Which is cheaper, IHOP or McDonald's?

McDonald's is cheaper, averaging $6.03 per item versus $6.36 for IHOP — a 5% difference. Based on 303 menu items as of April 2026.

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

McDonald's has more menu items (164 vs 139). The total combined menu across both chains is 303 items.

Which has lower calories, IHOP or McDonald's?

McDonald's averages 413 calories per item, compared to 584 for IHOP. Both chains offer items under 500 calories.

Are IHOP and McDonald's similar?

IHOP (1,750 US locations) and McDonald's (13,786 US locations) compete on 1 similar menu categories. Cuisine overlap: 3%.

IHOP vs McDonald's (2026)

Side-by-side comparison of menu prices, calories, and value. 139 items at IHOP vs 164 items at McDonald's.

Quick answer: As of April 2026, IHOP averages $6.36 per item across 139 menu items, while McDonald's averages $6.03 across 164 items. McDonald's is $0.33 cheaper per item (5% difference). McDonald's has lower average calories (413 vs 584 per item).

Quick Comparison

IHOP vs McDonald's: Quick Price & Menu Comparison
Metric	IHOP	McDonald's	Winner
Avg Price	$6.36	$6.03	McDonald's
Menu Items	139	164	McDonald's
Avg Calories	584	413	McDonald's
US Locations	1,750	13,786	McDonald's
Secret Menu	0	15	McDonald's

McDonald's is 5% cheaper on average than IHOP ($0.33 less per item).

Cheapest Items

IHOP

Kids Drinks (soft drinks, milk, chocolate milk, hot chocolate, juice) $1.19

Add Hashbrowns $1.29

Kids Ice Cream Sundae $1.29

Ice Cream $1.29

Juice (Orange, Apple, Tomato, or Grapefruit) $1.99

McDonald's

Butter $0.15

Syrup $0.25

Creamy Ranch Sauce $0.30

Spicy Buffalo $0.30

Honey Mustard $0.30

Lowest Calorie Options

IHOP

Kid’s Fresh Fruit Dish 60 cal

Fresh Fruit Bowl 60 cal

BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger 90 cal

Bacon & Egg Cheeseburger 90 cal

Sourdough Bacon Burger Melt 90 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: IHOP vs McDonald's

Calorie Value (cents per calorie)

IHOP delivers 1.86¢/cal on average, while McDonald's delivers 6.07¢/cal. IHOP gives more calories per dollar — a key metric for value-per-meal seekers.

Menu Category Overlap

IHOP 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: IHOP avg $2.27 vs McDonald's $3.17 — IHOP is 28% cheaper

What Fits in Your Budget

$10 budget: IHOP fits 1 item (971 cal), McDonald's fits 1 item (290 cal)
$15 budget: IHOP fits 3 items (150 cal), McDonald's fits 0 items
$20 budget: IHOP fits 3 items (1021 cal), McDonald's fits 3 items (260 cal)

Where They Rank in Our 414-Chain Dataset

IHOP ranks #166 of 414 on price (cheaper than 60% of tracked chains). McDonald's ranks #156 of 414 (cheaper than 63% of chains).

Calorie Distribution (items under 500 cal)

At IHOP, 45% 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 $6.36)
More variety: McDonald's (164 items)
More locations: McDonald's (13,786 US locations)
Best calorie value: IHOP (1.86¢/cal)

Full Menus

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