What are the most expensive fast food restaurants in the US?

Asking which fast food restaurants sell the most expensive meals in the United States is a challenging question because, by and large, prices vary across the country. In states where the cost of living is lower, or state sales tax doesn’t exist, consumers will experience lower prices. However, the opposite case is also true, so in this article, I will attempt to take a bird’s eye view and speak about prices nationally. To do so, I will compare average prices for similar items in Houston, Texas because the economy there is reflective of average prices nationally. I will also avoid including regional chains as those with locations nationally provide the more macroeconomic lens we are looking for.

For hamburger and chicken nugget prices, I compared Burger King, McDonald’s, and Wendy’s.

Burger, fries, and a drink

The most commonly purchased burger at Burger King is the Whopper; at McDonald’s, it’s the Big Mac; and at Wendy’s, Dave’s Single reigns supreme.

At a Houston Burger King, a Whopper alone costs $5.49, and adding a medium drink and fries bumps the price up to $9.29 or $9.79 for the large.

At McDonald’s, the most expensive of the three chains, a Big Mac Meal costs $12.39, or $13.19 if you make it a large.

Meanwhile, at a Houston Wendy’s you can purchase a Dave’s Single for $6.20, and if you are looking to make that a combo the medium will cost you $10.88, while the large will cost you less than a dollar more ($11.38); plus $2.99 if you can’t hit the national chain without also a Frosty.

What fast food restaurant has the best deal on nuggets?

Once again, Burger King offers the best deal for those who prefer chicken nuggets over burgers.

At Burger King, a pack of eight nuggets costs $2.49, or $6.49 for a medium drink and fries or $6.99 for a large combo. The four-pack, which is the only comparable unit across all three companies, costs $1.39.

Next, McDonald’s prices dropped compared to the Big Mac Meal. However, the nuggets are only available in packs of four ($3.19), six ($4.49), or ten ($6.79).

At Wendy’s, a four-pack of spicy or regular nuggets costs $2.99, plus an additional $3.49 for a medium French fry.