Portillo's vs Waffle House: Menu Prices Compared (2026)
The short answer
Waffle House is the cheaper of the two. Of the 3 directly comparable items we could match across both menus, Waffle House is cheaper on 2 of them, by an average of $1.31 per item.
Deals Worth Knowing at Both
Portillo's
- Ordering the beef dipped, wet or dry costs nothing extra — the preparation is free, so ask for what you actually want.
- Italian Beef family packs at $59.99 feed four to six for roughly the price of five individual sandwiches with sides.
- Portillo's ships nationwide, so the chocolate cake and Italian beef kits are available outside the chain's footprint.
Waffle House
- The All-Star Special at $12.55 includes a waffle, eggs, meat, toast and a side — ordering those items separately costs roughly $5 more.
- Coffee is bottomless at about $2.95, which matters on a long stop.
- Hash brown toppings are $0.95 each; three of them cost less than the pre-named combinations at some locations, so order by the modifier.
Portillo's vs Waffle House — FAQ
Is Portillo's cheaper than Waffle House in 2026?
Waffle House is cheaper on most matched items — 2 of 3. Across the whole menu Waffle House is the lower-priced of the two, at $6.55 for a typical item against $9.29 at Portillo's.
What is the price difference between Portillo's and Waffle House?
On matched items the average difference is $1.31, or about 47% overall. Portillo's averages $14.10 across 40 priced items; Waffle House averages $7.46 across 42.
Which has the cheaper entry price, Portillo's or Waffle House?
Portillo's starts at $3.79 (Fries (regular)) and Waffle House at $2.45 (Toast).
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.