Which is cheaper, McDonald's or Smoothie King?

Smoothie King is cheaper, averaging $4.83 per item versus $6.03 for McDonald's — a 20% difference. Based on 228 menu items as of April 2026.

Which has more menu items, McDonald's or Smoothie King?

McDonald's has more menu items (164 vs 64). The total combined menu across both chains is 228 items.

Which has lower calories, McDonald's or Smoothie King?

McDonald's averages 413 calories per item, compared to 616 for Smoothie King. Both chains offer items under 500 calories.

Are McDonald's and Smoothie King similar?

McDonald's (13,786 US locations) and Smoothie King (1,300 US locations) compete on 0 similar menu categories. Cuisine overlap: 0%.

McDonald's vs Smoothie King (2026)

Side-by-side comparison of menu prices, calories, and value. 164 items at McDonald's vs 64 items at Smoothie King.

Quick answer: As of April 2026, McDonald's averages $6.03 per item across 164 menu items, while Smoothie King averages $4.83 across 64 items. Smoothie King is $1.20 cheaper per item (20% difference). McDonald's has lower average calories (413 vs 616 per item).

Quick Comparison

McDonald's vs Smoothie King: Quick Price & Menu Comparison
Metric	McDonald's	Smoothie King	Winner
Avg Price	$6.03	$4.83	Smoothie King
Menu Items	164	64	McDonald's
Avg Calories	413	616	McDonald's
US Locations	13,786	1,300	McDonald's
Secret Menu	15	0	McDonald's

Smoothie King is 20% cheaper on average than McDonald's ($1.20 less per item).

Cheapest Items

McDonald's

Butter $0.15

Syrup $0.25

Creamy Ranch Sauce $0.30

Spicy Buffalo $0.30

Honey Mustard $0.30

Smoothie King

Fitness – Muscle Builder or Protein $0.99

Slim Down – Diet Down $0.99

Wellness – Multi-vitamin, Antioxidant, Probiotic, Immune or Fiber Blend $0.99

Energy – Caffeine Charge, Pure Recharge or Energy Boost (No Caffeine) $0.99

Extras – Fruit/Fruit Juice, Yogurt/Ice Cream, Greek Yogurt or Veggies $0.99

Lowest Calorie Options

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

Smoothie King

Apple Kiwi Bunga 150 cal

Strawberry Bluegurt Blitz 160 cal

Lil Angel™ 190 cal

Choc-A-Laka 200 cal

Gladiator (Vanilla, Chocolate or Strawberry) 230 cal

Deep Comparison: McDonald's vs Smoothie King

Calorie Value (cents per calorie)

McDonald's delivers 6.07¢/cal on average, while Smoothie King delivers 0.95¢/cal. Smoothie King gives more calories per dollar — a key metric for value-per-meal seekers.

Menu Category Overlap

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

What Fits in Your Budget

$10 budget: McDonald's fits 1 item (290 cal), Smoothie King fits 3 items (1380 cal)
$15 budget: McDonald's fits 0 items, Smoothie King fits 3 items (750 cal)
$20 budget: McDonald's fits 3 items (260 cal), Smoothie King fits 3 items (1530 cal)

Where They Rank in Our 414-Chain Dataset

McDonald's ranks #156 of 414 on price (cheaper than 63% of tracked chains). Smoothie King ranks #86 of 414 (cheaper than 79% of chains).

Calorie Distribution (items under 500 cal)

At McDonald's, 70% of menu items with calorie data come in under 500 calories. At Smoothie King, 24% are under 500 calories. McDonald's offers more lower-calorie options proportionally.

Bottom Line

Budget pick: Smoothie King ($4.83 avg vs $6.03)
More variety: McDonald's (164 items)
More locations: McDonald's (13,786 US locations)
Best calorie value: Smoothie King (0.95¢/cal)

Full Menus

McDonald's Menu Smoothie King Menu Cheapest Fast Food Low Calorie Guide