McDonald's vs Steak 'n Shake: Menu Prices Compared (2026)

Updated August 27, 2026 4 items matched

The short answer

Neither chain is clearly cheaper. Across the 4 comparable items, the two split the wins evenly, with an average gap of $0.80 per item — which one costs you less comes down to what you order.

Typical menu price: McDonald's $4.29 · Steak 'n Shake $5.79

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	Steak 'n Shake	Difference
Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuitvs Sausage Egg & Cheese Biscuit	$4.79	$4.29	$0.50 cheaper at Steak 'n Shake
Sausage Biscuit with Eggvs Sausage Egg & Cheese Biscuit	$4.59	$4.29	$0.30 cheaper at Steak 'n Shake
Side Salad	$2.49	$4.49	$2.00 cheaper at McDonald's
Hash Browns	$2.39	$2.79	$0.40 cheaper at McDonald's

Make McDonald's and Steak 'n Shake 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.

McCafé Premium Roast K-Cups The same medium roast McDonald's pours, in Keurig pods. Check price on Amazon Milkshake Maker Diner-style shakes at home in about a minute. Check price on Amazon Big Mac–Style Special Sauce Bottled burger sauce for Big Mac copycats at home. Check price on Amazon Copycat Restaurant Recipes Cookbooks that recreate chain-restaurant favorites. Check price on Amazon

McDonald's vs Steak 'n Shake at a Glance

	McDonald's	Steak 'n Shake
Typical menu price	$4.29	$5.79
Average menu price	$4.97	$5.84
Cheapest item	Apple Slices — $1.29	Coffee — $2.29
Most expensive item	Bundle Box (family) — $24.99	Chicken Fingers Combo — $11.29
Items priced	51	44
Menu sections	6	6
Price range	$	$
Founded	1955	1934
Headquarters	Chicago, Illinois	Indianapolis, Indiana
Locations	More than 13,500 restaurants in the United States	About 400 restaurants, largely in the Midwest and South

Which One Should You Order From?

McDonald's has the lower typical menu price of the two — $4.29 against $5.79 — 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; Steak 'n Shake on Original Double 'n Cheese Steakburger, Hand-Dipped Milkshake, Garlic Steakburger. 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.

Steak 'n Shake

Most locations run half-price milkshakes in the afternoon — typically after 2:00 PM — which takes a $5.29 shake down to about $2.65.
Ordering at the in-store kiosk rather than through delivery avoids the platform markup, which at Steak 'n Shake is steep.
A double Steakburger combo at $10.59 includes two patties, fries and a drink — competitive with single-patty combos elsewhere.

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 Steak 'n Shake — FAQ

Is McDonald's cheaper than Steak 'n Shake in 2026?

They are close. Across 4 matched items the two chains split the result evenly, with an average difference of only $0.80 per item.

What is the price difference between McDonald's and Steak 'n Shake?

On matched items the average difference is $0.80, or about 15% overall. McDonald's averages $4.97 across 51 priced items; Steak 'n Shake averages $5.84 across 44.

Which has the cheaper entry price, McDonald's or Steak 'n Shake?

McDonald's starts at $1.29 (Apple Slices) and Steak 'n Shake at $2.29 (Coffee).

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.