Wendy’s vs Burger King: Prices, Menu & Who Wins in 2026
By Jimmy
Wendy’s wins on burgers, chicken and dessert. Burger King wins on flame-grilled size and onion rings. On price it is close: Wendy’s Biggie bundles give a full meal for $4 to $8, while Burger King’s $1 Your Way Menu and 2 for $5 deal are hard to beat for two sandwiches. Wendy’s is lighter. Breakfast is a tie.
The numbers below come from our own live Wendy’s menu tables for Wendy’s and from Burger King’s own Nutrition Explorer and offer terms for Burger King. That matters, because most comparison pages skip prices or calories altogether. Burger King does not publish national prices: its menu prices are set by location, so where we could not verify a Burger King price we say TBC instead of guessing. Wendy’s prices also vary by location, so treat the ranges below as a guide and check the price at your own restaurant before you order. Calories are the published figures for the sandwich or side on its own, before you add a drink or a second side.
Burger King has just overtaken Wendy’s as the number two burger chain in the US. YouGov brand data for the second quarter of 2026 puts Burger King up 8.5% and Wendy’s down 7%, so this is a live fight, not a settled one. That is why the tables below compare the food you actually order, item by item, instead of the two brands. If you want the same treatment for the biggest rival of all, read our Wendy’s vs McDonald’s comparison.
The verdict, category by category
Start here if you only want the short answer. Each winner below is explained in the duel that follows it.
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Burgers | Wendy’s | Fresh, never-frozen beef; Dave’s Single is 560 calories against the Whopper’s 710 |
| Chicken sandwiches | Wendy’s, narrowly | Spicy Chicken is 560 calories against the Original Chicken Sandwich’s 680 |
| Nuggets | Tie | Wendy’s 10 pc nuggets are 430 calories against Burger King’s 520, but both are easy to like |
| Fries and sides | Burger King | Published calories by size, plus onion rings and Mozzarella Fries that Wendy’s does not sell |
| Frosty vs BK sweets | Wendy’s | A Classic Frosty starts at $1.79 and 190 calories; Burger King shakes start at 560 calories |
| Breakfast | Tie | Wendy’s is heartier, Burger King’s Croissan’wich is lighter in every matched pair |
| Value and deals | Wendy’s, narrowly | A $5 Biggie Bag is a full meal; Burger King’s 2 for $5 is two sandwiches with no fries or drink |
| App and rewards | Wendy’s | 10 points per $1, with a 200-point bonus that ends 31 Mar 2027 |
| Kids meals | Wendy’s | Kids Meal is $4.60-$6.29 with a Jr. Frosty drink option; Burger King publishes no national kids meal price |
Burgers: Dave’s Single vs Whopper
This is a griddle against a flame grill. Wendy’s cooks a square, fresh, never-frozen patty to order on the griddle, with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, ketchup, mayo and onion. Burger King flame-grills the Whopper, which gives it a smoky flavour and a bigger sandwich: the Whopper is 710 calories, 150 more than a Dave’s Single. If you like the taste of a backyard grill, you will like the Whopper. If you like beef that was never frozen, you will like the Dave’s Single.
On price, Wendy’s is the one you can plan around. A Dave’s Single is $5.89-$6.99, with $6.30 on our menu, while Burger King does not publish a national Whopper price, so the Whopper is TBC here and varies by location. That is the pattern for the whole post: Wendy’s prices are published in ranges, Burger King’s are set by the restaurant.
| Item | Wendy’s price + calories | Burger King price + calories |
|---|---|---|
| Dave’s Single vs Whopper | $5.89-$6.99 · 560 cal | TBC · 710 cal |
| Jr. Cheeseburger vs Whopper Jr. | $2.49 · 270 cal | TBC · 340 cal |
| Dave’s Double vs Double Whopper | $7.50 · 810 cal | TBC · 980 cal |
The gap holds at every size: the Whopper Jr. is 70 calories more than a Jr. Cheeseburger, and the Double Whopper is 170 calories more than a Dave’s Double. A Dave’s Single combo is $7.99 for a limited time, with a small combo at 1,000 calories and a medium at 1,170 calories. Burger King does not publish a national Whopper meal price, so check the app at your restaurant before you compare combos.
Baconator vs Bacon King: the bacon duel
The Baconator is Wendy’s heaviest burger: two quarter-pound patties, six strips of Applewood smoked bacon, American cheese, ketchup and mayo, at $8.79 and 890 calories. It is the burger to order when you are properly hungry and you do not want a salad afterwards. The Son of Baconator is the smaller version, at $6.90 and 590 calories, with two smaller patties and four strips of bacon.
The Bacon King is Burger King’s answer, and it is the biggest calorie load in this post: 1,260 calories, which is 370 more than a Baconator. Its price is TBC, because Burger King does not publish a national price for it. On the numbers, the Baconator wins this duel: it is 370 calories lighter, and its price is published. The Bacon King wins only if you want the biggest bacon burger on either menu.
| Item | Wendy’s price + calories | Burger King price + calories |
|---|---|---|
| Baconator vs Bacon King | $8.79 · 890 cal | TBC · 1,260 cal |
| Son of Baconator vs Bacon Double Cheeseburger | $6.90 · 590 cal | TBC · 500 cal |
One surprise in the smaller pair: Burger King’s Bacon Double Cheeseburger is 90 calories lighter than the Son of Baconator, at 500 calories. So Wendy’s wins the headline bacon duel, but Burger King has the lighter small bacon burger. If bacon is the point of the trip, order the Baconator; if you want bacon flavour with fewer calories, the Bacon Double Cheeseburger is the better pick.
Chicken sandwiches and nuggets
Wendy’s Spicy Chicken Sandwich is $6.49 and 560 calories, and it is the chicken sandwich to beat. Burger King’s Original Chicken Sandwich is 680 calories, 120 more, and its price is TBC. Burger King’s lighter chicken sandwich is the Royal Crispy Chicken Sandwich at 600 calories, which is still 50 more than Wendy’s Classic Chicken Sandwich at $6.49 and 550 calories. The spicy end of Burger King’s menu is heavier still: the Spicy Royal Crispy Chicken Sandwich is 760 calories and the Spicy Original Chicken Sandwich is 790 calories.
| Item | Wendy’s price + calories | Burger King price + calories |
|---|---|---|
| Spicy Chicken vs Original Chicken Sandwich | $6.49 · 560 cal | TBC · 680 cal |
| Classic Chicken vs Royal Crispy Chicken Sandwich | $6.49 · 550 cal | TBC · 600 cal |
| Chicken Nuggets, 10 pc vs Chicken Nuggets, 10 pc | $5.29 · 430 cal | TBC · 520 cal |
| Chicken Nuggets, 4 pc vs Chicken Nuggets, 4 pc | $2.49 · 170 cal | TBC · 210 cal |
Nuggets follow the same pattern. Wendy’s 4 pc nuggets are $2.49 and 170 calories, against Burger King’s 4 pc at 210 calories, and Wendy’s 10 pc are $5.29 and 430 calories against Burger King’s 10 pc at 520 calories. Burger King also sells a 6 pc at 310 calories, which sits between the two Wendy’s sizes. Wendy’s wins the chicken duel on calories in every matched pair, and it is the only side of the duel where the price is published.
Fries and sides
Wendy’s Natural-Cut Fries are skin-on, sea-salted fries, at $1.49-$4.39 across sizes, and their calories are TBC on our menu. Burger King’s fries are thinner and crisper, and Burger King publishes the calories for every size: value fries are 230 calories, small are 300, medium are 370 and large are 440. That published range is a real advantage when you are counting calories, because you can pick a small and know exactly what you are getting.
| Item | Wendy’s price + calories | Burger King price + calories |
|---|---|---|
| Natural-Cut Fries vs French Fries, small | $1.49-$4.39 · calories TBC | TBC · 300 cal |
| Onion rings | Not on the menu | TBC · small 230 cal, medium 290 cal, large 430 cal |
| Mozzarella Fries | Not on the menu | TBC · 4 pc 220 cal, 8 pc 440 cal |
Burger King wins sides on range alone. Onion rings are the clearest example: Wendy’s does not sell them, while Burger King sells them in value, small, medium and large, from 170 to 430 calories. Burger King also sells Mozzarella Fries, Cheesy Bacon Tots and Jalapeño Cheddar Bites, so if sides decide your order, Burger King has more to choose from. Wendy’s answer is a better fry and a Frosty to dip it in, which is a fair trade for most people.
Frosty vs Burger King sweets
Dessert is not close. A Classic Frosty is $1.79-$3.79 and 190-510 calories, and it is the cheapest dessert on either menu. Frosty Swirls are $2.99-$3.99 and Frosty Fusions are $4.19-$5.49. Burger King’s Hershey’s Sundae Pie is 310 calories, which is a fair rival to a small Frosty, but its shakes are heavy: a vanilla shake is 560 calories, chocolate is 620 and strawberry is 670, and a soft serve cup is 180 calories.
| Item | Wendy’s price + calories | Burger King price + calories |
|---|---|---|
| Classic Frosty vs Hershey’s Sundae Pie | $1.79-$3.79 · 190-510 cal | TBC · 310 cal |
| Frosty Swirls and Fusions vs milkshakes | $2.99-$5.49 · calories TBC | TBC · 560-670 cal |
Wendy’s wins dessert on price, on calories and on choice. A small Frosty is cheaper than a Burger King shake and hundreds of calories lighter, and the Frosty menu has more to pick from. Burger King’s best dessert move is the Sundae Pie at 310 calories, which is a genuine rival to a Frosty, but it is one item against a whole Frosty menu.
Breakfast: who wins the morning?
Wendy’s breakfast runs 6:30-10:30 AM, with items from $1.49 to $7.39, and the full menu is on our breakfast page. Burger King answers with the Croissan’wich, a croissant sandwich that is lighter than a Wendy’s biscuit in every matched pair below. The headline pair is almost level on calories: the Breakfast Baconator is $4.99 and 630 calories, against the Fully Loaded Croissan’wich at 620 calories.
| Item | Wendy’s price + calories | Burger King price + calories |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast Baconator vs Fully Loaded Croissan’wich | $4.99 · 630 cal | TBC · 620 cal |
| Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit vs Bacon, Egg & Cheese Croissan’wich | $3.99 · 420 cal | TBC · 360 cal |
| Sausage, Egg & Cheese Biscuit vs Sausage, Egg & Cheese Croissan’wich | $3.99 · 590 cal | TBC · 500 cal |
Burger King’s Croissan’wich is the lighter breakfast in each pair: 60 calories lighter with bacon, egg and cheese, and 90 calories lighter with sausage, egg and cheese. Wendy’s biscuits are the heartier breakfast, and Wendy’s Seasoned Potatoes at $1.99-$2.59 and 280-510 calories are a better side than Burger King’s Hash Browns, which run from 270 calories for a small to 700 for a large. Breakfast is a tie, and we will compare the full breakfast menus item by item in a later post.
Value and deals: Biggie Deals vs $1 Your Way
Wendy’s value menu is built around the Biggie Deals: $4, $6 and $8 tiers, with the $5 Biggie Bag as the best-known bundle. A $5 Biggie Bag gives you a Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger, Double Stack or Crispy Chicken BLT, plus 4 pc nuggets, small fries and a drink, which is a full meal for five dollars. See the full list on our deals page.
Burger King’s value menu is the $1 Your Way Menu, with items from $1, and the 2 for $5 deal, which lets you pick two from a Whopper, a Big Fish, an Original Chicken Sandwich or Chicken Fries. Burger King’s $5 Your Way Meal ran from 10 Sep to 1 Nov 2026 on the BK app and bk.com, so it has ended: check the BK app for what has replaced it before you order.
| Item | Wendy’s price + calories | Burger King price + calories |
|---|---|---|
| $5 meal | $5 Biggie Bag: sandwich + 4 pc nuggets + small fries + drink | 2 for $5: two sandwiches, no fries or drink |
| Cheapest tier | $4 Biggie Bag | $1 Your Way Menu, from $1 |
| Flagship combo | Dave’s Single combo $7.99 · small 1,000 cal, medium 1,170 cal | Whopper meal price TBC |
Wendy’s wins value by a narrow margin, because the $5 Biggie Bag is a complete meal and Burger King’s 2 for $5 is two sandwiches with nothing else. Burger King wins if you are feeding two people who only want sandwiches, or if you only want one cheap item from the $1 Your Way Menu. Either way, use the app: both chains put their best deals there, and the in-store menu rarely matches the app price.
App and rewards
Wendy’s Rewards gives you 10 points per $1, with a 200-point bonus that ends 31 Mar 2027, and there is a $1 Frosty offer in the app through 2026. That is a clear, published earn rate, and it is the main reason to order in the app instead of at the counter. Our Wendy’s Rewards points guide explains what each reward costs in points, and our app vs in-store comparison explains when the app price beats the counter price.
Burger King’s Royal Perks is a Crown-based programme in the BK app and on bk.com, with app-only offers such as the $5 Your Way Meal while it ran. Burger King does not publish a national Crown earn rate in the same way, so check the BK app for the current offers at your restaurant. On rewards, Wendy’s is the easier programme to understand and to plan around.
Kids meals
Wendy’s Kids Meal is $4.60-$6.29, with a Jr. Frosty as a drink option and a Frosty Frights toy, and the full choice is on our kids meal page. Burger King lists kids meals in its Nutrition Explorer, but does not publish a national kids meal price, so we cannot compare the two on price. On published price and on the Frosty drink option, Wendy’s takes the kids meal category.
Conclusion
Wendy’s wins this head-to-head. It wins burgers, chicken and dessert on calories, it wins value with a $5 Biggie Bag that is a full meal, and it wins rewards with a published earn rate. The Dave’s Single at $5.89-$6.99 and 560 calories is a better everyday order than the Whopper at 710 calories, and a Classic Frosty at $1.79 is the best-value dessert on either menu.
Burger King is still the right pick on some days. Order the Whopper when you want flame-grilled flavour and a bigger sandwich, order the 2 for $5 deal when two people only want sandwiches, and order onion rings or a Croissan’wich when you want something Wendy’s does not sell or does lighter. Burger King overtaking Wendy’s as the number two burger chain in the second quarter of 2026 is no surprise when the Whopper and the value menu are this strong.
For most orders, though, Wendy’s is the better buy: lighter food, a full meal for $5, and a Frosty to finish. Start with the Dave’s Single or the Spicy Chicken Sandwich, add a $5 Biggie Bag when you want the full meal, and check the full Wendy’s menu before you decide.
