Culver's vs Dairy Queen: Menu Prices Compared (2026)

Updated August 20, 2026 5 items matched

The short answer

Dairy Queen is the cheaper of the two. Of the 5 directly comparable items we could match across both menus, Dairy Queen is cheaper on 5 of them, by an average of $1.82 per item.

Typical menu price: Culver's $8.29 · Dairy Queen $5.00

Matched Items, Side by Side

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

Item	Culver's	Dairy Queen	Difference
Spicy Crispy Chicken Sandwichvs Crispy Chicken Sandwich	$8.79	$6.29	$2.50 cheaper at Dairy Queen
Grilled Chicken Sandwich	$8.49	$6.49	$2.00 cheaper at Dairy Queen
Crispy Chicken Sandwich	$8.29	$6.29	$2.00 cheaper at Dairy Queen
Sundaevs Sundae (medium)	$5.79	$4.19	$1.60 cheaper at Dairy Queen
Onion Ringsvs Onion Rings (medium)	$4.79	$3.79	$1.00 cheaper at Dairy Queen

Make Culver's and Dairy Queen 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.

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Culver's vs Dairy Queen at a Glance

	Culver's	Dairy Queen
Typical menu price	$8.29	$5.00
Average menu price	$8.19	$6.86
Cheapest item	Fountain Drink (regular) — $2.79	Dilly Bar — $2.29
Most expensive item	North Atlantic Cod Dinner (3 pc) — $16.99	10" Round Ice Cream Cake — $34.99
Items priced	42	42
Menu sections	6	6
Price range	$$	$
Founded	1984	1940
Headquarters	Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin	Minneapolis, Minnesota
Locations	More than 970 restaurants, concentrated in the Midwest	About 4,300 restaurants in the United States

Which One Should You Order From?

Dairy Queen has the lower typical menu price of the two — $5.00 against $8.29 — but a typical price only tells you where the middle of the menu sits. At the value end, Dairy Queen gets you in cheaper at $2.29.

Culver's is strongest on ButterBurger Deluxe, Butterburger Cheese Double, Cheese Curds; Dairy Queen on Oreo Blizzard, Chicken Strip Basket, Dilly Bar. 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

Culver's

Kids meals include a scoop of frozen custard at no extra charge — an unusual inclusion that adds about $3.79 of value.
Buy custard by the pint or quart to go: a quart at $11.99 is roughly half the per-ounce cost of individual scoops.
Culver's e-club sends a free-item coupon on signup and again on your birthday.

Dairy Queen

The $7 Meal Deal includes a mini Blizzard alongside a sandwich, fries and a drink — the Blizzard alone is normally $3.99.
A Dilly Bar at $2.29 is the cheapest branded frozen treat at any national chain and has been on the menu since 1955.
A mini Blizzard at $3.99 is $1.60 less than a medium for about two thirds the volume — the mini is the sensible size for one person.

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.

Culver's vs Dairy Queen — FAQ

Is Culver's cheaper than Dairy Queen in 2026?

Dairy Queen is cheaper on most matched items — 5 of 5. Across the whole menu Dairy Queen is the lower-priced of the two, at $5.00 for a typical item against $8.29 at Culver's.

What is the price difference between Culver's and Dairy Queen?

On matched items the average difference is $1.82, or about 16% overall. Culver's averages $8.19 across 42 priced items; Dairy Queen averages $6.86 across 42.

Which has the cheaper entry price, Culver's or Dairy Queen?

Culver's starts at $2.79 (Fountain Drink (regular)) and Dairy Queen at $2.29 (Dilly Bar).

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.