McDonald's vs Wendy's
Two biggest burger chains after Whopper wars — compared. Prices and nutrition updated for 2026.
McDonald's — I'm Lovin' It
- Menu items
- 82
- Stores
- 40,000
- Avg item price
- $4.11
- Avg calories
- 372
- Value score (calories per dollar)
- 90.6
- Cheapest item
- McCafe Premium Roast Coffee (Small) — $1.49
Wendy's — Fresh Never Frozen
- Menu items
- 52
- Stores
- 7,200
- Avg item price
- $4.35
- Avg calories
- 434
- Value score (calories per dollar)
- 99.7
- Cheapest item
- Sugar Cookie — $1.39
Who Wins: McDonald's vs Wendy's?
Lower average price
McDonald'savg — $4.11
Lower average calories
McDonald'savg — $372.01
Best value
Wendy's99.7
More menu items
McDonald's82 items
Cheapest item
Wendy'sSugar Cookie — $1.39
The verdict
Wendy's wins on value with a 99.7 calorie-per-dollar score vs 90.6. McDonald's has the lower average menu price ($4.11 vs $4.35 per item). McDonald's has the lower average calories (372 vs 434). And the cheapest bite is Sugar Cookie at Wendy's ($1.39) vs McCafe Premium Roast Coffee (Small) at $1.49. Check the value menu deals on both menus before ordering.
Signature Items Compared
| McDonald's | Wendy's |
|---|---|
Big Mac Two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun $5.99 | Dave's Single Quarter-pound fresh beef patty, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions, ketchup, mayo on a toasted bun $5.69 |
Quarter Pounder with Cheese Quarter-pound beef patty, melted American cheese, pickles, onions, ketchup and mustard on a sesame seed bun $6.49 | Baconator Two quarter-pound fresh beef patties, six strips of Applewood smoked bacon, American cheese, ketchup, mayo $8.29 |
10-piece Chicken McNuggets Crispy white-meat chicken nuggets served with your choice of dipping sauce $5.89 | Spicy Chicken Sandwich Breaded spicy chicken fillet with lettuce, tomato, pickles, and mayo on a toasted bun $6.49 |
World Famous Fries (Large) Golden, crispy fries cooked in a proprietary blend of oils, salted immediately after cooking $4.89 | Vanilla Frosty (Medium) Creamy frozen dairy dessert — thicker than a milkshake, thinner than soft serve — perfect for dipping fries $2.99 |
McCrispy Chicken Sandwich Extra-crispy buttermilk-breaded chicken fillet, crinkle-cut pickles, buttered potato roll $5.99 | Chili (Small) Hearty beef chili made with ground beef, kidney beans, pinto beans, and sweet peppers — served with saltines and cheese $3.79 |