McDonald's vs Perkins Restaurant & Bakery: Menu Prices Compared (2026)

Updated October 22, 2026 3 items matched

The short answer

McDonald's is the cheaper of the two. Of the 3 directly comparable items we could match across both menus, McDonald's is cheaper on 3 of them, by an average of $3.63 per item.

Typical menu price: McDonald's $4.29 · Perkins Restaurant & Bakery $12.19

Matched Items, Side by Side

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

Item	McDonald's	Perkins Restaurant & Bakery	Difference
Milkshake (medium)vs Milkshake	$4.39	$4.59	$0.20 cheaper at McDonald's
Cheeseburgervs Classic Cheeseburger	$2.79	$11.99	$9.20 cheaper at McDonald's
Soft Drink (medium)vs Soft Drink	$1.79	$3.29	$1.50 cheaper at McDonald's

McDonald's vs Perkins Restaurant & Bakery at a Glance

	McDonald's	Perkins Restaurant & Bakery
Typical menu price	$4.29	$12.19
Average menu price	$4.97	$10.64
Cheapest item	Apple Slices — $1.29	Hot Chocolate — $2.99
Most expensive item	Bundle Box (family) — $24.99	Chocolate French Silk Pie (whole) — $19.19
Items priced	51	51
Menu sections	6	9
Price range	$	$$
Founded	1955	1958
Headquarters	Chicago, Illinois	Atlanta, Georgia
Locations	More than 13,500 restaurants in the United States	About 250 restaurants, mostly in the Midwest

Which One Should You Order From?

McDonald's has the lower typical menu price of the two — $4.29 against $12.19 — 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.

McDonald's is strongest on Big Mac, Quarter Pounder with Cheese, 10 pc. Chicken McNuggets; Perkins Restaurant & Bakery on Magnificent Seven, Buttermilk Pancake Short Stack, Country Fried Steak. 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

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.

Perkins Restaurant & Bakery

Guests 55 and older can order from the 55 Plus menu: pancakes for about $6.89 and dinners for about $11.29, a few dollars under the full-size plates.
The Fabulous Five at about $7.79 and the Magnificent Seven at about $9.59 are the cheapest full breakfasts.
Coffee is bottomless for about $3.19.

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.

McDonald's vs Perkins Restaurant & Bakery — FAQ

Is McDonald's cheaper than Perkins Restaurant & Bakery in 2026?

McDonald's is cheaper on most matched items — 3 of 3. Across the whole menu McDonald's is the lower-priced of the two, at $4.29 for a typical item against $12.19 at Perkins Restaurant & Bakery.

What is the price difference between McDonald's and Perkins Restaurant & Bakery?

On matched items the average difference is $3.63, or about 53% overall. McDonald's averages $4.97 across 51 priced items; Perkins Restaurant & Bakery averages $10.64 across 51.

Which has the cheaper entry price, McDonald's or Perkins Restaurant & Bakery?

McDonald's starts at $1.29 (Apple Slices) and Perkins Restaurant & Bakery at $2.99 (Hot Chocolate).

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.