Which is cheaper, McDonald's or Waffle House?

Waffle House is cheaper, averaging $4.18 per item versus $6.03 for McDonald's — a 31% difference. Based on 265 menu items as of April 2026.

Which has more menu items, McDonald's or Waffle House?

McDonald's has more menu items (164 vs 101). The total combined menu across both chains is 265 items.

Which has lower calories, McDonald's or Waffle House?

Waffle House averages 362 calories per item, compared to 413 for McDonald's. Both chains offer items under 500 calories.

Are McDonald's and Waffle House similar?

McDonald's (13,786 US locations) and Waffle House (2,000 US locations) compete on 2 similar menu categories. Cuisine overlap: 6%.

McDonald's vs Waffle House (2026)

Side-by-side comparison of menu prices, calories, and value. 164 items at McDonald's vs 101 items at Waffle House.

Quick answer: As of April 2026, McDonald's averages $6.03 per item across 164 menu items, while Waffle House averages $4.18 across 101 items. Waffle House is $1.85 cheaper per item (31% difference). Waffle House has lower average calories (362 vs 413 per item).

Quick Comparison

McDonald's vs Waffle House: Quick Price & Menu Comparison
Metric	McDonald's	Waffle House	Winner
Avg Price	$6.03	$4.18	Waffle House
Menu Items	164	101	McDonald's
Avg Calories	413	362	Waffle House
US Locations	13,786	2,000	McDonald's
Secret Menu	15	0	McDonald's

Waffle House is 31% cheaper on average than McDonald's ($1.85 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

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

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

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: McDonald's vs Waffle House

Calorie Value (cents per calorie)

McDonald's delivers 6.07¢/cal on average, while Waffle House delivers 2.36¢/cal. Waffle House gives more calories per dollar — a key metric for value-per-meal seekers.

Menu Category Overlap

McDonald's and Waffle House share 2 menu categories (6% Jaccard overlap). Shared categories: breakfast, 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:

breakfast: McDonald's avg $3.63 vs Waffle House $7.41 — McDonald's is 51% cheaper
beverages: McDonald's avg $3.17 vs Waffle House $1.95 — Waffle House is 38% cheaper

What Fits in Your Budget

$10 budget: McDonald's fits 1 item (290 cal), Waffle House fits 0 items
$15 budget: McDonald's fits 0 items, Waffle House fits 3 items (721 cal)
$20 budget: McDonald's fits 3 items (260 cal), Waffle House fits 3 items (260 cal)

Where They Rank in Our 414-Chain Dataset

McDonald's ranks #156 of 414 on price (cheaper than 63% of tracked chains). Waffle House ranks #50 of 414 (cheaper than 88% of chains).

Calorie Distribution (items under 500 cal)

At McDonald's, 70% of menu items with calorie data come in under 500 calories. At Waffle House, 63% are under 500 calories. McDonald's offers more lower-calorie options proportionally.

Bottom Line

Budget pick: Waffle House ($4.18 avg vs $6.03)
More variety: McDonald's (164 items)
More locations: McDonald's (13,786 US locations)
Best calorie value: Waffle House (2.36¢/cal)

Full Menus

McDonald's Menu Waffle House Menu Cheapest Fast Food Low Calorie Guide