Which is cheaper, Jimmy John's or McDonald's?

McDonald's is cheaper, averaging $6.03 per item versus $8.55 for Jimmy John's — a 29% difference. Based on 206 menu items as of April 2026.

Which has more menu items, Jimmy John's or McDonald's?

McDonald's has more menu items (164 vs 42). The total combined menu across both chains is 206 items.

Which has lower calories, Jimmy John's or McDonald's?

McDonald's averages 413 calories per item, compared to 996 for Jimmy John's. Both chains offer items under 500 calories.

Are Jimmy John's and McDonald's similar?

Jimmy John's (2,550 US locations) and McDonald's (13,786 US locations) compete on 0 similar menu categories. Cuisine overlap: 0%.

Jimmy John's vs McDonald's (2026)

Side-by-side comparison of menu prices, calories, and value. 42 items at Jimmy John's vs 164 items at McDonald's.

Quick answer: As of April 2026, Jimmy John's averages $8.55 per item across 42 menu items, while McDonald's averages $6.03 across 164 items. McDonald's is $2.52 cheaper per item (29% difference). McDonald's has lower average calories (413 vs 996 per item).

Quick Comparison

Jimmy John's vs McDonald's: Quick Price & Menu Comparison
Metric	Jimmy John's	McDonald's	Winner
Avg Price	$8.55	$6.03	McDonald's
Menu Items	42	164	McDonald's
Avg Calories	996	413	McDonald's
US Locations	2,550	13,786	McDonald's
Secret Menu	1	15	McDonald's

McDonald's is 29% cheaper on average than Jimmy John's ($2.52 less per item).

Cheapest Items

Jimmy John's

Pickle $0.89

Real Potato Chips $1.39

Jumbo Kosher Dill Pickle $1.39

Soft Drink $1.49

Dasani® Water $1.49

McDonald's

Butter $0.15

Syrup $0.25

Creamy Ranch Sauce $0.30

Spicy Buffalo $0.30

Honey Mustard $0.30

Lowest Calorie Options

Jimmy John's

Jimmy Chips 140 cal

Cookie 410 cal

Chocolate Chunk Cookie 410 cal

Chocolate Chunk Cookie Tray 410 cal

#4 Turkey Tom 510 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: Jimmy John's vs McDonald's

Calorie Value (cents per calorie)

Jimmy John's delivers 1.52¢/cal on average, while McDonald's delivers 6.07¢/cal. Jimmy John's gives more calories per dollar — a key metric for value-per-meal seekers.

Menu Category Overlap

Jimmy John's and McDonald's share 0 menu categories (0% Jaccard overlap). Low overlap — these chains serve mostly different food categories.

What Fits in Your Budget

$10 budget: Jimmy John's fits 0 items, McDonald's fits 1 item (290 cal)
$15 budget: Jimmy John's fits 0 items, McDonald's fits 0 items
$20 budget: Jimmy John's fits 3 items (820 cal), McDonald's fits 3 items (260 cal)

Where They Rank in Our 414-Chain Dataset

Jimmy John's ranks #253 of 414 on price (pricier than 61% of tracked chains). McDonald's ranks #156 of 414 (cheaper than 63% of chains).

Calorie Distribution (items under 500 cal)

At Jimmy John's, 20% 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 $8.55)
More variety: McDonald's (164 items)
More locations: McDonald's (13,786 US locations)
Best calorie value: Jimmy John's (1.52¢/cal)

Full Menus

Jimmy John's Menu McDonald's Menu Cheapest Fast Food Low Calorie Guide