Most people in the United States love having fast food now and then. Speaking of fast food, two of the best and most renowned chains in the country are Chick-fil-A and McDonald’s! In this blog post, we will analyze which of these outlets is the best, by all means!
In the Chick-fil-A vs. McDonald’s battle, McDonald’s is the winner. Although many people prefer Chick-fil-A in terms of the quality of food, there are many other factors that we have considered here which make McDonald’s the winner.
McDonald’s and Chick-fil-A have been around for a long time. McDonald’s has had a shaky history since it first opened, but they have managed to come on top of everyone else in this race.
Chick-fil-A also had some crises but is now considered one of the best fast food chains, especially for OG chicken sandwiches. So, there are a lot of things that need to be considered while concluding which one outweighs the other.
So, in this article, we will compare all possible between the two fast food chains. From the menu options to the prices and more, let’s get geared up to look at all these differences and decide which is the better choice!
What's In The Post
Which Is More Popular? | Chick-fil-A Or McDonald’s
When it comes to the popularity of these two fast-food restaurant chains, we have a clear winner. McDonald’s is undoubtedly the most popular restaurant chain for everyone. Chick-fil-A and McDonald’s first started serving food around the same time.
However, McDonald’s became a successful franchise only in 1955, when Ray Kroc took over the operations. Soon enough, McDonald’s began expanding all over the country. As people loved how quickly the food was served at McDonald’s, other countries also wanted to adapt to this fast-food chain idea.
This is how, slowly and gradually, McDonald’s began expanding worldwide, with outlets and menus per people’s liking in that region. Hence, McDonald’s has ever since managed to remain the top-selling fast food chain in the world.
Chick-fil-A, too, is a popular chain. However, there are a few reasons why this chain is less popular than McDonald’s. Firstly, Chick-fil-A has a specific menu as compared to McDonald’s. McDonald’s, on the other hand, serves just about everything possible, from beef to chicken and even fish.
Moreover, McDonald’s has achieved a global presence. Very few countries in the world don’t have a McDonald’s outlet. Chick-fil-A, however, only has outlets in Canada, the United States, and Puerto Rico.
So, with global recognition, McDonald’s is more prevalent when compared to Chick-fil-a. Even within the United States, Chick-fil-A has around 3000 outlets, whereas McDonald’s has over 14,000!
So, considering the sheer presence that McDonald’s has, not just in the world but also in the United States, it is much more popular than Chick-fil-A.
Which Has The Better Menu?
Talking about comparing menus between the two outlets, there are yet again a lot of factors that are worth considering. Although they both serve fast food, which is, in some way, similar to each other, there are notable differences as well.
McDonald’s menu prices are also quite different from those at Chick-fil-A. So, to compare which one outweighs the other in terms of how great the menus are, we will look at some of the categories of both these menus and compare them with each other. This will give us an idea of the options offered on each menu and their prices.
1. Breakfast Menu
By comparing McDonald’s and Chick-fil-A menus with each other, it can quickly be established that McDonald’s has many more options. McDonald’s, along with McMuffins and biscuits, also offers McGriddles.
Over and above, you can find options like hotcakes, breakfast burritos, and hashbrowns on the McDonald’s breakfast menu. Chick-fil-A breakfast menu has a few similar options, but they are comparatively constrained.
Moreover, the Chick-fil-A breakfast menu focuses much more on chicken as the hero, whereas McDonald’s offers sausage, egg, and even bacon. Coming to the prices, a regular breakfast meal, like a sausage, egg, and cheese from McDonald’s, will cost $ 5.99.
The same meal from Chick-Fil-A would cost you $ 4.95. Although there is a bit of a price difference between the two, the simple fact that McDonald’s has more options makes it the clear winner.
2. Burgers And Sandwiches
The following basis of comparison between the two menus can be done on the sandwiches and burgers they offer. Chick-fil-A, unlike McDonald’s, only offers chicken sandwiches, or as they like to call it, entrees.
On the other hand, McDonald’s offers a lot more, with premium beef burgers, chicken sandwiches, and even a fish sandwich. So yet again, just the fact that McDonald’s offers a lot more variety in comparison to Chick-fil-A makes its menu better.
Coming to the prices of the two, McDonald’s chicken sandwich meal is a little more pricey than the one at Chick-fil-A. The feed from Chick-fil-A would cost $6.19, whereas the one from McDonald’s would cost $ 7.99. Regardless, the overall options on the McDonald’s menu make it a winner.
3. Sides
Until now, we have seen that McDonald’s is the better pick because it offers many more options compared to Chick-fil-A. However, that differs from the side options provided at the two places!
McDonald’s only offers two side options: fries and apple slices. Chick-fil-A, however, has a lot more to deliver in general. The sides at Chick-fil-A feature fries and a fruit cup, similar to McDonald’s.
But, over and above, Chick-fil-A also offers a range of healthy salad options, Greek yogurt parfait, potato chips, chicken soup, and even Mac and cheese.
A medium portion of fries from Chick-fil-A costs $ 1.65, whereas the same at McDonald’s is $ 3,59, making Chick-fil-A the clear winner in this category.
4. Kids’ Meals
The kids’ Chick-fil-A and McDonald’s meals are mostly on par with each other. Both places offer a total of three options for their kids’ meal selection, along with a small side, beverage, and price.
McDonald’s offers nuggets and hamburgers, whereas Chick-fil-A is more chicken centric and hence, offers three different types of chicken nugget meals for kids. Here, the prices too are mostly on par with each other.
Yes, McDonald’s is a little more expensive than Chick-fil-A. A four-piece chicken nugget meal from Chick-fil-A costs $ 3.35, whereas the same from McDonald’s is $ 4.29. So, based on just the prices, Chick-fil-A has the better options.
5. Sweets And Treats
With this option, the situation is similar to the Kids’ meals. These menus’ sweets and treats options are very similar, offering milkshakes, ice creams, and even cookies.
However, just by a small margin, McDonald’s offers a few more options than Chick-fil-A. McDonald’s also has specials like hot fudge, a caramel sundae, and baked apple pie over all the other options.
Again, the prices are very similar to each other, with McDonald’s being a little more expensive compared to Chick-fil-A. A medium shake from McDonald’s would cost $ 3.69, but at Chick-fil-A, the same is $ 3.15.
Winner – McDonald’s has a better menu as compared to Chick-fil-A, based on the options offered on the menu.
Which Is Cheaper?
Based on the options given above, along with the prices, you may have been able to guess that McDonald’s has a slightly higher price range than Chick-fil-A. However, along with all of that, McDonald’s also offers a dollar menu.
This gives you the same options for a much lower price. For a more precise understanding, let us look at the table given below, which compares the prices of some of the standard food options at both fast-food restaurant chains.
| Menu Item | Chick-fil-A | McDonald’s |
| Sausage, egg, and cheese biscuits | $ 2.59 | $ 3.99 |
| Oatmeal | $ 2.69 | $ 3.59 |
| Hash Browns | $ 0.99 | $ 2.99 |
| Chicken Sandwich | $ 3.05 | $ 4.79 |
| Spicy Chicken Sandwich | $ 3.29 | $ 4.99 |
| Chicken Nuggets | $ 3.05 | $ 2.89 |
| Fries | $ 1.65 | $ 3.59 |
| Milkshakes | $ 3.15 | $ 3.69 |
| Soft Serve | $ 1.85 | $ 3.49 |
Although McDonald’s offers a dollar menu which is much cheaper for most customers, there is also the fact that McDonald’s regular menu has much higher prices.
Winner – Chick-fil-A is the winner here as they have the same or similar options for a lower price.
Which One Has Better Tasting Food?
Comparing which of these two has the better food can be challenging. This is mainly because taste and flavor can be very subjective. So, there is indeed no sure-shot answer to this question.
However, the debate on which of these two food options is better has also been going on for a long time. So, there are a lot of reviews by people about the same, and most people agree that the quality and flavor of food offered at Chick-fil-A are much better than that at McDonald’s.
Although McDonald’s, in most cases, has a lot more to offer than Chick-fil-A, people always prefer Chick-fil-A, especially for their fresh chicken. So because of this, most people prefer the food from Chick-fil-A in terms of quality and flavor.
Which Has The Better Burgers and Sandwiches?
Burgers and sandwiches are the main attraction of these fast-food restaurant chains. Chick-fil-A does not offer any beef. Hence they have only chicken sandwich options. However, the chicken sandwich options are also plenty!
At Chick-fil-A, you can find options on the menu like chicken sandwiches, grilled chicken sandwiches, deluxe chicken sandwiches, and even spicy chicken sandwiches. On the other hand, McDonald’s offers only a few options on their sandwich menu based on chicken.
But, there is also the fact that McDonald’s offers a lot more variety, at least regarding meat and other options. This makes the burgers and sandwiches much better than Chick-fil-A since McDonald’s has a broader array. By checking out this link, you can also look at the best burgers to order from McDonald’s.
Winner – Chick-fil-A, because of the quality of burgers and sandwiches.
Which Has The Better Breakfast Menu?
McDonald’s was one of the first fast-food restaurants that began serving breakfast to customers. The whole concept of a fast-food breakfast became so popular that it was an instant hit amongst customers, and soon, other places like Chick-fil-A also started the same.
McDonald’s breakfast menu remains one of the most popular fast-food options. They also offer a large variety, consisting of McGriddles, McMuffins, and Biscuits. Along with all of these options, McDonald’s is well-known for their hashbrowns and hotcakes.
McDonald’s was also booming with their breakfast amongst customers, and many of their locations served breakfast all day long! However, most McDonald’s outlets only serve breakfast as per their official breakfast hours.
Chick-fil-A also offers biscuits and muffins on their breakfast menu. Along with standard egg, bacon, and sausage options for these, Chick-fil-A also has a lovely variety of chicken biscuits and sandwiches. Lastly, you can find a breakfast burrito and hash browns on the Chick-fil-A menu.
Here also, it is evident that the options offered at McDonald’s are plenty compared to the ones from Chick-fil-A. So, although McDonald’s can be more expensive in some cases, people prefer their breakfast menu more because of the array of options.
Winner – McDonald’s, as they have more options.
Which One Has The Best Coffee Options?
This section is straightforward compared to the rest of the options on both these menus. McDonald’s offers a vast range of beverage and coffee options on their McDonald’s drinks and cafe menu.
The beverage menu at Chick-fil-A could be more varied in comparison. Chick-fil-A only offers two types of coffee, whereas McDonald’s offers over 25 coffee options, along with a wide range of other beverages!
Coming to the quality of the beverages, you may have also noticed that the coca-cola from McDonald’s tastes far better than Chick-fil-A. Moreover, even the sprite at McDonald’s tastes much better than Chick-fil-A, all for a reason! In this category, McDonald’s tops Chick-fil-A by a considerable margin!
Winner – McDonald’s.
Which One Has Better Fries and Nuggets?
McDonald’s and Chick-fil-A are both OG regarding fries and nuggets. McDonald’s has been known ever since it first opened for serving delicious fries. The fast-food giant is also well known for their chicken nuggets.
However, when it comes to anything related to chicken, it is only fair to say that no one can beat Chick-fil-A! Unlike McDonald’s, Chick-fil-A offers their customers a wider variety of nuggets.
Along with the regular fried version of chicken nuggets, McDonald’s also offers grilled chicken nuggets for all the health buffs. So, that makes Chick-fil-A a winner! Moreover, Chick-fil-A serves one-of-a-kind waffle fries, which you need help finding at other fast food restaurants. However, one advantage stands with McDonald’s as they have a free fries refill policy at some of their locations.
Winner – Chick-fil-A, for original options and a better variety.
Which One Is Healthier?
In most cases, fast-food restaurants are not known for serving healthy food. So, technically, both of them have healthy food. But let us look at some of the standard options on both their menus and their nutritional values.
| Menu Item | Chick-fil-A | McDonald’s |
| Sausage, egg, and cheese biscuits | 610 cal | 530 cal |
| Oatmeal | 270 cal | 320 cal |
| Hash Browns | 270 cal | 140 cal |
| Chicken Sandwich | 440 cal | 470 cal |
| Spicy Chicken Sandwich | 460 cal | 530 cal |
| Chicken Nuggets | 250 cal | 190 cal |
| Fries | 420 cal | 320 cal |
| Milkshakes | 590 cal | 650 cal |
| Soft Serve | 140 cal | 200 cal |
As you can see from the table above, there are barely any differences between the calorie content of Chick-fil-A and McDonald’s menu items. Both fast food chains offer food that is high in calories and should always be consumed in moderation.
However, Chick-fil-A is comparatively healthier than McDonald’s food. One of the big reasons behind this is that Chick-fil-A, along with fried options on its menu, also offers grilled chicken options.
On the Chick-fil-A menu, you can easily find grilled chicken sandwiches and even grilled chicken nuggets, which are far healthier than their fried counterparts. But one good thing about all of this is that both Chick-fil-A and McDonald’s are taking some measures to introduce health-specific menus.
Many people have dietary restrictions and choices and want to eat healthier. So, keeping that in mind, you can also find vegan, gluten-free, and low-calorie menu options, especially at McDonald’s!
Some chefs like Jamie Oliver have claimed that McDonald’s food is unfit for human consumption because it can be unhealthy. But McDonald’s nutritional values are so much better now than before, all because the chain is now very considerate about all sorts of dietary restrictions.
Winner – Chick-fil-A, as they have grilled chicken options as well, along with fried options.
Which One Has A Better Secret Menu?
Secret menus are the new big thing with fast food restaurants. Most places have secret menus that have been curated specially by customers, mainly to be able to enjoy a lot more for a reasonable price.
The secret menu from McDonald’s, although a secret, is one of the most famous secret menus out there. This is one of those secret menus where the options are truly endless. Customers have come up with all sorts of wacky combinations.
Some of these are a means to get more food for a lower price, whereas others are a way to enjoy some flavors together. Some of the best and favorite secret menu items from McDonald’s include Land, sea, and air burger, biscuits and gravy, Mc 10:35, McGang Bang, and so many other options!
Chick-fil-A too has a secret menu. However, it is more popular than the one from McDonald’s. Chick-fil-A has nine options on its secret menu, including fried chicken club, chicken, egg, cheese biscuit, and even grilled cheese.
However, as you can see, all the secret menu options on the Chick-fil-A menu are savory. McDonald’s secret menu, on the other hand, has over 25 votes, which includes breakfast options, delicious menu options, beverages, and even desserts. So, we have a clear winner here.
Winner – McDonald’s
Which One Has A Better Kids Menu?
Now, let us talk about the kids’ menu these fast-food chains offer. Chick-fil-A and McDonald’s are known for their specially curated menus for kids. Both these menus have fewer options.
However, the options are indeed perfectly selected as per what kids’ would generally like. McDonald’s and Chick-fil-A offer kids meals with one entree, a side, a beverage, and a treat for kids. While McDonald’s is known for their happy meal toys, Chick-fil-A takes a different approach and usually offers books with their kids’ meals.
McDonald’s kids’ menu consists of three entrees options: hamburgers, four chicken nuggets pieces, and six chicken nuggets pieces. Also, kids can choose their favorite side, which is fries, salad, and a beverage.
Chick-fil-A kids menu also offers three options to choose from. These options are fried chicken nuggets, grilled chicken nuggets, and Chicken strips. Also, kids get to choose a side and beverage, just like at McDonald’s.
So, choosing the better option is a tough call. But, the happy meal from McDonald’s has been iconic for a long time, which gives us a winner.
Winner – Chick-fil-A
Which One Has Better Deals?
Deals are another thing that fast-food restaurant chains are known for really well. Most of us look forward to deals, as we all want to claim free food once in a while! That’s not all, though! Some of the deals are genuinely great hacks to save money!
Both McDonald’s and Chick-fil-A come up with deals now and then. Chick-fil-A offers deals like chicken minis, free chicken nuggets, and several other discounts you can claim while ordering on the app.
McDonald’s deals have been far more popular over the years. Some top-rated deals are a $ 6 meal, breakfast bundle, the dollar menu, and 2-for $ 4 breakfast sandwich value. The deals from McDonald’s are far more popular and have had a reputation for helping with saving money as well over these years!
Winner – McDonald’s
Which One Has A Modern Look?
Since both McDonald’s and Chick-fil-A are fast food restaurant chains, they both have a modern decor. Ever since they both first got into the business, there have been many changes in the overall set of their stores and locations.
They started with a vintage look but moved to a modern approach with time. Currently, most McDonald’s outlets have an effortless and contemporary look with a typical fast-food restaurant vibe. McDonald’s also does a lot of promotions and has a vast social media presence.
Chick-fil-A, however, is still catching up in this race since they, too, have a modern decor, which is quite similar to McDonald’s in many ways. Although Chick-fil-A and McDonald’s troll each other quite often, Chick-fil-A has a smaller presence on social media than McDonald’s does.
This is mainly because Chick-fil-A only has outlets in the world. People are much more likely to know about McDonald’s and its promotions rather than learning about Chick-fil-A, giving us a winner.
Winner – McDonald’s
Which One Is More Successful?
Chick-fil-A and McDonald’s are successful fast-food restaurant chains, which is why they are so prominent in the fast-food industry. If we talk about revenues, the surprising thing is that if taken as individual outlets, Chick-fil-A generates more revenue than McDonald’s.
However, as a whole, since McDonald’s has many more outlets than Chick-fil-A, the overall revenue is always higher than Chick-fil-A. This makes McDonald’s far more successful than Chick-fil-A; hence, it is still on top of the best restaurant chains in the world!
Winner – McDonald’s
Who Wins The Battle, McDonald’s Or Chick-fil-A?
Based on all the comparisons made above, it is clear that we have an obvious winner. Chick-fil-A is an excellent fast-food restaurant chain that serves delicious meals. However, McDonald’s wins this battle because it has a far more extensive reach worldwide than Chick-fil-A!
Moreover, McDonald’s is also more customer-centric than Chick-fil-A. Hence they have made all the efforts possible to make their customers happy. This makes McDonald’s the top fast-food chain in the world, and it has remained so over the years.
If you want to know more about such fast-food restaurant chains, you should check out our articles on McDonald’s Vs. Burger King and also McDonald’s Vs. Wendy’s. Let me know in the comments what you think is the best fast-food restaurant chain, and I’ll see you next time!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Does McDonald’s have a better menu than Chick-fil-A?
McDonald’s has a better menu than Chick-fil-A simply because it offers many more options than Chick-fil-A.
Does Chick-fil-A have a social media presence?
Yes, Chick-fil-A has a social media presence, but not as big as McDonald’s.
Does Chick-fil-A generate more revenue than McDonald’s?
If you go by each outlet, Chick-fil-A generates more revenue than McDonald’s. However, as a whole, McDonald’s generates more revenue as it has more locations.
Does McDonald’s have a better secret menu?
Yes, McDonald’s has a better secret menu since it has many more options than Chick-fil-A.
