Which is cheaper, Panda Express or Taco Bell?

Taco Bell is cheaper, averaging $5.72 per item versus $7.73 for Panda Express — a 26% difference. Based on 126 menu items as of April 2026.

Which has more menu items, Panda Express or Taco Bell?

Taco Bell has more menu items (115 vs 11). The total combined menu across both chains is 126 items.

Which has lower calories, Panda Express or Taco Bell?

Taco Bell averages 405 calories per item, compared to 479 for Panda Express. Both chains offer items under 500 calories.

Are Panda Express and Taco Bell similar?

Panda Express (2,500 US locations) and Taco Bell (7,589 US locations) compete on 0 similar menu categories. Cuisine overlap: 0%.

Panda Express vs Taco Bell (2026)

Side-by-side comparison of menu prices, calories, and value. 11 items at Panda Express vs 115 items at Taco Bell.

Quick answer: As of April 2026, Panda Express averages $7.73 per item across 11 menu items, while Taco Bell averages $5.72 across 115 items. Taco Bell is $2.01 cheaper per item (26% difference). Taco Bell has lower average calories (405 vs 479 per item).

Quick Comparison

Panda Express vs Taco Bell: Quick Price & Menu Comparison
Metric	Panda Express	Taco Bell	Winner
Avg Price	$7.73	$5.72	Taco Bell
Menu Items	11	115	Taco Bell
Avg Calories	479	405	Taco Bell
US Locations	2,500	7,589	Taco Bell
Secret Menu	1	14	Taco Bell

Taco Bell is 26% cheaper on average than Panda Express ($2.01 less per item).

Cheapest Items

Panda Express

Honey Walnut Shrimp $1.50

Bowl (1 entree + 1 side) $8.30

Plate (2 entrees + 1 side) $9.80

Bigger Plate (3 entrees + 1 side) $11.30

Taco Bell

Red Sauce $0.25

Chipotle Sauce $0.65

Creamy Jalapeño Sauce $0.80

Avocado Ranch Sauce $0.80

Spicy Ranch $0.80

Lowest Calorie Options

Panda Express

Broccoli Beef 150 cal

Kung Pao Chicken 290 cal

Honey Walnut Shrimp 360 cal

White Steamed Rice 380 cal

Beijing Beef 470 cal

Taco Bell

Nacho Cheese Sauce 60 cal

Guacamole 80 cal

G2 Gatorade® Fruit Punch 80 cal

Brisk® Dragon Paradise™ Sparkling Iced Tea 120 cal

Dole® Lemonade Strawberry Squeeze 130 cal

Deep Comparison: Panda Express vs Taco Bell

Calorie Value (cents per calorie)

Panda Express delivers 1.18¢/cal on average, while Taco Bell delivers 3.00¢/cal. Panda Express gives more calories per dollar — a key metric for value-per-meal seekers.

Menu Category Overlap

Panda Express and Taco Bell share 0 menu categories (0% Jaccard overlap). Low overlap — these chains serve mostly different food categories.

What Fits in Your Budget

$10 budget: Panda Express fits 0 items, Taco Bell fits 1 item (1430 cal)
$15 budget: Panda Express fits 1 item (360 cal), Taco Bell fits 0 items
$20 budget: Panda Express fits 2 items (860 cal), Taco Bell fits 3 items (1370 cal)

Where They Rank in Our 414-Chain Dataset

Panda Express ranks #218 of 414 on price (pricier than 52% of tracked chains). Taco Bell ranks #143 of 414 (cheaper than 66% of chains).

Calorie Distribution (items under 500 cal)

At Panda Express, 55% of menu items with calorie data come in under 500 calories. At Taco Bell, 64% are under 500 calories. Taco Bell offers more lower-calorie options proportionally.

Bottom Line

Budget pick: Taco Bell ($5.72 avg vs $7.73)
More variety: Taco Bell (115 items)
More locations: Taco Bell (7,589 US locations)
Best calorie value: Panda Express (1.18¢/cal)

Full Menus

Panda Express Menu Taco Bell Menu Cheapest Fast Food Low Calorie Guide