Burger King vs McDonald's: Menu Prices Compared (2026)

Updated August 27, 2026 9 items matched

The short answer

Burger King is the cheaper of the two. Of the 9 directly comparable items we could match across both menus, Burger King is cheaper on 5 of them, by an average of $0.41 per item.

Typical menu price: Burger King $4.29 · McDonald's $4.29

Matched Items, Side by Side

The same item on both menus, priced against each other. Where names differ, we matched the closest equivalent — Burger King's wording first.

Item	Burger King	McDonald's	Difference
Original Chicken Sandwichvs McCrispy Chicken Sandwich	$5.99	$5.69	$0.30 cheaper at McDonald's
Croissan'wich (sausage, egg & cheese)vs Sausage, Egg & Cheese McGriddles	$4.29	$5.39	$1.10 cheaper at Burger King
Croissan'wich (bacon, egg & cheese)vs Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit	$4.29	$4.79	$0.50 cheaper at Burger King
Double Cheeseburger	$3.79	$4.19	$0.40 cheaper at Burger King
Bacon Cheeseburgervs Cheeseburger	$2.99	$2.79	$0.20 cheaper at McDonald's
Iced Coffeevs Iced Coffee (medium)	$2.49	$2.49	same
Cheeseburger	$2.29	$2.79	$0.50 cheaper at Burger King
Soft Drink (medium)	$2.29	$1.79	$0.50 cheaper at McDonald's
Hash Browns (small)vs Hash Browns	$2.19	$2.39	$0.20 cheaper at Burger King

Burger King vs McDonald's at a Glance

	Burger King	McDonald's
Typical menu price	$4.29	$4.29
Average menu price	$5.13	$4.97
Cheapest item	Soft Serve Cone — $1.79	Apple Slices — $1.29
Most expensive item	Family Bundle (4 sandwiches, 4 fries) — $25.99	Bundle Box (family) — $24.99
Items priced	45	51
Menu sections	6	6
Price range	$	$
Founded	1954	1955
Headquarters	Miami, Florida	Chicago, Illinois
Locations	About 6,700 restaurants in the United States	More than 13,500 restaurants in the United States

Which One Should You Order From?

Both menus sit at the same midpoint, $4.29, so neither is the obviously cheaper choice. Averaged across every priced item McDonald's edges it — $4.97 against $5.13 — which mostly reflects how each chain prices the top of its menu. At the value end, McDonald's gets you in cheaper at $1.29.

Burger King is strongest on Whopper, Original Chicken Sandwich, Chicken Fries; McDonald's on Big Mac, Quarter Pounder with Cheese, 10 pc. Chicken McNuggets. Neither chain's app prices match the counter, and both discount heavily through their loyalty programmes, so the deals below usually matter more than the few cents between the two menus.

Deals Worth Knowing at Both

Burger King

The BK app runs near-permanent BOGO Whopper and 2-for-$10 offers; paying board price for a Whopper is close to a mistake.
The $5 Your Way Meal covers a Whopper Jr., nuggets, fries and a drink for less than a Whopper alone.
Onion rings cost the same as fries at $3.39 medium and are the more distinctive side — Burger King is one of the few national chains to carry them.

McDonald's

The $5 Meal Deal is the single best value on the menu — the same four items ordered separately run close to $12.
The McDonald's app gives a free item on many orders and runs a points programme worth roughly 5% back; app prices are frequently below counter prices for the same item.
20-piece McNuggets at $9.99 cost about $0.50 per nugget against $0.65 for a 4-piece — the best per-unit price on the 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.

Burger King vs McDonald's — FAQ

Is Burger King cheaper than McDonald's in 2026?

Burger King is cheaper on most matched items — 5 of 9. Across the whole menu McDonald's is the lower-priced of the two, at $4.29 for a typical item against $4.29 at Burger King.

What is the price difference between Burger King and McDonald's?

On matched items the average difference is $0.41, or about 3% overall. Burger King averages $5.13 across 45 priced items; McDonald's averages $4.97 across 51.

Which has the cheaper entry price, Burger King or McDonald's?

Burger King starts at $1.79 (Soft Serve Cone) and McDonald's at $1.29 (Apple Slices).

Are these prices the same at every location?

No. Both chains let franchise owners set prices, so figures move by a dollar or more between markets and run highest at airport, stadium and highway locations. Treat these as the typical U.S. price, not a quote.