Chick-fil-A vs Hardee's / Carl's Jr. (2026)

Side-by-side comparison of menu prices, calories, and value. 102 items at Chick-fil-A vs 120 items at Hardee's / Carl's Jr..

Quick answer: As of May 2026, Chick-fil-A averages $5.32 per item across 102 menu items, while Hardee's / Carl's Jr. averages $4.48 across 120 items. Hardee's / Carl's Jr. is $0.85 cheaper per item (16% difference). Chick-fil-A has lower average calories (378 vs 670 per item).

Quick Comparison

Chick-fil-A vs Hardee's / Carl's Jr.: Quick Price & Menu Comparison
Metric	Chick-fil-A	Hardee's / Carl's Jr.	Winner
Avg Price	$5.32	$4.48	Hardee's / Carl's Jr.
Menu Items	102	120	Hardee's / Carl's Jr.
Avg Calories	378	670	Chick-fil-A
US Locations	3,140	3,800	Hardee's / Carl's Jr.
Secret Menu	10	0	Chick-fil-A

Hardee's / Carl's Jr. is 16% cheaper on average than Chick-fil-A ($0.85 less per item).

Cheapest Items

Chick-fil-A

Icedream Topping $0.25

Upsize Fries & Drink $0.46

Buttered Biscuit $0.89

Hash Browns $0.99

Substitute Medium Premium Side $1.00

Hardee's / Carl's Jr.

Sour Cream $0.25

Upgrade to Medium Combo $0.59

Cookie $0.89

Chocolate Chip Cookie $0.89

Upgrade to Large Combo $0.99

Lowest Calorie Options

Chick-fil-A

Fruit Cup 60 cal

1% Milk Plain or Chocolate 90 cal

Hand-Spun Milkshakes (Cookies & Cream, Chocolate, Strawberry, or Vanilla) 90 cal

Kale Crunch Side 120 cal

Grilled Nuggets (8-ct) 130 cal

Hardee's / Carl's Jr.

Side Salad 120 cal

Cookie 200 cal

Chocolate Chip Cookie 200 cal

Small Hamburger 250 cal

Apple Turnover 270 cal

Deep Comparison: Chick-fil-A vs Hardee's / Carl's Jr.

Calorie Value (cents per calorie)

Chick-fil-A delivers 1.95¢/cal on average, while Hardee's / Carl's Jr. delivers 0.77¢/cal. Hardee's / Carl's Jr. gives more calories per dollar — a key metric for value-per-meal seekers.

Menu Category Overlap

Chick-fil-A and Hardee's / Carl's Jr. share 2 menu categories (10% Jaccard overlap). Shared categories: sides, desserts. Low overlap — these chains serve mostly different food categories.

Price Differences by Shared Category

Where these chains overlap, here is who undercuts whom on average price:

desserts: Chick-fil-A avg $1.75 vs Hardee's / Carl's Jr. $0.89 — Hardee's / Carl's Jr. is 49% cheaper
sides: Chick-fil-A avg $2.77 vs Hardee's / Carl's Jr. $2.21 — Hardee's / Carl's Jr. is 20% cheaper

What Fits in Your Budget

$10 budget: Chick-fil-A fits 0 items, Hardee's / Carl's Jr. fits 1 item
$15 budget: Chick-fil-A fits 3 items (650 cal), Hardee's / Carl's Jr. fits 3 items (1180 cal)
$20 budget: Chick-fil-A fits 3 items (600 cal), Hardee's / Carl's Jr. fits 3 items (2400 cal)

Where They Rank in Our 414-Chain Dataset

Chick-fil-A ranks #103 of 338 on price (cheaper than 70% of tracked chains). Hardee's / Carl's Jr. ranks #65 of 338 (cheaper than 81% of chains).

Calorie Distribution (items under 500 cal)

At Chick-fil-A, 80% of menu items with calorie data come in under 500 calories. At Hardee's / Carl's Jr., 24% are under 500 calories. Chick-fil-A offers more lower-calorie options proportionally.

Bottom Line

Budget pick: Hardee's / Carl's Jr. ($4.48 avg vs $5.32)
More variety: Hardee's / Carl's Jr. (120 items)
More locations: Hardee's / Carl's Jr. (3,800 US locations)
Best calorie value: Hardee's / Carl's Jr. (0.77¢/cal)

Full Menus

Chick-fil-A Menu Hardee's / Carl's Jr. Menu Cheapest Fast Food Low Calorie Guide