McDonald's operates 13,500+ U.S. locations with lower prices and broader menu variety, while Chick-fil-A operates 3,000+ locations focused on chicken with higher customer satisfaction scores (82% vs 75%) and closed Sundays. McDonald's serves 69 million daily customers globally; Chick-fil-A serves 3 million weekly.
Chick-fil-A vs McDonald's — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
American fast-casual chicken restaurant chain with 3,072 U.S. locations, closed Sundays.
Global fast-food chain with 13,574 U.S. locations and 24/7 availability, serving 69 million daily customers.
U.S. Restaurant Count. Daily Customer Satisfaction Rating. Average Chicken Sandwich Price. Operating Days Per Week. Global Revenue (Annual). Average Calorie Count Per Meal. Menu Item Count
Choose McDonald's if you prioritize affordability, menu variety, global presence, and 24/7 availability with competitive pricing and convenience. Choose Chick-fil-A if you value superior customer satisfaction, premium chicken quality, healthier meal options, and consistent brand experience despite higher costs and limited Sunday hours.
Chick-fil-A: 15-20 | McDonald's: 80+ items
Chick-fil-A: 150-200 estimated | McDonald's: 8,000
Chick-fil-A: Hand-breaded fresh daily | McDonald's: Frozen patties + fresh beef option
Chick-fil-A: Mobile app + traditional ordering | McDonald's: Voice-activated with AI accuracy scaling
Chick-fil-A: 4.5 minutes | McDonald's: 3.8 minutes
Chick-fil-A: #1 overall quality | McDonald's: #1 fries only
Chick-fil-A: 365 days | McDonald's: 340 days
Chick-fil-A: +38% higher | McDonald's: baseline
Chick-fil-A: Top 3 ($107B trifecta) | McDonald's: Top 3 ($107B trifecta)
Chick-fil-A: 100+ countries | McDonald's: U.S. only
Chick-fil-A: $17.8B | McDonald's: $23.2B
Chick-fil-A: 260 days (closed Sundays) | McDonald's: 365 days
Chick-fil-A: 3,000+ | McDonald's: 40,575
Chick-fil-A: 3.2 minutes | McDonald's: N/A
Chick-fil-A: Chicken Sandwich: 440 cal | McDonald's: N/A
Chick-fil-A: 3,052 | McDonald's: 13,000+
Chick-fil-A: 4.2 minutes | McDonald's: N/A
Chick-fil-A: Hand-breaded fresh daily, never frozen | McDonald's: N/A
Chick-fil-A: $2.7-3.2M | McDonald's: N/A
Chick-fil-A: 4.3 min | McDonald's: 5.8 min
Chick-fil-A: ~25 items | McDonald's: 150+ items
Chick-fil-A: 1 (USA only) | McDonald's: 100+
Chick-fil-A: $17.00 | McDonald's: $13.50
Chick-fil-A: $2.7 million | McDonald's: $2.8 million
Chick-fil-A: 3,100+ | McDonald's: 40,275 locations
Chick-fil-A: 126 (closed Sundays, 6am-10pm typical) | McDonald's: N/A
Chick-fil-A: $18.00 | McDonald's: $13.50
Chick-fil-A: N/A | McDonald's: Frozen patties standard
Chick-fil-A: N/A | McDonald's: AI-powered order systems 2026
Chick-fil-A: N/A | McDonald's: Standard options
Chick-fil-A: N/A | McDonald's: Expansion planned
Chick-fil-A: N/A | McDonald's: Standard offerings
Chick-fil-A: N/A | McDonald's: Frozen beef (100% beef)
Chick-fil-A: N/A | McDonald's: 2-3 items
Chick-fil-A: N/A | McDonald's: AI voice-activated with accuracy scaling
Chick-fil-A: N/A | McDonald's: 8,000 new locations planned
Chick-fil-A: N/A | McDonald's: Optimized drive-thru layout
Chick-fil-A: N/A | McDonald's: 105% cheaper than Wendy's
Chick-fil-A: N/A | McDonald's: $1.3 - $2.2 million
Chick-fil-A: N/A | McDonald's: 563 cal (Big Mac)
Chick-fil-A: N/A | McDonald's: 40M+ (McDonald's Rewards)
Chick-fil-A: N/A | McDonald's: ~200 menu variations
Chick-fil-A: N/A | McDonald's: All-day breakfast/lunch/dinner
Chick-fil-A: N/A | McDonald's: $8.50-10.50
Chick-fil-A: N/A | McDonald's: 100+ countries
Chick-fil-A: N/A | McDonald's: $23.2 billion
Chick-fil-A: N/A | McDonald's: 93% of US consumers
Chick-fil-A: N/A | McDonald's: 28% of customer base
Chick-fil-A: N/A | McDonald's: $5.99 (Big Mac)
Chick-fil-A: N/A | McDonald's: 3-4 minutes
Chick-fil-A: N/A | McDonald's: $1,000-$2,300
Chick-fil-A: N/A | McDonald's: $1.6M - $2.3M
Chick-fil-A: N/A | McDonald's: 12+ items
Chick-fil-A: N/A | McDonald's: Griddle-cooked (consistent)
Chick-fil-A: N/A | McDonald's: 40+ (McDonald's Rewards)
Chick-fil-A: N/A | McDonald's: 24 hours (all-day breakfast)
Chick-fil-A: N/A | McDonald's: $196.5 billion
Chick-fil-A: N/A | McDonald's: 550 (Big Mac)
Chick-fil-A: N/A | McDonald's: Frozen beef patties
Chick-fil-A: N/A | McDonald's: Limited (15-20 burger variations)
Chick-fil-A: N/A | McDonald's: 150+ countries
Chick-fil-A: N/A | McDonald's: 550 cal (Big Mac)
How to choose between Chick-fil-A and McDonald's
Chick-fil-A vs McDonald's — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Chick-fil-A vs McDonald's. Contains 130 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Chick-fil-A vs McDonald's — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Chick-fil-A vs McDonald's.
Founder Truett Cathy established this policy in 1946 as a matter of principle, believing employees deserve one day of rest for family and worship. The company has maintained this policy for 78 years despite significant revenue loss estimated at $500 million+ annually.
Chick-fil-A averages 580 calories per meal with grilled chicken options, while McDonald's averages 740 calories. Chick-fil-A uses antibiotic-free chicken and offers 12 salad options vs McDonald's 8, making it generally the healthier choice for calorie-conscious diners.
How do prices compare between the two chains?
McDonald's chicken sandwich costs $5.99 vs Chick-fil-A's $6.99—a 17% difference. A full meal at McDonald's averages $11.49 while Chick-fil-A averages $14.99, making McDonald's approximately 30% cheaper overall.
Which has better customer service quality?
Chick-fil-A ranks 82/100 in J.D. Power customer satisfaction vs McDonald's 75/100. Chick-fil-A also has zero franchise model allowing corporate quality control, while McDonald's franchises account for 95% of locations with variable standards.
Which chain has more international presence?
McDonald's operates 41,630 locations across 100+ countries, while Chick-fil-A operates primarily in the U.S. with only 3 international locations. McDonald's is present in 6 continents; Chick-fil-A has zero presence in Europe, Asia, or Africa.
How to Choose Between Chick-fil-A and McDonald's
U.S. Restaurant Count: Chick-fil-A has 3,072 locations, while McDonald's has 13,574 locations.
Consider: Daily Customer Satisfaction Rating
Daily Customer Satisfaction Rating: Chick-fil-A has 82/100, while McDonald's has 75/100.
Consider: Average Chicken Sandwich Price
Average Chicken Sandwich Price: Chick-fil-A has $6.99, while McDonald's has $5.99.
Operating Days Per Week: Chick-fil-A has 6 days (closed Sundays), while McDonald's has 7 days.
Global Revenue (Annual): Chick-fil-A has $17.8 billion, while McDonald's has $23.2 billion.
Consider: Average Calorie Count Per Meal
Average Calorie Count Per Meal: Chick-fil-A has 580 calories, while McDonald's has 740 calories.
Menu Item Count: Chick-fil-A has 23 core items, while McDonald's has 145+ items.