Denny's vs McDonald's: Menu Prices Compared (2026)

Updated August 27, 2026 4 items matched

The short answer

McDonald's is the cheaper of the two. Of the 4 directly comparable items we could match across both menus, McDonald's is cheaper on 4 of them, by an average of $6.25 per item.

Typical menu price: Denny's $13.29 · 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 — Denny's's wording first.

Item	Denny's	McDonald's	Difference
Double Cheeseburger	$15.49	$4.19	$11.30 cheaper at McDonald's
BBQ Chicken Sandwichvs McCrispy Chicken Sandwich	$13.29	$5.69	$7.60 cheaper at McDonald's
Kids Cheeseburgervs Cheeseburger	$6.99	$2.79	$4.20 cheaper at McDonald's
Milkshakevs Milkshake (medium)	$6.29	$4.39	$1.90 cheaper at McDonald's

Denny's vs McDonald's at a Glance

	Denny's	McDonald's
Typical menu price	$13.29	$4.29
Average menu price	$12.28	$4.97
Cheapest item	Coffee (bottomless) — $3.49	Apple Slices — $1.29
Most expensive item	T-Bone Steak Dinner — $21.99	Bundle Box (family) — $24.99
Items priced	41	51
Menu sections	6	6
Price range	$$	$
Founded	1953	1955
Headquarters	Spartanburg, South Carolina	Chicago, Illinois
Locations	About 1,500 restaurants in the U.S. and abroad	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 $13.29 — 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.

Denny's is strongest on Original Grand Slam, Build Your Own Grand Slam, Moons Over My Hammy; 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

Denny's

The $5.99 Everyday Value Slam is the cheapest sit-down breakfast at any national chain — two pancakes, an egg and meat.
Build Your Own Grand Slam at $12.49 gives four items; ordering the same four à la carte typically costs $4 to $6 more.
The 55+ menu takes roughly $2 to $3 off the standard versions of the same dishes for guests 55 and older.

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.

Denny's vs McDonald's — FAQ

Is Denny's cheaper than McDonald's in 2026?

McDonald's is cheaper on most matched items — 4 of 4. Across the whole menu McDonald's is the lower-priced of the two, at $4.29 for a typical item against $13.29 at Denny's.

What is the price difference between Denny's and McDonald's?

On matched items the average difference is $6.25, or about 60% overall. Denny's averages $12.28 across 41 priced items; McDonald's averages $4.97 across 51.

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

Denny's starts at $3.49 (Coffee (bottomless)) 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.