McDonald’s Vs. Whataburger | Which One To Choose?

McDonald’s is known for serving delicious burgers and sandwiches. However, Whataburger must also catch up in the race for burgers! Ever wondered which of the two chains is better? In that case, let us settle the debate of McDonald’s vs Whataburger! 

McDonald’s is the winner in the battle of McDonald’s vs Whataburger. Although Whataburger is pretty great and serves delicious burgers and more, there are various criteria where McDonald’s is the clear winner. 

This table shows the differences between the two fast-food restaurant chains and what makes McDonald’s the winner.

Criteria	McDonald’s	Whataburger
Menu	Better Menu	–
Cheaper	Cheaper Food	–
Better Tasting Food	–	Better Tasting Food
Burgers	–	Better Burgers
Breakfast Menu	Better Breakfast Menu	–
Desserts	–	Better Desserts
Drinks	Better Drink Options	–
Healthy	Healthier Menu	–
Kids Menu	Better Kids’ Menu	–
Secret Menu	Better Secret Menu	–
Deals	Better Deals	–
Modern Look	More Modern Look	–
Successful	More Successful	–
Winner	McDonald’s

Most of us know that McDonald’s has been the pioneer of excellent fast food in the world since the 1950s! Although the chain opened way before that, it was in the ’50s when Ray Kroc took over McDonald’s corporation and made it what it is today. 

Since it became the OG fast food chain, McDonald’s has expanded in the best way possible! The company has gone through its fair share of ups and downs and is still thriving and serving delicious food! 

McDonald’s has a reach far beyond its birthplace, the United States, and is spread across about 120 countries and territories, with close to 40,275 outlets! That is some dedication to expanding and serving customers! 

Whataburger may have less of a reach worldwide than McDonald’s does. However, one thing is for sure, they have made their place in the fast food industry in the United States! 

Whataburger opened its first location in 1950 in San Antonio, Texas. The chain paid more attention to expanding across the United States, and they have done that well! Whataburger now has locations across various states in the US. 

Moreover, the whole idea of Whataburger was to have a burger so delicious that customers go “what-a-burger!” and the chain has delivered the same. So, with history, both fast food chains have had their rocky times. In this article, we will get into the nitty-gritty of what makes McDonald’s a better place than Whataburger, so make sure you read it all till the end! 

Which Is More Popular? | McDonald’s Or Whataburger

For popularity, McDonald’s is the clear winner as compared to Whataburger. Whataburger is also well known amongst people. However, Whataburger’s popularity is more reserved for the United States, whereas you can find McDonald’s in various parts of the world! 

The United States is the only country where Whataburger is widely spread, with about 890 outlets nationwide. Sure, there are a lot of Whataburger outlets, which is why the chain is popular. 

However, that differs from the sheer volume of outlets McDonald’s has worldwide! McDonald’s is ubiquitous, with outlets across 120 countries and territories. 

Moreover, McDonald’s has 40,275 locations across the globe, which is honestly a lot! People worldwide are much more likely to know about McDonald’s than they are to tell about Whataburger, making McDonald’s the winner in the popularity department. 

Which One Has The Better Menu? 

Regarding menu items, McDonald’s has an edge over Whataburger, making it the winner of this round. McDonald’s has a much more comprehensive menu than Whataburger. 

One of the best and most efficient ways to understand which fast-food chains are better is to compare their overall menus. Although the menus of Whataburger and McDonald’s have similar styles, there are also many significant differences.  

Starting with the biggest fast food chain in the world, McDonald’s, a great thing about their menu is that it is just as vast as their menu prices are! McDonald’s offers a wide range of burgers, sandwiches, sides, shakes, sweet treats, and much more! 

McDonald’s burgers are large and hefty, consisting of classic options like Big Mac and fancier options like Quarter Pounder and Double Quarter Pounders! They also offer a range of small burgers like their hamburger and cheeseburger! 

McDonald’s is also well known for serving a delicious range of chicken sandwiches, like their McChicken, and the Filet-O-Fish! Moreover, you can find a range of excellent sides on their menu, from chicken nuggets to the famous McDonald’s fries! 

McDonald’s also offers a lovely range of sweet treats, like Milkshakes, McFlurries, soft serves, and baked goodies like cookies and apple pie. You will also find coffee drinks and a breakfast menu at McDonald’s! 

Lastly, McDonald’s has a range of fountain drinks and a fully dedicated menu for kids’! An average meal for one at McDonald’s can cost anywhere between $10-$15, based on some factors and location. 

Whataburger also has a vast menu with a lovely variety. Like McDonald’s, the chain also has a range of burgers, chicken sandwiches, and sides. Whataburger offers classic burgers like their Whataburger and out-of-the-world options like Avocado Bacon Burger! 

Whataburger also has chicken sandwiches with grilled and fried chicken options. Whataburger offers fries, onion rings, apple slices, and delectable salads as side options. 

They also have a dedicated dessert menu, drinks menu, kids menu, and one for sweets and treats. An average meal at Whataburger will also cost between $10 – $15. 

Although the two may seem like they have very similar menus, the fundamental difference lies in the fact that McDonald’s offers a wider variety of options amongst their menu, which gives us a winner. 

Winner – McDonald’s has the better menu due to the sheer variety offered. 

Which Is Cheaper? 

McDonald’s offers cheaper food options than Whataburger. McDonald’s food is priced moderately for similar menu items, whereas Whataburger’s is slightly more expensive. 

Another criterion to determine which of these fast food chains you should choose on your next visit is to determine which is cheaper. Both Whataburger and McDonald’s have a similar range regarding the price of a meal.

They both offer meals that range the same price on average. However, there are differences between the two if you consider individual items from each menu. For better reference, look at the table below that compares the prices of some menu items offered similarly at both fast food restaurants. 

Food Item	Price At McDonald’s	Price At Whataburger
Big Mac / Double Meat Whataburger	$ 3.99	$ 8.63
Crispy Chicken Sandwich	$ 4.39	$ 7.31
French Fries	$ 1.89	$ 3.02
Medium Coke	$ 1.36	$ 3.02
Apple Pie	$ 0.89	$ 1.58

As you can see, the prices of most menu items offered at Whataburger, similar to those provided at McDonald’s, are very high. So, again, we have a clear winner when it comes to which of these two options is the cheaper one. 

Winner – McDonald’s is cheaper than Whataburger. 

Which Has Better Tasting Food? 

Whataburger offers more delectable options than McDonald’s. McDonald’s also offers delicious food, but most people have found that the burgers at Whataburger are a lot fresher by comparison. 

Determining which of these two fast-food restaurant chains offers better-tasting food is difficult. Food is very subjective, and everyone’s tastes and preferences differ. 

However, there is still a way to determine which one has better-tasting food. While McDonald’s serves some delicious fast food options, most people have often mentioned that its food might differ from the freshest you can get at a fast food restaurant. 

Whataburger, on the other hand, since it has very few outlets, even in the United States. Compared to McDonald’s, they are a lot more flavor oriented. Sure, they offer burgers and sandwiches that are a lot steeper in price than the ones at McDonald’s.

However, the matter is also that most customers agree that burgers from Whataburger are far more significant and much juicier than the ones offered at McDonald’s. The same goes for their chicken sandwich, sides, and dessert options. 

Winner – Whataburger is the winner for better-tasting food.  

McDonald’s Burgers Vs. Whataburger Burgers

Whataburger burgers are a lot heartier than the ones available at McDonald’s. Whataburger burgers are much more significant, giving more value for money, and taste fresher, making them better than McDonald’s burgers. 

Similar to taste as the criteria of comparison between the two chains, comparing the overall burgers that the two chains have to offer may be challenging. This is because their styles of burgers are different from each other. 

However, we can determine which fast food chain serves better burgers based on specific criteria. McDonald’s is known for serving some of the best burgers ever made! Their burgers are made with all beef patties and consist of various toppings based on the burger you order.

Similarly, Whataburger offers a range of delicious burgers different from McDonald’s regarding flavor combinations. Moreover, Whataburger burgers are more expensive for sure, but they are also a lot bigger than the ones offered at McDonald’s. 

The idea behind Whataburger was to make burgers so large that customers would say, “Whataburger!”. The chain has been delivered to the same. One great thing about Whataburger is that although their prices are steeper, one burger or a meal is enough to fill you up. 

However, the same cannot be said about McDonald’s. They offer a range of cheaper burgers, yes, but they are also much smaller in size. So, you may have to buy more to fill your stomach. Hence, Whataburger burgers win this one. 

Winner – Whataburger wins this round.  

Which One Has A Better Breakfast Menu? 

McDonald’s has a much better breakfast menu than Whataburger. Although both chains offer a similar range of breakfast items, the coffee options available at McDonald’s put it over the edge as the better place. 

Isn’t it great that fast-food breakfasts have almost become a norm for many of us? The idea of a fast food chain serving breakfast may have caught our attention less. But now, having breakfast at your favorite fast-food restaurant is just as normal as enjoying lunch and dinner!

Fast food breakfast became as popular as today because of McDonald’s! Just like McDonald’s is the fast food pioneer, they are also the chain that started with the breakfast concept. Now, the idea is beyond booming, with everyone having the best McDonald’s breakfast menu item to order in mind! 

McDonald’s breakfast menu has a large variety of options. The options vary from their classic McMuffins to breakfast biscuits and pancakes, and who could ever forget their hash browns? 

At one point, this breakfast was so popular that customers demanded it to be served all day! However, after the pandemic, McDonald’s has been serving breakfast as per their official service hours. So yes, it can be safely said that people love a hearty breakfast from McDonald’s! 

Whataburger, however, may not be as famous as McDonald’s on the breakfast front. However, it is still evident that their breakfast menu needs to catch up to McDonald’s regarding versatility! 

Whataburger offers many breakfast options, from pancakes and pancake platters to breakfast burgers, breakfast platters, and even biscuits. They have a range of delicious breakfast biscuits, like honey butter chicken biscuits and even jalapeno cheddar biscuits! 

Whataburger has options like biscuits and gravy, cinnamon rolls, and hash brown sticks. The only option McDonald’s offers but not on the Whataburger menu is coffee drink options. So, as tough as the choice may be between the two breakfast menus, since they are both fantastic options, only this one parameter puts McDonald’s over the edge. 

Winner – McDonald’s wins this round simply because they offer coffee options and their breakfast menu. 

Which Restaurant Has Better Desserts? 

Whataburger offers a better variety of desserts than McDonald’s. McDonald’s, too, provides a lovely selection of dessert options, but most are ice cream based. On the other hand, Whataburger has many more baked dessert options, much more versatile than the ones at McDonald’s. 

Is it even a complete and satisfactory meal if it does not end with a dessert? How much ever we love and devour fast food, for people with a significant sweet tooth, their meal would essentially be incomplete without a dessert to end it. 

Well, lucky for us dessert lovers, McDonald’s and Whataburger offer lovely dessert options on their menus! Starting with McDonald’s, most of us are aware of, and also quite used to, their soft serve vanilla ice cream, which is truly delicious! 

This soft-serve ice cream is considered one of the best dessert options McDonald’s offers since it is the base for many other desserts! The soft-serve ice cream is offered with chocolate hot fudge sauce, making it a dessert to devour every last bite of! 

Moreover, the soft-serve ice cream is also the base for different McFlurry flavors, like Oreo McFlurry, and their KitKat McFlurry! McDonald’s has cookies and apple pie as dessert options, along with soft-serve ice creams. 

Whataburger’s menu excludes classic vanilla ice cream like McDonald’s. However, they offer a range of desserts quite different from the ones provided at McDonald’s.

Whataburger has fewer ice-cream-based desserts and more wholesome dessert options. They have options like hot apple pies, cookies, brownies, and even cinnamon rolls. Moreover, they also have graham crackers and fruit chews as options. 

Although the desserts from McDonald’s are very famous and loved, this one has to be given to Whataburger simply for having a wider variety of baked dessert options. 

Winner – Whataburger wins this round. 

Which Restaurant Has Better Drink Options? 

McDonald’s has a much wider variety of beverages than Whataburger, making it the winner. Whataburger offers a lovely range of milkshakes, soft drinks, and more. However, the options at McDonald’s are a lot more by comparison. 

Like having a side along with a burger, it is almost mandatory to have a beverage on the side with your meal. It is always a surreal experience to have a cold drink to wash all the greasy food down; hence, fast food places like McDonald’s and Whataburger have an array of beverages available! 

Whataburger has a range of drink options not limited to fountain beverages and soft drinks. The options range from soft drinks to teas and one choice of coffee as well. Moreover, they also have packaged drink options, like apple juice, orange juice, and milk, along with some lovely family-sized drink options. 

You can also find lovely milkshakes and malted options on the Whataburger menu. These options mainly include three flavors, like vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate, along with one new flavor introduced for a limited time now and then. 

Now coming to McDonald’s, their drinks and McCafe menu have limitless options. We all know that McDonald’s soft drinks, especially Coke and Sprite, taste much better than you would get at just about any other fast-food restaurant chain! 

Moreover, as far as fast-food restaurants go, McDonald’s is known for having some of the best iced coffee drinks! They offer a range of packaged drink options, sweet tea, and some of the best coffee options.

Last but not least, McDonald’s is also known for their decadent milkshakes, consisting of three primary flavors, vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate. They also have limited flavors now and then. McDonald’s has a wider variety of drinks than Whataburger, which gives us a winner. 

Winner – McDonald’s wins this round as they offer a wider variety of drinks.

Which Restaurant Is Healthier? 

McDonald’s is a healthier option than Whataburger. Although there isn’t that much of a difference between the two, the food options offered at McDonald’s are lower in calories than the ones provided at Whataburger. 

Regarding the health aspect of both these restaurant chains, we can all agree that neither of the two restaurants technically offers healthy food. Since they are both masters of burgers, fries, and more, all these options tend to be higher in calories. 

However, we can still determine which of the two offers a healthier menu by comparison. In the table below, you will find similar options offered at both restaurant chains and their calorie values to see which is more beneficial. 

Whataburger Food Item	Calories	McDonald’s Food Item	Calories
Double Whataburger	695 kcal	Big Mac	590 kcal
Spicy Chicken Sandwich	465 kcal	Spicy McCrispy	530 kcal
French Fries	420 kcal	French Fries	230 kcal
Medium Coke	390 kcal	Medium Coke	150 kcal
Apple Pie	270 kcal	Apple Pie	230 kcal

As you can see, surprisingly, McDonald’s offers healthier food options! An explanation for this is that Whataburger generally offers more enormous burgers than McDonald’s. 

However, if you eat the same amount of food from both places, your meal at McDonald’s will have fewer calories. But, although McDonald’s is the healthier option by comparison, there are still quite a few things that one must keep in mind about the same. 

The thing about McDonald’s is that too much of their food can be bad for the human body. So, regardless of how tempted you may be to grab that extra portion of fries or a giant burger, it is best to stick to moderate amounts. 

Moreover, because many people are very health conscious, McDonald’s has also launched a range of low-calorie healthy menu options that you should check out. All in all, by comparison, we have one fast-food chain that serves healthier burgers. 

Winner – McDonald’s is the winner with healthier options. 

Which Restaurant Has A Better Kids’ Menu? 

McDonald’s is the pioneer of kids’ menus, making it the clear winner of this round. McDonald’s offers many more options than Whataburger and famous happy meal toys, so people prefer it much more for kids’ meals. 

Kids can be very fussy eaters, and let’s face it, pleasing them can be a monumental task. Moreover, if taken to a fast food restaurant, meals meant for adults may be too much for them to finish. 

So, most fast food chains tend to have a dedicated menu for kids, consisting of options they are most likely to eat and smaller portions. Speaking of McDonald’s first, just like the breakfast menu, McDonald’s is also the pioneer of kids’ menus!

McDonald’s kids’ menu meals consist of a few options: hamburgers and 4-piece or 6-piece chicken nuggets. They also serve a side of small fries, apple slices, and a beverage, usually a plain or chocolate meal. All of this costs around $4.19. 

Also, speaking of McDonald’s kids’ meals, who could ever forget their happy meal toys? Most of us have a lot of nostalgia for them, and kids these days are developing the same for adults. Adults had such a high demand for toys that McDonald’s even launched a version for adults, known as their adult happy meal toys! 

So yes, there is a lot of nostalgia attached to McDonald’s kids’ menu for most of us. Whataburger also offers a kids’ menu, although more popular than the one from McDonald’s. Whataburger has only three options on their kids’ menu: a hamburger, two pieces of chicken strips, and grilled cheese. 

The meal options are offered alongside a portion of small fries, kids’ drinks, and also fruit snacks. Unlike McDonald’s, Whataburger kids’ meal does not come with a toy. Moreover, the average price of this meal is around $5.19, which is also higher than McDonald’s. 

Winner – McDonald’s is the clear winner in this round! 

Which Restaurant Has A Better Secret Menu? 

McDonald’s has a better secret menu than Whataburger. Whataburger has some exciting options on its menu, but McDonald’s has a much larger variety.  

Secret menus bring life to a regular old menu now and then! Secret menus are innovative and made with a few simple hacks of standard menu items. They are a great way to tingle your taste buds with new flavors. 

McDonald’s secret menu is not much of a secret anymore! The personal menu at McDonald’s offers close to 23 options! These options can be simple, like fries with Big Mac sauce, or out-of-the-world wacky, like their Land, Sea, and Air Burger! 

Almost every secret menu item at McDonald’s can quickly be brought together if you order a few simple options from their menu. Moreover, McDonald’s menu also has options combining breakfast and lunch, which taste lovely! 

Whataburger also has a secret menu. But, it is less popular than the one from McDonald’s. As of now, Whataburger has about seven options on its menu. These options are also made by combining two or more menu options.

Although the secret menu items from Whataburger are also delicious and worth black options on the options front, McDonald’s has many more options to offer compared to Whataburger, even with their secret menu, which gives us a winner in this round. 

Winner – McDonald’s has a better secret menu than Whataburger. 

Which Restaurant Has Better Deals? 

Speaking of deals, McDonald’s has a lot of values that are more popular than the ones at Whataburger. McDonald’s is well known for deals like dollar menu, breakfast deals, and more! 

None of us would want to miss an opportunity to save extra money wherever possible! Although fast food chains like McDonald’s and Whataburger offer food for lower prices than other restaurants, it is still worth grabbing a meal while saving some money! 

McDonald’s is known for having lovely deals, some of which are evergreen, like their dollar menu. Other than that, McDonald’s also offers regular discounts on their breakfast menu and deal options that can get you a lot for your mother.

Some popular deals they introduce from McDonald’s are their 2 for $ 5 value and their 2 for $ 6 sale. McDonald’s offers lovely rewards to anyone who orders via their official app. These rewards are also a great way to save some money!

Whataburger, on their official website, does not offer deals. However, if you visit one of their restaurants, you may find some lovely deals. Mo offers many, similar to McDonald’s offers many sweet rewards. 

These rewards are also meant for customers who order their meals online via the official app or website of Whataburger and are a great way to save some money. All in all, the deals from McDonald’s are far more popular than the ones at Whataburger, which makes it the winner of this round. 

Winner – McDonald’s has better deals than Whataburger. 

Which Restaurant Has A More Modern Look? 

Currently, McDonald’s has a much more modern look than Whataburger. McDonald’s has a more classy look and seating areas to accommodate every kind of customer. McDonald’s also does a lot more promotions than Whataburger. 

Is the decor of a fast food restaurant just as important to you as their meals are? In that case, this section is undoubtedly worth your time! Of course, if a chain offers some lovely food but has pretty dreadful decor, who would want to dine there? 

So, the look or decor of a restaurant can be just as important a factor to compare which of these two fast food chains is the better. McDonald’s has gone through its share of renovations and more ever since it first opened. 

The company initially did not offer to dine. Still, since it did, the golden arches have become a symbol that just about anyone can recognize and associate with McDonald’s. McDonald’s offers lovely modern decor, which keeps in mind what customers these days would like. 

They have subtle colored walls in most restaurants and seating options like high-level stools, booths, and regular tables and chairs. With all of this, they also give homage to their McDonald’s logo in a subtle yet classy way. 

Another thing that makes McDonald’s stand out is its several outlets with a dedicated play area for kids. This has been a slightly new addition at most McDonald’s outlets, but at the same time, it has been booming amongst customers! 

Whataburger also has a modern look as far as their restaurant decor is concerned. The chain is known for two colors, orange and white, which you will find everywhere across the restaurant. 

Their seating options are similar to McDonald’s, with every level of seating available to please different age groups of customers. However, Whataburger lacks the play area for kids that McDonald’s has, which is the only criterion that puts McDonald’s over Whataburger with decor. 

Winner – McDonald’s has a more modern look compared to Whataburger. 

Which Restaurant Chain Is More Successful? 

McDonald’s is far more successful than Whataburger. McDonald’s is more widespread across the world, with far more outlets. Whataburger has outlets and popularity restricted to the United States. 

Last but not least, let us determine which of these restaurant chains is the more successful among the masses. While they are both excellent in their way, and people have picked their favorite chain amongst the two, there are a few other ways to determine which is more successful. 

Let us take a look at how widespread these two restaurant chains are. McDonald’s is far more popular in the world than Whataburger. They have outlets of about 40,275, spread across 120 countries and territories worldwide. 

So, indeed it is the major success of McDonald’s that has brought it to a level where it could expand to such a great extent. On the other hand, although Whataburger began operations around the same time as McDonald’s, they still have their presence only in the United States. 

Currently, Whataburger has only 946 outlets spread across the United States. Compared to this, McDonald’s has a whopping 13,512 outlets in the USA! So yes, McDonald’s has a much more extensive reach and is still expanding, making it the winner of this round. 

Winner – McDonald’s is more successful than Whataburger. 

Who Wins The Battle – McDonald’s Or Whataburger? 

McDonald’s wins the battle against Whataburger. Whataburger is the clear winner in some of the rounds. However, as far as the bigger picture is concerned, McDonald’s wins far more games, making it the ultimate winner. 

In the exciting battle of McDonald’s and Whataburger, McDonald’s wins by a far higher margin. Whataburger is also a tremendous fast-food restaurant chain, dominating some of the abovementioned criteria. 

However, McDonald’s is the winner since it has a better breakfast menu, a kids menu, and even a better option with drinks. McDonald’s also has a more modern look with better deals to offer their customers than Whataburger. 

Lastly, since McDonald’s is far more widespread even in the United States than Whataburger, it is also the more successful restaurant chain. So, although Whataburger is a great burger joint with some lovely and hefty options, McDonald’s wins this one. 

Similarly, if you like such fast food battles, there are a few others that we have covered, and I can guarantee that you will also like these topics. Have a look at Jack in the Box Vs. McDonald’s and Dairy Queen Vs. McDonald’s to find out which is better. 

Similarly, we have also covered McDonald’s Vs. Carl’s Jr. and McDonald’s Vs. Five Guys, which is worth a read! Which of these fast-food chains is your favorite? Let me know in the comments below, and have a great day! 

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