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

Updated August 27, 2026 6 items matched

The short answer

McDonald's is the cheaper of the two. Of the 6 directly comparable items we could match across both menus, McDonald's is cheaper on 6 of them, by an average of $1.22 per item.

Typical menu price: Dairy Queen $5.00 · 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 — Dairy Queen's wording first.

Item	Dairy Queen	McDonald's	Difference
$7 Meal Dealvs $5 Meal Deal	$7.00	$5.00	$2.00 cheaper at McDonald's
Vanilla Cone (large)vs Vanilla Cone	$3.79	$1.99	$1.80 cheaper at McDonald's
Side Salad	$3.49	$2.49	$1.00 cheaper at McDonald's
Vanilla Cone (medium)vs Vanilla Cone	$3.19	$1.99	$1.20 cheaper at McDonald's
Vanilla Cone (small)vs Vanilla Cone	$2.59	$1.99	$0.60 cheaper at McDonald's
Soft Drink (medium)	$2.49	$1.79	$0.70 cheaper at McDonald's

Dairy Queen vs McDonald's at a Glance

	Dairy Queen	McDonald's
Typical menu price	$5.00	$4.29
Average menu price	$6.86	$4.97
Cheapest item	Dilly Bar — $2.29	Apple Slices — $1.29
Most expensive item	10" Round Ice Cream Cake — $34.99	Bundle Box (family) — $24.99
Items priced	42	51
Menu sections	6	6
Price range	$	$
Founded	1940	1955
Headquarters	Minneapolis, Minnesota	Chicago, Illinois
Locations	About 4,300 restaurants in the United States	More than 13,500 restaurants in the United States

Which One Should You Order From?

McDonald's has the lower typical menu price of the two — $4.29 against $5.00 — but a typical price only tells you where the middle of the menu sits. At the value end, McDonald's gets you in cheaper at $1.29.

Dairy Queen is strongest on Oreo Blizzard, Chicken Strip Basket, Dilly Bar; 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

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.

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.

Dairy Queen vs McDonald's — FAQ

Is Dairy Queen cheaper than McDonald's in 2026?

McDonald's is cheaper on most matched items — 6 of 6. Across the whole menu McDonald's is the lower-priced of the two, at $4.29 for a typical item against $5.00 at Dairy Queen.

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

On matched items the average difference is $1.22, or about 28% overall. Dairy Queen averages $6.86 across 42 priced items; McDonald's averages $4.97 across 51.

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

Dairy Queen starts at $2.29 (Dilly Bar) 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.