Which is cheaper, Chili's or Panda Express?

Panda Express is cheaper, averaging $7.73 per item versus $12.93 for Chili's — a 40% difference. Based on 88 menu items as of April 2026.

Which has more menu items, Chili's or Panda Express?

Chili's has more menu items (77 vs 11). The total combined menu across both chains is 88 items.

Which has lower calories, Chili's or Panda Express?

Panda Express averages 479 calories per item, compared to 800 for Chili's. Both chains offer items under 500 calories.

Are Chili's and Panda Express similar?

Chili's (1,235 US locations) and Panda Express (2,500 US locations) compete on 1 similar menu categories. Cuisine overlap: 6%.

Chili's vs Panda Express (2026)

Side-by-side comparison of menu prices, calories, and value. 77 items at Chili's vs 11 items at Panda Express.

Quick answer: As of April 2026, Chili's averages $12.93 per item across 77 menu items, while Panda Express averages $7.73 across 11 items. Panda Express is $5.21 cheaper per item (40% difference). Panda Express has lower average calories (479 vs 800 per item).

Quick Comparison

Chili's vs Panda Express: Quick Price & Menu Comparison
Metric	Chili's	Panda Express	Winner
Avg Price	$12.93	$7.73	Panda Express
Menu Items	77	11	Chili's
Avg Calories	800	479	Panda Express
US Locations	1,235	2,500	Panda Express
Secret Menu	0	1	Panda Express

Panda Express is 40% cheaper on average than Chili's ($5.21 less per item).

Cheapest Items

Chili's

Dips $0.79

Fountain Drinks 32 oz $1.00

Dasani $2.09

Juice $2.19

Coffee $2.29

Panda Express

Honey Walnut Shrimp $1.50

Bowl (1 entree + 1 side) $8.30

Plate (2 entrees + 1 side) $9.80

Bigger Plate (3 entrees + 1 side) $11.30

Lowest Calorie Options

Chili's

Blackberry Iced Tea 80 cal

Mango Iced Tea 80 cal

Iced Tea 80 cal

Juice 120 cal

Strawberry Lemonade 140 cal

Panda Express

Broccoli Beef 150 cal

Kung Pao Chicken 290 cal

Honey Walnut Shrimp 360 cal

White Steamed Rice 380 cal

Beijing Beef 470 cal

Deep Comparison: Chili's vs Panda Express

Calorie Value (cents per calorie)

Chili's delivers 2.25¢/cal on average, while Panda Express delivers 1.18¢/cal. Panda Express gives more calories per dollar — a key metric for value-per-meal seekers.

Menu Category Overlap

Chili's and Panda Express share 1 menu categories (6% Jaccard overlap). Shared categories: sides. Low overlap — these chains serve mostly different food categories.

What Fits in Your Budget

$10 budget: Chili's fits 1 item (1582 cal), Panda Express fits 0 items
$15 budget: Chili's fits 1 item (631 cal), Panda Express fits 1 item (360 cal)
$20 budget: Chili's fits 3 items (300 cal), Panda Express fits 2 items (860 cal)

Where They Rank in Our 414-Chain Dataset

Chili's ranks #361 of 414 on price (pricier than 87% of tracked chains). Panda Express ranks #218 of 414 (pricier than 52% of chains).

Calorie Distribution (items under 500 cal)

At Chili's, 31% of menu items with calorie data come in under 500 calories. At Panda Express, 55% are under 500 calories. Panda Express offers more lower-calorie options proportionally.

Bottom Line

Budget pick: Panda Express ($7.73 avg vs $12.93)
More variety: Chili's (77 items)
More locations: Panda Express (2,500 US locations)
Best calorie value: Panda Express (1.18¢/cal)

Full Menus

Chili's Menu Panda Express Menu Cheapest Fast Food Low Calorie Guide