Which is cheaper, McDonald's or Papa John's?

McDonald's is cheaper, averaging $6.03 per item versus $11.72 for Papa John's — a 49% difference. Based on 243 menu items as of April 2026.

Which has more menu items, McDonald's or Papa John's?

McDonald's has more menu items (164 vs 79). The total combined menu across both chains is 243 items.

Which has lower calories, McDonald's or Papa John's?

Papa John's averages 369 calories per item, compared to 413 for McDonald's. Both chains offer items under 500 calories.

Are McDonald's and Papa John's similar?

McDonald's (13,786 US locations) and Papa John's (3,200 US locations) compete on 0 similar menu categories. Cuisine overlap: 0%.

McDonald's vs Papa John's (2026)

Side-by-side comparison of menu prices, calories, and value. 164 items at McDonald's vs 79 items at Papa John's.

Quick answer: As of April 2026, McDonald's averages $6.03 per item across 164 menu items, while Papa John's averages $11.72 across 79 items. McDonald's is $5.69 cheaper per item (49% difference). Papa John's has lower average calories (369 vs 413 per item).

Quick Comparison

McDonald's vs Papa John's: Quick Price & Menu Comparison
Metric	McDonald's	Papa John's	Winner
Avg Price	$6.03	$11.72	McDonald's
Menu Items	164	79	McDonald's
Avg Calories	413	369	Papa John's
US Locations	13,786	3,200	McDonald's
Secret Menu	15	1	McDonald's

McDonald's is 49% cheaper on average than Papa John's ($5.69 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

Papa John's

Cheese (Large) $0.50

Special Garlic $0.50

Barbeque $0.50

Blue Cheese $0.50

Buffalo $0.50

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

Papa John's

Jalapeño Peppers 60 cal

Ranch 100 cal

Special Garlic 150 cal

Honey Mustard 150 cal

Blue Cheese 160 cal

Deep Comparison: McDonald's vs Papa John's

Calorie Value (cents per calorie)

McDonald's delivers 6.07¢/cal on average, while Papa John's delivers 3.50¢/cal. Papa John's gives more calories per dollar — a key metric for value-per-meal seekers.

Menu Category Overlap

McDonald's and Papa John's 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), Papa John's fits 0 items
$15 budget: McDonald's fits 0 items, Papa John's fits 1 item (270 cal)
$20 budget: McDonald's fits 3 items (260 cal), Papa John's fits 3 items

Where They Rank in Our 414-Chain Dataset

McDonald's ranks #156 of 414 on price (cheaper than 63% of tracked chains). Papa John's ranks #344 of 414 (pricier than 83% of chains).

Calorie Distribution (items under 500 cal)

At McDonald's, 70% of menu items with calorie data come in under 500 calories. At Papa John's, 93% are under 500 calories. Papa John's offers more lower-calorie options proportionally.

Bottom Line

Budget pick: McDonald's ($6.03 avg vs $11.72)
More variety: McDonald's (164 items)
More locations: McDonald's (13,786 US locations)
Best calorie value: Papa John's (3.50¢/cal)

Full Menus

McDonald's Menu Papa John's Menu Cheapest Fast Food Low Calorie Guide