Carl's Jr. vs Chick-fil-A: Menu Prices Compared (2026)

Updated September 26, 2026 4 items matched

The short answer

Carl's Jr. is the cheaper of the two. Of the 4 directly comparable items we could match across both menus, Carl's Jr. is cheaper on 3 of them, by an average of $1.43 per item.

Typical menu price: Carl's Jr. $5.49 · Chick-fil-A $5.25

Matched Items, Side by Side

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

Item	Carl's Jr.	Chick-fil-A	Difference
Classic Crispy Chicken Sandwichvs Original Chicken Sandwich	$6.49	$5.25	$1.24 cheaper at Chick-fil-A
Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit	$3.99	$4.25	$0.26 cheaper at Carl's Jr.
Sausage, Egg & Cheese Biscuitvs Chicken, Egg & Cheese Biscuit	$3.99	$5.35	$1.36 cheaper at Carl's Jr.
Spicy Chicken Sandwich	$2.99	$5.85	$2.86 cheaper at Carl's Jr.

Make Carl's Jr. and Chick-fil-A at Home

Whichever of the two wins on price, cooking the favorites at home beats both. These are the sauces, mixes and kitchen tools that get closest to the real thing.

Chick-fil-A Sauce (16 oz Bottle) The signature dipping sauce in a 16 oz bottle. Check price on Amazon Chick-fil-A Polynesian Sauce The sweet-and-sour sauce, bottled. Check price on Amazon Countertop Nugget Ice Maker The soft, chewable ice Chick-fil-A is known for, at home. Check price on Amazon Copycat Restaurant Recipes Cookbooks that recreate chain-restaurant favorites. Check price on Amazon

Carl's Jr. vs Chick-fil-A at a Glance

	Carl's Jr.	Chick-fil-A
Typical menu price	$5.49	$5.25
Average menu price	$5.58	$5.56
Cheapest item	Chocolate Chip Cookie — $1.49	Icedream Cone — $1.85
Most expensive item	Double Western Bacon Cheeseburger — $9.99	Nuggets (30 pc.) — $18.49
Items priced	27	43
Menu sections	5	6
Price range	$	$$
Founded	1941	1967
Headquarters	Franklin, Tennessee	College Park, Georgia
Locations	About 1,000 restaurants in the United States	More than 3,000 restaurants across the United States

Which One Should You Order From?

Chick-fil-A has the lower typical menu price of the two — $5.25 against $5.49 — but a typical price only tells you where the middle of the menu sits. At the value end, Carl's Jr. gets you in cheaper at $1.49.

Carl's Jr. is strongest on Famous Star with Cheese, Western Bacon Cheeseburger, Super Star; Chick-fil-A on Original Chicken Sandwich, Chick-fil-A Nuggets, Waffle Potato Fries. 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

Carl's Jr.

The $6 Big Carl and Famous Star combos that rotate through the app cost about $4 less than ordering the same meal at menu prices.
My Rewards points on the Carl's Jr. app turn into free items, and new members get a free burger with their first purchase.
The Spicy Chicken Sandwich at about $2.99 is the cheapest filling item on the menu.

Chick-fil-A

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.
A 12-count of Nuggets at $7.79 works out to $0.65 per piece against $0.79 for a 5-count — the sensible order size for anyone eating properly.
An Icedream cone at $1.85 is the cheapest dessert at any major chain, and a large sweet tea at $2.79 undercuts most drive-thru drinks.

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.

Carl's Jr. vs Chick-fil-A — FAQ

Is Carl's Jr. cheaper than Chick-fil-A in 2026?

Carl's Jr. is cheaper on most matched items — 3 of 4. Across the whole menu Chick-fil-A is the lower-priced of the two, at $5.25 for a typical item against $5.49 at Carl's Jr..

What is the price difference between Carl's Jr. and Chick-fil-A?

On matched items the average difference is $1.43, or about less than 1% overall. Carl's Jr. averages $5.58 across 27 priced items; Chick-fil-A averages $5.56 across 43.

Which has the cheaper entry price, Carl's Jr. or Chick-fil-A?

Carl's Jr. starts at $1.49 (Chocolate Chip Cookie) and Chick-fil-A at $1.85 (Icedream Cone).

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.