averages $12.93 per item across 77 menu items, while McDonald's averages $6.03 across 164 items. McDonald's is $6.90 cheaper per item (53% difference). McDonald's has lower average calories (413 vs 800 per item).

Quick Comparison

Chili's vs McDonald's: Quick Price & Menu Comparison
Metric	Chili's	McDonald's	Winner
Avg Price	$12.93	$6.03	McDonald's
Menu Items	77	164	McDonald's
Avg Calories	800	413	McDonald's
US Locations	1,235	13,786	McDonald's
Secret Menu	0	15	McDonald's

McDonald's is 53% cheaper on average than Chili's ($6.90 less per item).

Cheapest Items

Chili's

Dips $0.79

Fountain Drinks 32 oz $1.00

Dasani $2.09

Juice $2.19

Coffee $2.29

McDonald's

Butter $0.15

Syrup $0.25

Creamy Ranch Sauce $0.30

Spicy Buffalo $0.30

Honey Mustard $0.30

Lowest Calorie Options

Chili's

Blackberry Iced Tea 80 cal

Mango Iced Tea 80 cal

Iced Tea 80 cal

Juice 120 cal

Strawberry Lemonade 140 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: Chili's vs McDonald's

Calorie Value (cents per calorie)

Chili's delivers 2.25¢/cal on average, while McDonald's delivers 6.07¢/cal. Chili's gives more calories per dollar — a key metric for value-per-meal seekers.

Menu Category Overlap

Chili's and McDonald's share 1 menu categories (3% Jaccard overlap). Shared categories: beverages. 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:

beverages: Chili's avg $2.67 vs McDonald's $3.17 — Chili's is 16% cheaper

What Fits in Your Budget

$10 budget: Chili's fits 1 item (1582 cal), McDonald's fits 1 item (290 cal)
$15 budget: Chili's fits 1 item (631 cal), McDonald's fits 0 items
$20 budget: Chili's fits 3 items (300 cal), McDonald's fits 3 items (260 cal)

Where They Rank in Our 414-Chain Dataset

Chili's ranks #361 of 414 on price (pricier than 87% of tracked chains). McDonald's ranks #156 of 414 (cheaper than 63% of chains).

Calorie Distribution (items under 500 cal)

At Chili's, 31% of menu items with calorie data come in under 500 calories. At McDonald's, 70% are under 500 calories. McDonald's offers more lower-calorie options proportionally.

Bottom Line

Budget pick: McDonald's ($6.03 avg vs $12.93)
More variety: McDonald's (164 items)
More locations: McDonald's (13,786 US locations)
Best calorie value: Chili's (2.25¢/cal)

Full Menus

Chili's Menu McDonald's Menu Cheapest Fast Food Low Calorie Guide