Which is cheaper, Culver's or Panda Express?

Culver's is cheaper, averaging $4.26 per item versus $7.73 for Panda Express — a 45% difference. Based on 86 menu items as of April 2026.

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

Culver's has more menu items (75 vs 11). The total combined menu across both chains is 86 items.

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

Panda Express averages 479 calories per item, compared to 592 for Culver's. Both chains offer items under 500 calories.

Are Culver's and Panda Express similar?

Culver's (950 US locations) and Panda Express (2,500 US locations) compete on 1 similar menu categories. Cuisine overlap: 9%.

Culver's vs Panda Express (2026)

Side-by-side comparison of menu prices, calories, and value. 75 items at Culver's vs 11 items at Panda Express.

Quick answer: As of April 2026, Culver's averages $4.26 per item across 75 menu items, while Panda Express averages $7.73 across 11 items. Culver's is $3.46 cheaper per item (45% difference). Panda Express has lower average calories (479 vs 592 per item).

Quick Comparison

Culver's vs Panda Express: Quick Price & Menu Comparison
Metric	Culver's	Panda Express	Winner
Avg Price	$4.26	$7.73	Culver's
Menu Items	75	11	Culver's
Avg Calories	592	479	Panda Express
US Locations	950	2,500	Panda Express
Secret Menu	1	1	Tie

Culver's is 45% cheaper on average than Panda Express ($3.46 less per item).

Cheapest Items

Culver's

Soft Drink Small $1.69

White or Chocolate Milk $1.69

Bottled Water $1.69

Crinkle Cut Fries (Medium) $1.89

Soft Drink Medium $1.89

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

Culver's

Caramel Cashew 1 Scoop 90 cal

Caramel Cashew 2 Scoop 90 cal

Caramel Cashew 3 Scoop 90 cal

White or Chocolate Milk 110 cal

Mushed Potatoes 120 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: Culver's vs Panda Express

Calorie Value (cents per calorie)

Culver's delivers 1.20¢/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

Culver's and Panda Express share 1 menu categories (9% Jaccard overlap). Shared categories: sides. Low overlap — these chains serve mostly different food categories.

What Fits in Your Budget

$10 budget: Culver's fits 3 items (940 cal), Panda Express fits 0 items
$15 budget: Culver's fits 2 items (1010 cal), Panda Express fits 1 item (360 cal)
$20 budget: Culver's fits 3 items (540 cal), Panda Express fits 2 items (860 cal)

Where They Rank in Our 414-Chain Dataset

Culver's ranks #56 of 414 on price (cheaper than 87% of tracked chains). Panda Express ranks #218 of 414 (pricier than 52% of chains).

Calorie Distribution (items under 500 cal)

At Culver's, 40% 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: Culver's ($4.26 avg vs $7.73)
More variety: Culver's (75 items)
More locations: Panda Express (2,500 US locations)
Best calorie value: Panda Express (1.18¢/cal)

Full Menus

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