Which is cheaper, Subway or Waffle House?

Waffle House is cheaper, averaging $4.18 per item versus $5.57 for Subway — a 25% difference. Based on 184 menu items as of April 2026.

Which has more menu items, Subway or Waffle House?

Waffle House has more menu items (101 vs 83). The total combined menu across both chains is 184 items.

Which has lower calories, Subway or Waffle House?

Waffle House averages 362 calories per item, compared to 586 for Subway. Both chains offer items under 500 calories.

Are Subway and Waffle House similar?

Subway (16,177 US locations) and Waffle House (2,000 US locations) compete on 2 similar menu categories. Cuisine overlap: 7%.

Subway vs Waffle House (2026)

Side-by-side comparison of menu prices, calories, and value. 83 items at Subway vs 101 items at Waffle House.

Quick answer: As of April 2026, Subway averages $5.57 per item across 83 menu items, while Waffle House averages $4.18 across 101 items. Waffle House is $1.40 cheaper per item (25% difference). Waffle House has lower average calories (362 vs 586 per item).

Quick Comparison

Subway vs Waffle House: Quick Price & Menu Comparison
Metric	Subway	Waffle House	Winner
Avg Price	$5.57	$4.18	Waffle House
Menu Items	83	101	Waffle House
Avg Calories	586	362	Waffle House
US Locations	16,177	2,000	Subway
Secret Menu	3	0	Subway

Waffle House is 25% cheaper on average than Subway ($1.40 less per item).

Cheapest Items

Subway

Chocolate Chip Cookie $0.59

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie $0.59

Double Chocolate Cookie $0.59

White Chip Macadamia Nut Cookie $0.59

Dark Chocolate Cherry Cookie $0.59

Waffle House

Add Chocolate Chips or Peanut Butter Waffle $0.25

Make It a 3-Egg Omelet $0.40

Additional Topping on Chili $0.40

Additional Topping $0.40

Hold the Yolks $0.50

Lowest Calorie Options

Subway

1% Low Fat Milk 160 cal

Little Cheesesteak 180 cal

Cookie 200 cal

Fountain Drink (Medium) 200 cal

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie 200 cal

Waffle House

Bert’s Chili & 3 Toppings 80 cal

Bowl of Grits 90 cal

Bowl of Cheese Grits 90 cal

City Ham 110 cal

Cheesesteak 130 cal

Deep Comparison: Subway vs Waffle House

Calorie Value (cents per calorie)

Subway delivers 1.46¢/cal on average, while Waffle House delivers 2.36¢/cal. Subway gives more calories per dollar — a key metric for value-per-meal seekers.

Menu Category Overlap

Subway and Waffle House share 2 menu categories (7% Jaccard overlap). Shared categories: sides, breakfast. Low overlap — these chains serve mostly different food categories.

Price Differences by Shared Category

Where these chains overlap, here is who undercuts whom on average price:

sides: Subway avg $1.03 vs Waffle House $2.94 — Subway is 65% cheaper
breakfast: Subway avg $6.54 vs Waffle House $7.41 — Subway is 12% cheaper

What Fits in Your Budget

$10 budget: Subway fits 0 items, Waffle House fits 0 items
$15 budget: Subway fits 3 items (1380 cal), Waffle House fits 3 items (721 cal)
$20 budget: Subway fits 3 items (1520 cal), Waffle House fits 3 items (260 cal)

Where They Rank in Our 414-Chain Dataset

Subway ranks #132 of 414 on price (cheaper than 68% of tracked chains). Waffle House ranks #50 of 414 (cheaper than 88% of chains).

Calorie Distribution (items under 500 cal)

At Subway, 50% of menu items with calorie data come in under 500 calories. At Waffle House, 63% are under 500 calories. Waffle House offers more lower-calorie options proportionally.

Bottom Line

Budget pick: Waffle House ($4.18 avg vs $5.57)
More variety: Waffle House (101 items)
More locations: Subway (16,177 US locations)
Best calorie value: Subway (1.46¢/cal)

Full Menus

Subway Menu Waffle House Menu Cheapest Fast Food Low Calorie Guide