Which is cheaper, McDonald's or Panera Bread?

Panera Bread is cheaper, averaging $4.34 per item versus $6.03 for McDonald's — a 28% difference. Based on 361 menu items as of April 2026.

Which has more menu items, McDonald's or Panera Bread?

Panera Bread has more menu items (197 vs 164). The total combined menu across both chains is 361 items.

Which has lower calories, McDonald's or Panera Bread?

Panera Bread averages 380 calories per item, compared to 413 for McDonald's. Both chains offer items under 500 calories.

Are McDonald's and Panera Bread similar?

McDonald's (13,786 US locations) and Panera Bread (2,254 US locations) compete on 0 similar menu categories. Cuisine overlap: 0%.

McDonald's vs Panera Bread (2026)

Side-by-side comparison of menu prices, calories, and value. 164 items at McDonald's vs 197 items at Panera Bread.

Quick answer: As of April 2026, McDonald's averages $6.03 per item across 164 menu items, while Panera Bread averages $4.34 across 197 items. Panera Bread is $1.69 cheaper per item (28% difference). Panera Bread has lower average calories (380 vs 413 per item).

Quick Comparison

McDonald's vs Panera Bread: Quick Price & Menu Comparison
Metric	McDonald's	Panera Bread	Winner
Avg Price	$6.03	$4.34	Panera Bread
Menu Items	164	197	Panera Bread
Avg Calories	413	380	Panera Bread
US Locations	13,786	2,254	McDonald's
Secret Menu	15	6	McDonald's

Panera Bread is 28% cheaper on average than McDonald's ($1.69 less per item).

Cheapest Items

McDonald's

Butter $0.15

Syrup $0.25

Creamy Ranch Sauce $0.30

Spicy Buffalo $0.30

Honey Mustard $0.30

Panera Bread

Preserves $0.50

Soft Dinner Roll $0.75

French Baguette $0.75

Peanut Butter $0.80

Chips $0.85

Lowest Calorie Options

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

Panera Bread

Fruit 60 cal

Kids Low-Fat Garden Vegetable Soup 70 cal

Apple Crunch Muffin 80 cal

Apple 80 cal

Chicken Noodle (Cup) 100 cal

Deep Comparison: McDonald's vs Panera Bread

Calorie Value (cents per calorie)

McDonald's delivers 6.07¢/cal on average, while Panera Bread delivers 2.45¢/cal. Panera Bread gives more calories per dollar — a key metric for value-per-meal seekers.

Menu Category Overlap

McDonald's and Panera Bread share 0 menu categories (0% Jaccard overlap). Low overlap — these chains serve mostly different food categories.

What Fits in Your Budget

$10 budget: McDonald's fits 1 item (290 cal), Panera Bread fits 1 item
$15 budget: McDonald's fits 0 items, Panera Bread fits 3 items (500 cal)
$20 budget: McDonald's fits 3 items (260 cal), Panera Bread fits 3 items (830 cal)

Where They Rank in Our 414-Chain Dataset

McDonald's ranks #156 of 414 on price (cheaper than 63% of tracked chains). Panera Bread ranks #62 of 414 (cheaper than 85% of chains).

Calorie Distribution (items under 500 cal)

At McDonald's, 70% of menu items with calorie data come in under 500 calories. At Panera Bread, 72% are under 500 calories. Panera Bread offers more lower-calorie options proportionally.

Bottom Line

Budget pick: Panera Bread ($4.34 avg vs $6.03)
More variety: Panera Bread (197 items)
More locations: McDonald's (13,786 US locations)
Best calorie value: Panera Bread (2.45¢/cal)

Full Menus

McDonald's Menu Panera Bread Menu Cheapest Fast Food Low Calorie Guide