Cheapest Chicken Chains in 2026

9 chains rankedUpdated September 1, 2026

Chick-fil-A is the cheapest chicken chain we track, with a typical menu price of $5.25 — 51% below Wingstop at the other end of the table. Full ranking below, worked out from every priced item on each menu.

Chicken Chains Ranked by Price

#	Restaurant	Typical price	Cheapest item
1	Chick-fil-A 43 items priced · average $5.56	$5.25	Icedream Cone$1.85
2	KFC 35 items priced · average $10.61	$5.69	Chocolate Chip Cookie$1.29
3	Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen 40 items priced · average $9.16	$5.99	Biscuit$1.29
4	Bojangles 40 items priced · average $10.81	$6.49	Plain Biscuit$1.99
5	Church's Texas Chicken 42 items priced · average $10.97	$6.49	Honey-Butter Biscuit (1)$1.29
6	Dave's Hot Chicken 25 items priced · average $12.91	$7.49	Bottled Water$2.79
7	Zaxby's 38 items priced · average $14.09	$7.99	Nutter Butter Cookie$1.29
8	Raising Cane's 31 items priced · average $42.45	$8.49	Texas Toast$1.79
9	Wingstop 38 items priced · average $21.10	$10.79	Veggie Sticks$2.29

The Cheapest Chicken Options in Detail

1. Chick-fil-A — typical item $5.25

Chick-fil-A is the highest-revenue-per-restaurant chain in the United States despite being closed on Sundays, and its pricing reflects that position: an Original Chicken Sandwich costs more than a McChicken by a factor of nearly two, and the queue is still…

The menu runs $1.85 (Icedream Cone) to $18.49 (Nuggets (30 pc.)) across 43 priced items, averaging $5.56. Chick-fil-A One is one of the few genuinely strong fast-food loyalty programmes: points on every order, a free item at low thresholds and frequent app-only offers. See the full Chick-fil-A menu →

2. KFC — typical item $5.69

KFC prices are built around the bucket, and the bucket is where the arithmetic gets interesting: an 8-piece runs a little over $22 while a 12-piece meal with sides lands close to $35, which makes the family bundles the only sensible way to order for more than…

The menu runs $1.29 (Chocolate Chip Cookie) to $39.99 (12 pc. Meal (3 large sides, 6 biscuits)) across 35 priced items, averaging $10.61. The $5 Fill Up is the best value KFC runs — a Famous Bowl, a cookie and a drink for the price of the bowl alone. See the full KFC menu →

3. Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen — typical item $5.99

Popeyes reset the entire chicken-sandwich market in 2019 and has been priced against Chick-fil-A ever since. In 2026 the sandwich sits at about $5.99 — a little above Chick-fil-A's original — but the chain gives you far more chicken per dollar on bone-in…

The menu runs $1.29 (Biscuit) to $43.99 (Family Feast (16 pc.)) across 40 priced items, averaging $9.16. The $6 Big Box — two pieces of chicken, two sides and a biscuit — is the best price-per-calorie order at any national chicken chain. See the full Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen menu →

4. Bojangles — typical item $6.49

Bojangles is a Southeastern chain built on Cajun-seasoned fried chicken, made-from-scratch buttermilk biscuits and sweet tea. Its biscuits are baked fresh every twenty minutes, and the chain serves breakfast all day at most locations — a genuine…

The menu runs $1.99 (Plain Biscuit) to $59.99 (20 Piece Family Meal) across 40 priced items, averaging $10.81. Bojangles serves breakfast all day at most locations, so the $5.29 Cajun Filet Biscuit is available at dinner time too. See the full Bojangles menu →

5. Church's Texas Chicken — typical item $6.49

Church's is one of the oldest fried chicken chains in the country, founded across the street from the Alamo in San Antonio. It competes primarily on price, consistently undercutting the larger chicken chains on both individual pieces and family meals. The…

The menu runs $1.29 (Honey-Butter Biscuit (1)) to $49.99 (Bigger Family Deal (20 pc)) across 42 priced items, averaging $10.97. An 8-piece family meal at $24.99 works out to roughly $3.12 per piece with sides included, against $5.49 for a two-piece order. See the full Church's Texas Chicken menu →

About these prices: menu prices are set by individual franchise owners and change without notice. The figures on this page are researched estimates for 2026 and are provided for reference only. Confirm the current price with the restaurant before ordering. Menu Price Book is not affiliated with this chain.

Cheapest Chicken Chains — FAQ

What is the cheapest chicken chain in 2026?

Chick-fil-A has the lowest typical menu price of the 9 chicken chains we track, at $5.25. Its cheapest item is Icedream Cone at $1.85.

How much does a chicken meal cost in 2026?

Across the 9 chains ranked here the typical single item runs from $5.25 to $10.79. Add a side and a drink and a full meal lands roughly $11.03 to $22.66 depending on where you order.

How is this ranking worked out?

Every priced item on each chain's menu is collected, then the chains are ordered by the midpoint of their menu — the median price. A median is used rather than an average so that one expensive family platter does not make an otherwise cheap chain look costly.

Are these prices the same everywhere?

No. Franchise owners set their own prices, so figures move between markets and run highest at airport, stadium and highway locations. The ranking reflects the prices that appear most often across U.S. markets.