Which is cheaper, Dairy Queen or Waffle House?

Dairy Queen ($4.08 avg) and Waffle House ($4.18 avg) have similar pricing — within 2% of each other. Based on 165 menu items as of April 2026.

Which has more menu items, Dairy Queen or Waffle House?

Waffle House has more menu items (101 vs 64). The total combined menu across both chains is 165 items.

Which has lower calories, Dairy Queen or Waffle House?

Waffle House averages 362 calories per item, compared to 571 for Dairy Queen. Both chains offer items under 500 calories.

Are Dairy Queen and Waffle House similar?

Dairy Queen (4,500 US locations) and Waffle House (2,000 US locations) compete on 0 similar menu categories. Cuisine overlap: 0%.

Dairy Queen vs Waffle House (2026)

Side-by-side comparison of menu prices, calories, and value. 64 items at Dairy Queen vs 101 items at Waffle House.

Quick answer: As of April 2026, Dairy Queen averages $4.08 per item across 64 menu items, while Waffle House averages $4.18 across 101 items. Prices are within 2% — neither chain is meaningfully cheaper. Waffle House has lower average calories (362 vs 571 per item).

Quick Comparison

Dairy Queen vs Waffle House: Quick Price & Menu Comparison
Metric	Dairy Queen	Waffle House	Winner
Avg Price	$4.08	$4.18	Tie
Menu Items	64	101	Waffle House
Avg Calories	571	362	Waffle House
US Locations	4,500	2,000	Dairy Queen
Secret Menu	7	0	Dairy Queen

Dairy Queen and Waffle House have similar average prices.

Cheapest Items

Dairy Queen

Add Extra Stuff $0.69

Add a Boost (Protein) $0.99

Add a Boost (Fresh Banana) $0.99

Buffalo Chicken $1.89

Chicken Bacon BBQ $1.89

Waffle House

Add Chocolate Chips or Peanut Butter Waffle $0.25

Make It a 3-Egg Omelet $0.40

Additional Topping on Chili $0.40

Additional Topping $0.40

Hold the Yolks $0.50

Lowest Calorie Options

Dairy Queen

Chicken Wrap 280 cal

Fries 280 cal

1/4 lb. Bacon Cheese GrillBurger 390 cal

1/4 lb. Bacon Cheese GrillBurger – Combo 390 cal

Chicken Bacon Ranch – Combo 390 cal

Waffle House

Bert’s Chili & 3 Toppings 80 cal

Bowl of Grits 90 cal

Bowl of Cheese Grits 90 cal

City Ham 110 cal

Cheesesteak 130 cal

Deep Comparison: Dairy Queen vs Waffle House

Calorie Value (cents per calorie)

Dairy Queen delivers 1.04¢/cal on average, while Waffle House delivers 2.36¢/cal. Dairy Queen gives more calories per dollar — a key metric for value-per-meal seekers.

Menu Category Overlap

Dairy Queen and Waffle House share 0 menu categories (0% Jaccard overlap). Low overlap — these chains serve mostly different food categories.

What Fits in Your Budget

$10 budget: Dairy Queen fits 3 items (905 cal), Waffle House fits 0 items
$15 budget: Dairy Queen fits 3 items (390 cal), Waffle House fits 3 items (721 cal)
$20 budget: Dairy Queen fits 3 items (1960 cal), Waffle House fits 3 items (260 cal)

Where They Rank in Our 414-Chain Dataset

Dairy Queen ranks #46 of 414 on price (cheaper than 89% of tracked chains). Waffle House ranks #50 of 414 (cheaper than 88% of chains).

Calorie Distribution (items under 500 cal)

At Dairy Queen, 41% of menu items with calorie data come in under 500 calories. At Waffle House, 63% are under 500 calories. Waffle House offers more lower-calorie options proportionally.

Bottom Line

Budget pick: Dairy Queen ($4.08 avg vs $4.18)
More variety: Waffle House (101 items)
More locations: Dairy Queen (4,500 US locations)
Best calorie value: Dairy Queen (1.04¢/cal)

Full Menus

Dairy Queen Menu Waffle House Menu Cheapest Fast Food Low Calorie Guide