Which is cheaper, Dairy Queen or Starbucks?

Dairy Queen ($4.08 avg) and Starbucks ($4.13 avg) have similar pricing — within 1% of each other. Based on 138 menu items as of April 2026.

Which has more menu items, Dairy Queen or Starbucks?

Starbucks has more menu items (74 vs 64). The total combined menu across both chains is 138 items.

Which has lower calories, Dairy Queen or Starbucks?

Starbucks averages 308 calories per item, compared to 571 for Dairy Queen. Both chains offer items under 500 calories.

Are Dairy Queen and Starbucks similar?

Dairy Queen (4,500 US locations) and Starbucks (13,502 US locations) compete on 0 similar menu categories. Cuisine overlap: 0%.

Dairy Queen vs Starbucks (2026)

Side-by-side comparison of menu prices, calories, and value. 64 items at Dairy Queen vs 74 items at Starbucks.

Quick answer: As of April 2026, Dairy Queen averages $4.08 per item across 64 menu items, while Starbucks averages $4.13 across 74 items. Prices are within 1% — neither chain is meaningfully cheaper. Starbucks has lower average calories (308 vs 571 per item).

Quick Comparison

Dairy Queen vs Starbucks: Quick Price & Menu Comparison
Metric	Dairy Queen	Starbucks	Winner
Avg Price	$4.08	$4.13	Tie
Menu Items	64	74	Starbucks
Avg Calories	571	308	Starbucks
US Locations	4,500	13,502	Starbucks
Secret Menu	7	15	Starbucks

Dairy Queen and Starbucks have similar average prices.

Cheapest Items

Dairy Queen

Add Extra Stuff $0.69

Add a Boost (Protein) $0.99

Add a Boost (Fresh Banana) $0.99

Buffalo Chicken $1.89

Chicken Bacon BBQ $1.89

Starbucks

Chocolate Chip Cookie $1.95

Salted Caramel or Birthday Cake Pop $1.95

Freshly Brewed Coffee $2.10

Teavana® Shaken Iced Tea $2.25

Double Chocolate Chunk Brownie $2.35

Lowest Calorie Options

Dairy Queen

Chicken Wrap 280 cal

Fries 280 cal

1/4 lb. Bacon Cheese GrillBurger 390 cal

1/4 lb. Bacon Cheese GrillBurger – Combo 390 cal

Chicken Bacon Ranch – Combo 390 cal

Starbucks

Skinny Vanilla Latte 70 cal

Mango Dragonfruit Refresher (Grande) 90 cal

Strawberry Acai Refresher (Grande) 100 cal

Iced Coffee (with or without Milk) 120 cal

Pink Drink (Grande) 140 cal

Deep Comparison: Dairy Queen vs Starbucks

Calorie Value (cents per calorie)

Dairy Queen delivers 1.04¢/cal on average, while Starbucks delivers 5.04¢/cal. Dairy Queen gives more calories per dollar — a key metric for value-per-meal seekers.

Menu Category Overlap

Dairy Queen and Starbucks share 0 menu categories (0% Jaccard overlap). Low overlap — these chains serve mostly different food categories.

What Fits in Your Budget

$10 budget: Dairy Queen fits 3 items (905 cal), Starbucks fits 3 items (310 cal)
$15 budget: Dairy Queen fits 3 items (390 cal), Starbucks fits 3 items (1100 cal)
$20 budget: Dairy Queen fits 3 items (1960 cal), Starbucks fits 3 items (1100 cal)

Where They Rank in Our 414-Chain Dataset

Dairy Queen ranks #46 of 414 on price (cheaper than 89% of tracked chains). Starbucks ranks #49 of 414 (cheaper than 88% of chains).

Calorie Distribution (items under 500 cal)

At Dairy Queen, 41% of menu items with calorie data come in under 500 calories. At Starbucks, 92% are under 500 calories. Starbucks offers more lower-calorie options proportionally.

Bottom Line

Budget pick: Dairy Queen ($4.08 avg vs $4.13)
More variety: Starbucks (74 items)
More locations: Starbucks (13,502 US locations)
Best calorie value: Dairy Queen (1.04¢/cal)

Full Menus

Dairy Queen Menu Starbucks Menu Cheapest Fast Food Low Calorie Guide