Which is cheaper, Five Guys or McDonald's?

Five Guys is cheaper, averaging $5.36 per item versus $6.03 for McDonald's — a 11% difference. Based on 185 menu items as of April 2026.

Which has more menu items, Five Guys or McDonald's?

McDonald's has more menu items (164 vs 21). The total combined menu across both chains is 185 items.

Which has lower calories, Five Guys or McDonald's?

McDonald's averages 413 calories per item, compared to 629 for Five Guys. Both chains offer items under 500 calories.

Are Five Guys and McDonald's similar?

Five Guys (1,700 US locations) and McDonald's (13,786 US locations) compete on 1 similar menu categories. Cuisine overlap: 5%.

Five Guys vs McDonald's (2026)

Side-by-side comparison of menu prices, calories, and value. 21 items at Five Guys vs 164 items at McDonald's.

Quick answer: As of April 2026, Five Guys averages $5.36 per item across 21 menu items, while McDonald's averages $6.03 across 164 items. Five Guys is $0.67 cheaper per item (11% difference). McDonald's has lower average calories (413 vs 629 per item).

Quick Comparison

Five Guys vs McDonald's: Quick Price & Menu Comparison
Metric	Five Guys	McDonald's	Winner
Avg Price	$5.36	$6.03	Five Guys
Menu Items	21	164	McDonald's
Avg Calories	629	413	McDonald's
US Locations	1,700	13,786	McDonald's
Secret Menu	4	15	McDonald's

Five Guys is 11% cheaper on average than McDonald's ($0.67 less per item).

Cheapest Items

Five Guys

Dasani Bottled Water $2.09

Coca Cola Products $2.39

Fries (Regular) $3.09

Cajun Fries (Regular) $3.09

Veggie Sandwich $3.69

McDonald's

Butter $0.15

Syrup $0.25

Creamy Ranch Sauce $0.30

Spicy Buffalo $0.30

Honey Mustard $0.30

Lowest Calorie Options

Five Guys

Veggie Sandwich 440 cal

Veggie Sandwich with Cheese 440 cal

Grilled Cheese 470 cal

Little Hamburger 480 cal

Hot Dog 520 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: Five Guys vs McDonald's

Calorie Value (cents per calorie)

Five Guys delivers 0.91¢/cal on average, while McDonald's delivers 6.07¢/cal. Five Guys gives more calories per dollar — a key metric for value-per-meal seekers.

Menu Category Overlap

Five Guys and McDonald's share 1 menu categories (5% Jaccard overlap). Shared categories: burgers. 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:

burgers: Five Guys avg $6.60 vs McDonald's $6.12 — McDonald's is 7% cheaper

What Fits in Your Budget

$10 budget: Five Guys fits 0 items, McDonald's fits 1 item (290 cal)
$15 budget: Five Guys fits 3 items (1640 cal), McDonald's fits 0 items
$20 budget: Five Guys fits 3 items (2370 cal), McDonald's fits 3 items (260 cal)

Where They Rank in Our 414-Chain Dataset

Five Guys ranks #118 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 Five Guys, 21% 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: Five Guys ($5.36 avg vs $6.03)
More variety: McDonald's (164 items)
More locations: McDonald's (13,786 US locations)
Best calorie value: Five Guys (0.91¢/cal)

Full Menus

Five Guys Menu McDonald's Menu Cheapest Fast Food Low Calorie Guide