Which is cheaper, McDonald's or Raising Cane's?

McDonald's is cheaper, averaging $6.03 per item versus $43.52 for Raising Cane's — a 86% difference. Based on 192 menu items as of April 2026.

Which has more menu items, McDonald's or Raising Cane's?

McDonald's has more menu items (164 vs 28). The total combined menu across both chains is 192 items.

Which has lower calories, McDonald's or Raising Cane's?

McDonald's averages 413 calories per item, compared to 916 for Raising Cane's. Both chains offer items under 500 calories.

Are McDonald's and Raising Cane's similar?

McDonald's (13,786 US locations) and Raising Cane's (800 US locations) compete on 0 similar menu categories. Cuisine overlap: 0%.

McDonald's vs Raising Cane's (2026)

Side-by-side comparison of menu prices, calories, and value. 164 items at McDonald's vs 28 items at Raising Cane's.

Quick answer: As of April 2026, McDonald's averages $6.03 per item across 164 menu items, while Raising Cane's averages $43.52 across 28 items. McDonald's is $37.49 cheaper per item (86% difference). McDonald's has lower average calories (413 vs 916 per item).

Quick Comparison

McDonald's vs Raising Cane's: Quick Price & Menu Comparison
Metric	McDonald's	Raising Cane's	Winner
Avg Price	$6.03	$43.52	McDonald's
Menu Items	164	28	McDonald's
Avg Calories	413	916	McDonald's
US Locations	13,786	800	McDonald's
Secret Menu	15	1	McDonald's

McDonald's is 86% cheaper on average than Raising Cane's ($37.49 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

Raising Cane's

Extra Cane's Sauce $0.39

Kids Drink (Lemonade, Tea, Milk, Juice, Fruit Punch) $1.29

Texas Toast $1.35

Coleslaw $1.35

Extra Chicken Finger $1.99

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

Raising Cane's

Coleslaw 100 cal

Extra Chicken Finger 130 cal

Texas Toast 140 cal

Extra Cane's Sauce 190 cal

Lemonade 220 cal

Deep Comparison: McDonald's vs Raising Cane's

Calorie Value (cents per calorie)

McDonald's delivers 6.07¢/cal on average, while Raising Cane's delivers 0.74¢/cal. Raising Cane's gives more calories per dollar — a key metric for value-per-meal seekers.

Menu Category Overlap

McDonald's and Raising Cane'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), Raising Cane's fits 1 item (960 cal)
$15 budget: McDonald's fits 0 items, Raising Cane's fits 0 items
$20 budget: McDonald's fits 3 items (260 cal), Raising Cane's fits 3 items (2360 cal)

Where They Rank in Our 414-Chain Dataset

McDonald's ranks #156 of 414 on price (cheaper than 63% of tracked chains). Raising Cane's ranks #409 of 414 (pricier than 99% of chains).

Calorie Distribution (items under 500 cal)

At McDonald's, 70% of menu items with calorie data come in under 500 calories. At Raising Cane's, 32% are under 500 calories. McDonald's offers more lower-calorie options proportionally.

Bottom Line

Budget pick: McDonald's ($6.03 avg vs $43.52)
More variety: McDonald's (164 items)
More locations: McDonald's (13,786 US locations)
Best calorie value: Raising Cane's (0.74¢/cal)

Full Menus

McDonald's Menu Raising Cane's Menu Cheapest Fast Food Low Calorie Guide