Dave's Hot Chicken vs KFC: Menu Prices Compared (2026)

Updated August 24, 2026 3 items matched

The short answer

KFC is the cheaper of the two. Of the 3 directly comparable items we could match across both menus, KFC is cheaper on 3 of them, by an average of $3.87 per item.

Typical menu price: Dave's Hot Chicken $7.49 · KFC $5.69

Matched Items, Side by Side

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

Item	Dave's Hot Chicken	KFC	Difference
Large Mac & Cheesevs Mac & Cheese (individual)	$9.99	$3.19	$6.80 cheaper at KFC
Cake Slice	$5.99	$3.49	$2.50 cheaper at KFC
Mac & Cheesevs Mac & Cheese (individual)	$5.49	$3.19	$2.30 cheaper at KFC

Make Dave's Hot Chicken and KFC 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.

Nashville Hot Chicken Seasoning Cayenne-heavy blend for hot chicken at home. Check price on Amazon Air Fryer Crispy chicken and fries without a deep fryer. Check price on Amazon Seasoned Breading Mix Southern-style coating for fried chicken. Check price on Amazon Copycat Restaurant Recipes Cookbooks that recreate chain-restaurant favorites. Check price on Amazon

Dave's Hot Chicken vs KFC at a Glance

	Dave's Hot Chicken	KFC
Typical menu price	$7.49	$5.69
Average menu price	$12.91	$10.61
Cheapest item	Bottled Water — $2.79	Chocolate Chip Cookie — $1.29
Most expensive item	Party Pack (feeds 6–8) — $89.99	12 pc. Meal (3 large sides, 6 biscuits) — $39.99
Items priced	34	35
Menu sections	6	5
Price range	$$	$$
Founded	2017	1952
Headquarters	Pasadena, California	Louisville, Kentucky
Locations	Over 300 locations in the U.S. and Canada	About 3,900 restaurants in the United States

Which One Should You Order From?

KFC has the lower typical menu price of the two — $5.69 against $7.49 — but a typical price only tells you where the middle of the menu sits. At the value end, KFC gets you in cheaper at $1.29.

Dave's Hot Chicken is strongest on Dave's #1 Combo, Slider Combo, Cheese Fries; KFC on 8 pc. Original Recipe Bucket, Famous Bowl, Chicken Sandwich. 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

Dave's Hot Chicken

Dave's #1 at $12.49 is the value anchor of the menu — two tenders plus every side for barely more than two tenders alone.
Heat level is free at all seven tiers, so there is never a reason to pay for extra spice.
Family packs bring the per-tender cost down by roughly 20 percent compared with ordering combos individually.

KFC

The $5 Fill Up is the best value KFC runs — a Famous Bowl, a cookie and a drink for the price of the bowl alone.
A 12-piece bucket at $31.99 works out to $2.67 per piece against $2.87 for an 8-piece; above four people, always size up.
A gallon of sweet tea at $5.99 costs less than two large drinks and is the cheapest way to cover a family meal.

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.

Dave's Hot Chicken vs KFC — FAQ

Is Dave's Hot Chicken cheaper than KFC in 2026?

KFC is cheaper on most matched items — 3 of 3. Across the whole menu KFC is the lower-priced of the two, at $5.69 for a typical item against $7.49 at Dave's Hot Chicken.

What is the price difference between Dave's Hot Chicken and KFC?

On matched items the average difference is $3.87, or about 18% overall. Dave's Hot Chicken averages $12.91 across 25 priced items; KFC averages $10.61 across 35.

Which has the cheaper entry price, Dave's Hot Chicken or KFC?

Dave's Hot Chicken starts at $2.79 (Bottled Water) and KFC at $1.29 (Chocolate Chip Cookie).

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.