Which is cheaper: McDonald's or Chick-fil-A?

McDonald's is significantly more affordable, with entrées typically $2.50-$4.00 cheaper than Chick-fil-A. A McDonald's chicken sandwich averages $6.99 vs. Chick-fil-A's $9.25, representing a 32% price difference. McDonald's positions itself as value-oriented fast food, while Chick-fil-A operates as premium fast-casual with higher pricing.

Which has better quality according to 2026 rankings?

Chick-fil-A ranks #1 for overall quality among U.S. fast food brands according to YouGov's Best Bites 2026 Restaurant Brand Rankings. McDonald's earned recognition specifically for best fries only. Chick-fil-A's consistent chicken quality and service standards earned it the top quality perception spot.

Can I eat at Chick-fil-A on Sundays?

No. Chick-fil-A is closed every Sunday, reducing annual availability by 25 days (340 operating days vs. 365 for McDonald's). This closure policy is part of the company's founding principles. McDonald's remains open 365 days at virtually all locations.

Which has more menu options?

McDonald's offers 200+ menu items globally compared to Chick-fil-A's 80+ items. McDonald's menu spans burgers, chicken, breakfast, salads, desserts, and beverages. Chick-fil-A focuses primarily on chicken sandwiches, chicken nuggets, salads, and a limited breakfast menu, emphasizing quality over variety.

Which is available worldwide?

McDonald's operates in 100+ countries with 40,000+ locations globally, making it universally accessible. Chick-fil-A operates exclusively in the United States with 3,000+ locations, with no current international expansion plans. McDonald's is the clear choice for international availability.

McDonald's vs Chick-fil-A

Updated May 10, 2026

Chick-fil-A

Premium fast-casual chicken restaurant chain with 3,000+ U.S. locations.

Quality-conscious diners willing to pay premium prices for superior chicken, consistent service, and those seeking the highest perceived value in fast casual dining.

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McDonald's

Global fast food giant with 40,000+ locations offering affordable burgers, fries, and diverse menu.

Budget-conscious families, international travelers, shift workers needing 24/7 availability, and those prioritizing menu diversity and value over premium quality.

Short Answer

McDonald's offers greater global reach, menu variety, and affordability with 40,000+ locations worldwide, while Chick-fil-A ranks #1 in quality perception among U.S. diners and specializes in premium chicken products with superior customer service ratings.

Our Verdict

Choose McDonald's if you prioritize affordability, global accessibility, menu variety, and year-round availability across 365 days—ideal for families seeking budget-friendly meals and travelers worldwide. Choose Chick-fil-A if you're willing to pay premium prices for superior quality perception, exceptional customer service, and premium chicken products, with the tradeoff of fewer locations and Sunday closures.

Chick-fil-A7

8McDonald's

Choose Chick-fil-A if

Quality-conscious diners willing to pay premium prices for superior chicken, consistent service, and those seeking the highest perceived value in fast casual dining.

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Key Differences at a Glance

🔹

Quality Ranking (YouGov 2026): Chick-fil-A wins (#1 ranked for quality vs Best fries category only)

🔹

Global Store Count: McDonald's wins (3,000+ locations (U.S. only) vs 40,000+ locations)

💰

Average Entrée Price (2026): McDonald's wins ($9.25-$12.00 vs $6.99-$8.50)

See all 7 differences

Key Facts & Figures

Metric	Chick-fil-A	McDonald's	Diff
Number of Global Locations(stores)	2,900+	40,000+	-93%
Operating Days Per Year(days)	313 days	365 days	-14%
Menu Item Count(items)	200+ global items

Key Differences

Chick-fil-A

Attribute

McDonald's

#1 ranked for quality🏆

Quality Ranking (YouGov 2026)

Best fries category only

40,000+ locations

Global Store Count

3,000+ locations (U.S. only)🏆

$6.99-$8.50

Average Entrée Price (2026)

$9.25-$12.00

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Last updated: May 10, 2026AI generated

Quality Ranking (YouGov 2026)

Chick-fil-A

#1 ranked for quality🏆

McDonald's

Best fries category only

Global Store Count

Chick-fil-A

40,000+ locations

McDonald's

3,000+ locations (U.S. only)🏆

Average Entrée Price (2026)

Chick-fil-A

$6.99-$8.50

McDonald's

$9.25-$12.00🏆

Annual U.S. Sales (2025 data)

Chick-fil-A

Part of $107B trifecta

McDonald's

Part of $107B trifecta

Menu Diversity

Chick-fil-A

200+ menu items globally

McDonald's

80+ menu items🏆

Customer Service Consistency

Chick-fil-A

Highly consistent🏆

McDonald's

Highly consistent

Operating Days Per Year

Chick-fil-A

365 days

McDonald's

340 days (closed Sundays)🏆

Full Comparison

Attribute	Chick-fil-A	McDonald's

Number of Global Locations(stores)	2,900+	40,000+

Operating Days Per Year(days)	313 days	365 days
Global Store Locations(stores)	40,000+	3,000+
Annual Operating Days(days)	365 days	340 days

Menu Item Count(items)	200+ global items	80+ items

2026 New Location Growth Target(locations)	150-200 estimated	8,000
New Restaurant Openings 2026(planned locations)	Expansion planned	—

Chicken Preparation Method	Hand-breaded fresh daily	Frozen patties + fresh beef option

Drive-Thru AI Technology	Mobile app + traditional ordering	Voice-activated with AI accuracy scaling
Drive-Thru Technology Level	AI-powered order systems 2026	—

Average Customer Transaction Time(minutes)	4.5 minutes	3.8 minutes

Quality Ranking (YouGov 2026)(ranking)	#1 overall quality	#1 fries only

Average Chicken Sandwich Price(USD)	$9.25	$6.99
Price Premium vs. Competitor(percent)	+38% higher	baseline
Value Meal Price(GBP)	£3.89	—

2025 Sales Tier(ranking)	Top 3 ($107B trifecta)	Top 3 ($107B trifecta)

International Presence(countries)	100+ countries	U.S. only

Global Restaurant Count(locations)	40,000+	—

2026 Revenue Growth(percentage)	+3%	—

Beef Freshness	Frozen patties standard	—

Average Burger Price(USD)	$5-7	—

Menu Item Customization Options(level)	Standard options	—

Chicken Sandwich Quality Focus	Standard offerings	—

Global Restaurant Locations(approximate count)	40,000+	—

Beef Freshness Standard	Pre-cooked frozen patties	—

New Menu Items Per Year(items)	2-3 items	—

Drive-Thru Technology (2026)	AI voice-activated with accuracy scaling	—

New Location Expansion (2026)(locations)	8,000 new locations planned	—

Restaurant Design Innovation	Optimized drive-thru layout	—

Price Advantage for Value Seekers(percent cheaper)	105% cheaper than Wendy's	—

Chick-fil-A

McDonald's

Number of Global Locations(stores)

2,900+

40,000+

Operating Days Per Year(days)

313 days

365 days

Global Store Locations(stores)

40,000+

3,000+

Annual Operating Days(days)

365 days

340 days

Menu Item Count(items)

200+ global items

80+ items

2026 New Location Growth Target(locations)

150-200 estimated

8,000

New Restaurant Openings 2026(planned locations)

Expansion planned

—

Chicken Preparation Method

Hand-breaded fresh daily

Frozen patties + fresh beef option

Drive-Thru AI Technology

Mobile app + traditional ordering

Voice-activated with AI accuracy scaling

Drive-Thru Technology Level

AI-powered order systems 2026

—

Average Customer Transaction Time(minutes)

4.5 minutes

3.8 minutes

Quality Ranking (YouGov 2026)(ranking)

#1 overall quality

#1 fries only

Average Chicken Sandwich Price(USD)

$9.25

$6.99

Price Premium vs. Competitor(percent)

+38% higher

baseline

Value Meal Price(GBP)

£3.89

—

2025 Sales Tier(ranking)

Top 3 ($107B trifecta)

International Presence(countries)

100+ countries

U.S. only

Global Restaurant Count(locations)

40,000+

—

2026 Revenue Growth(percentage)

+3%

—

Beef Freshness

Frozen patties standard

—

Average Burger Price(USD)

$5-7

—

Menu Item Customization Options(level)

Standard options

—

Chicken Sandwich Quality Focus

Standard offerings

—

Global Restaurant Locations(approximate count)

40,000+

—

Beef Freshness Standard

Pre-cooked frozen patties

—

New Menu Items Per Year(items)

2-3 items

—

Drive-Thru Technology (2026)

AI voice-activated with accuracy scaling

—

New Location Expansion (2026)(locations)

8,000 new locations planned

—

Restaurant Design Innovation

Optimized drive-thru layout

—

Price Advantage for Value Seekers(percent cheaper)

105% cheaper than Wendy's

—

Full Comparison

Attribute	Chick-fil-A	McDonald's

Number of Global Locations(stores)	2,900+	40,000+

Operating Days Per Year(days)	313 days	365 days
Global Store Locations(stores)	40,000+	3,000+
Annual Operating Days(days)	365 days	340 days

Menu Item Count(items)	200+ global items	80+ items

2026 New Location Growth Target(locations)	150-200 estimated	8,000
New Restaurant Openings 2026(planned locations)	Expansion planned	—

Chicken Preparation Method	Hand-breaded fresh daily	Frozen patties + fresh beef option

Drive-Thru AI Technology	Mobile app + traditional ordering	Voice-activated with AI accuracy scaling
Drive-Thru Technology Level	AI-powered order systems 2026	—

Average Customer Transaction Time(minutes)	4.5 minutes	3.8 minutes

Quality Ranking (YouGov 2026)(ranking)	#1 overall quality	#1 fries only

Average Chicken Sandwich Price(USD)	$9.25	$6.99
Price Premium vs. Competitor(percent)	+38% higher	baseline
Value Meal Price(GBP)	£3.89	—

2025 Sales Tier(ranking)	Top 3 ($107B trifecta)	Top 3 ($107B trifecta)

International Presence(countries)	100+ countries	U.S. only

Global Restaurant Count(locations)	40,000+	—

2026 Revenue Growth(percentage)	+3%	—

Beef Freshness	Frozen patties standard	—

Average Burger Price(USD)	$5-7	—

Menu Item Customization Options(level)	Standard options	—

Chicken Sandwich Quality Focus	Standard offerings	—

Global Restaurant Locations(approximate count)	40,000+	—

Beef Freshness Standard	Pre-cooked frozen patties	—

New Menu Items Per Year(items)	2-3 items	—

Drive-Thru Technology (2026)	AI voice-activated with accuracy scaling	—

New Location Expansion (2026)(locations)	8,000 new locations planned	—

Restaurant Design Innovation	Optimized drive-thru layout	—

Price Advantage for Value Seekers(percent cheaper)	105% cheaper than Wendy's	—

Chick-fil-A

McDonald's

Number of Global Locations(stores)

2,900+

40,000+

Operating Days Per Year(days)

313 days

365 days

Global Store Locations(stores)

40,000+

3,000+

Annual Operating Days(days)

365 days

340 days

Menu Item Count(items)

200+ global items

80+ items

2026 New Location Growth Target(locations)

150-200 estimated

8,000

New Restaurant Openings 2026(planned locations)

Expansion planned

—

Chicken Preparation Method

Hand-breaded fresh daily

Frozen patties + fresh beef option

Drive-Thru AI Technology

Mobile app + traditional ordering

Voice-activated with AI accuracy scaling

Drive-Thru Technology Level

AI-powered order systems 2026

—

Average Customer Transaction Time(minutes)

4.5 minutes

3.8 minutes

Quality Ranking (YouGov 2026)(ranking)

#1 overall quality

#1 fries only

Average Chicken Sandwich Price(USD)

$9.25

$6.99

Price Premium vs. Competitor(percent)

+38% higher

baseline

Value Meal Price(GBP)

£3.89

—

2025 Sales Tier(ranking)

Top 3 ($107B trifecta)

International Presence(countries)

100+ countries

U.S. only

Global Restaurant Count(locations)

40,000+

—

2026 Revenue Growth(percentage)

+3%

—

Beef Freshness

Frozen patties standard

—

Average Burger Price(USD)

$5-7

—

Menu Item Customization Options(level)

Standard options

—

Chicken Sandwich Quality Focus

Standard offerings

—

Global Restaurant Locations(approximate count)

40,000+

—

Beef Freshness Standard

Pre-cooked frozen patties

—

New Menu Items Per Year(items)

2-3 items

—

Drive-Thru Technology (2026)

AI voice-activated with accuracy scaling

—

New Location Expansion (2026)(locations)

8,000 new locations planned

—

Restaurant Design Innovation

Optimized drive-thru layout

—

Price Advantage for Value Seekers(percent cheaper)

105% cheaper than Wendy's

—

McDonald's vs Chick-fil-A

Chick-fil-A

McDonald's

Short Answer

Our Verdict

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Key Differences at a Glance

Key Facts & Figures

Key Differences

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Full Comparison

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Pros & Cons

Chick-fil-A

Pros

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McDonald's

Pros

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Full Comparison

Visual Comparison

McDonald's vs Chick-fil-A

Chick-fil-A

McDonald's

Short Answer

Our Verdict

🔔Track this comparison

Key Differences at a Glance

Key Facts & Figures

Key Differences

Related Comparisons

Explore Entities

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Full Comparison

Visual Comparison

Pros & Cons

Chick-fil-A

Pros

Cons

McDonald's

Pros

Cons

Frequently Asked Questions

Resources & Learn More

Where to Buy

Wikipedia

Videos

Full Comparison

Visual Comparison

Track this comparison