Hardee's / Carl's Jr. vs McDonald's (2026)

Side-by-side comparison of menu prices, calories, and value. 120 items at Hardee's / Carl's Jr. vs 164 items at McDonald's.

Quick answer: As of May 2026, Hardee's / Carl's Jr. averages $4.48 per item across 120 menu items, while McDonald's averages $6.03 across 164 items. Hardee's / Carl's Jr. is $1.55 cheaper per item (26% difference). McDonald's has lower average calories (413 vs 670 per item).

Quick Comparison

Hardee's / Carl's Jr. vs McDonald's: Quick Price & Menu Comparison
Metric	Hardee's / Carl's Jr.	McDonald's	Winner
Avg Price	$4.48	$6.03	Hardee's / Carl's Jr.
Menu Items	120	164	McDonald's
Avg Calories	670	413	McDonald's
US Locations	3,800	13,786	McDonald's
Secret Menu	0	15	McDonald's

Hardee's / Carl's Jr. is 26% cheaper on average than McDonald's ($1.55 less per item).

Cheapest Items

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

McDonald's

Butter $0.15

Syrup $0.25

Creamy Ranch Sauce $0.30

Spicy Buffalo $0.30

Honey Mustard $0.30

Lowest Calorie Options

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

McDonald's

Honey Mustard 60 cal

Medium Frozen Fanta® Wild Cherry 80 cal

Medium Frozen Coca-Cola® 80 cal

Medium Frozen Fanta® Blue Raspberry 80 cal

Mayonnaise Packet 90 cal

Deep Comparison: Hardee's / Carl's Jr. vs McDonald's

Calorie Value (cents per calorie)

Hardee's / Carl's Jr. delivers 0.77¢/cal on average, while McDonald's delivers 6.07¢/cal. Hardee's / Carl's Jr. gives more calories per dollar — a key metric for value-per-meal seekers.

Menu Category Overlap

Hardee's / Carl's Jr. and McDonald's share 0 menu categories (0% Jaccard overlap). Low overlap — these chains serve mostly different food categories.

What Fits in Your Budget

$10 budget: Hardee's / Carl's Jr. fits 1 item, McDonald's fits 1 item (290 cal)
$15 budget: Hardee's / Carl's Jr. fits 3 items (1180 cal), McDonald's fits 0 items
$20 budget: Hardee's / Carl's Jr. fits 3 items (2400 cal), McDonald's fits 3 items (260 cal)

Where They Rank in Our 414-Chain Dataset

Hardee's / Carl's Jr. ranks #65 of 338 on price (cheaper than 81% of tracked chains). McDonald's ranks #140 of 338 (cheaper than 59% of chains).

Calorie Distribution (items under 500 cal)

At Hardee's / Carl's Jr., 24% of menu items with calorie data come in under 500 calories. At McDonald's, 70% are under 500 calories. McDonald's offers more lower-calorie options proportionally.

Bottom Line

Budget pick: Hardee's / Carl's Jr. ($4.48 avg vs $6.03)
More variety: McDonald's (164 items)
More locations: McDonald's (13,786 US locations)
Best calorie value: Hardee's / Carl's Jr. (0.77¢/cal)

Full Menus

Hardee's / Carl's Jr. Menu McDonald's Menu Cheapest Fast Food Low Calorie Guide