“Which is cheaper, Burger King or McDonald’s?” doesn’t have one simple answer — it depends heavily on what you’re actually ordering. Burger King tends to win on flagship burgers and meal deals, while McDonald’s typically wins on its saver menu and breakfast items. This post breaks the comparison down item by item, using our own confidently-sourced Burger King Prices data against the best current estimates we could find for McDonald’s UK.
How This Comparison Works
Rather than guessing at a single “which is cheaper overall” answer, this Burger King vs McDonald’s price comparison looks at four real categories side by side: flagship burgers, full meals, value/saver menus, and Kids Meals. For the complete, always-current picture on the Burger King side, our full Burger King price list is the source every figure below is pulled from — this post is a comparison snapshot, not a replacement for checking live pricing before you order.
Flagship Burger: WHOPPER vs Big Mac
The two chains’ signature burgers are the natural starting point, since they’re what most people picture when they think of either brand.
On a pure price-per-burger basis, the Big Mac is typically cheaper — but it’s also a noticeably smaller burger, both in size and calories. Comparing them purely on price without accounting for portion size tells an incomplete story.
Full Meal Comparison: WHOPPER Meal vs Big Mac Meal
This is where the picture shifts. Once fries and a drink are added, the gap narrows considerably.
McDonald’s still comes out ahead here on the flagship meal specifically, though the margin is smaller than the burger-alone comparison suggests, since Burger King’s fries and drink pricing within the meal format is competitive. For the ongoing, most current version of this comparison across every item on both menus, see the full comparison on our dedicated Burger King vs McDonald’s hub.
Chicken Comparison: Chicken Royale Meal vs McChicken Sandwich Meal
McDonald’s chicken meal option comes in cheaper on paper, though the Chicken Royale is generally reported as the larger sandwich of the two — another case where price alone doesn’t capture the full value comparison. For the complete current bundle pricing across every meal on the Burger King side, our Meals & Combos guide covers every option in full.
Value Menu Comparison: King Savers vs McDonald’s Saver Menu
Both chains run a dedicated value menu, and this is genuinely one of the closest categories between the two.
McDonald’s Saver Menu can start slightly lower on paper, but Burger King’s King Savers range has consistently been the best-performing page on our own site (see our King Savers guide) precisely because it offers more substantial items at a similarly low fixed price point — worth browsing alongside the Burger King Menu UK homepage if you’re weighing up the full range before deciding.
Kids Meal Comparison: Burger King Kids Meal vs McDonald’s Happy Meal
This is McDonald’s clearest pricing win in this entire comparison — the Happy Meal is meaningfully cheaper, and its toy inclusion adds value beyond the food itself. For the full range of options on the Burger King side, our Kids Menu covers every item and price.
So Which Is Actually Cheaper?
There’s no single winner across this Burger King vs McDonald’s price comparison. McDonald’s tends to come out ahead on the flagship burger, the flagship meal, and Kids Meals specifically. Burger King tends to hold its own or edge ahead on value/saver pricing and on portion size relative to price on its flagship items. If you’re optimising purely for the lowest possible spend on a like-for-like meal, McDonald’s currently has the edge on the comparisons above — but if portion size and the King Savers range factor into your decision, the gap narrows considerably.
FAQs — Burger King vs McDonald’s Pricing
Is Burger King more expensive than McDonald’s in the UK?
On flagship burgers and meals, yes, generally — our full Burger King vs McDonald’s price comparison shows McDonald’s pricing the Big Mac and its meal slightly lower. On value/saver menu items, the two are much closer.
Why are McDonald’s prices in this post marked as approximate?
We don’t track McDonald’s pricing as closely as our own, and third-party sources currently show real variation by location — so these figures are working estimates rather than confirmed prices.
Does Burger King ever beat McDonald’s on price?
Yes — particularly on the King Savers range and on larger, more substantial items relative to their price, even where McDonald’s technically has a lower headline number.
Which has the cheaper Kids Meal, Burger King or McDonald’s?
McDonald’s Happy Meal is typically the cheaper option, and includes a toy as standard.
Final Thoughts
This Burger King vs McDonald’s price comparison shows that price alone doesn’t settle which chain is “better value” — portion size, what’s included, and which value menu actually suits your order all matter as much as the headline number.