Dairy Queen vs Red Robin: Menu Prices Compared (2026)

Updated September 26, 2026 3 items matched

The short answer

Dairy Queen is the cheaper of the two. Of the 3 directly comparable items we could match across both menus, Dairy Queen is cheaper on 3 of them, by an average of $5.63 per item.

Typical menu price: Dairy Queen $5.00 · Red Robin $13.49

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	Red Robin	Difference
Crispy Chicken Sandwich	$6.29	$14.49	$8.20 cheaper at Dairy Queen
Onion Rings (medium)vs Towering Onion Rings	$3.79	$11.49	$7.70 cheaper at Dairy Queen
Side Salad	$3.49	$4.49	$1.00 cheaper at Dairy Queen

Make Dairy Queen and Red Robin 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.

Red Robin Seasoning The seasoning salt on the Bottomless fries. Check price on Amazon Ice Cream Maker Custard and soft-serve at home. Check price on Amazon Milkshake Maker Drive-in style shakes in a minute. Check price on Amazon Copycat Restaurant Recipes Cookbooks that recreate chain-restaurant favorites. Check price on Amazon

Dairy Queen vs Red Robin at a Glance

	Dairy Queen	Red Robin
Typical menu price	$5.00	$13.49
Average menu price	$6.86	$11.49
Cheapest item	Dilly Bar — $2.29	Bottomless Soda — $3.99
Most expensive item	10" Round Ice Cream Cake — $34.99	Guacamole Bacon Burger — $16.99
Items priced	42	27
Menu sections	6	5
Price range	$	$$
Founded	1940	1969
Headquarters	Minneapolis, Minnesota	Greenwood Village, Colorado
Locations	About 4,300 restaurants in the United States	About 500 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 $13.49 — 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.

Dairy Queen is strongest on Oreo Blizzard, Chicken Strip Basket, Dilly Bar; Red Robin on Red Robin Gourmet Cheeseburger, Whiskey River BBQ Burger, Bottomless Steak 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

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.

Red Robin

The Big Yummm Burger deal — a burger, a bottomless side and a drink — costs about $12, well below the menu price of the same meal.
Bottomless sides, sodas and Freckled Lemonade mean one burger is often enough food for a full meal.
Red Robin Royalty members get a free burger for their birthday and a reward after every ninth burger.

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 Red Robin — FAQ

Is Dairy Queen cheaper than Red Robin in 2026?

Dairy Queen is cheaper on most matched items — 3 of 3. Across the whole menu Dairy Queen is the lower-priced of the two, at $5.00 for a typical item against $13.49 at Red Robin.

What is the price difference between Dairy Queen and Red Robin?

On matched items the average difference is $5.63, or about 40% overall. Dairy Queen averages $6.86 across 42 priced items; Red Robin averages $11.49 across 27.

Which has the cheaper entry price, Dairy Queen or Red Robin?

Dairy Queen starts at $2.29 (Dilly Bar) and Red Robin at $3.99 (Bottomless Soda).

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.