Fast food price insights
What the drive-thru really costs: prices from 5,042 fast food restaurants in Australia across 18 chains, checked 2026-10-07. Every figure below compares each restaurant's own pickup price from the brand's ordering app, so the numbers are what you would actually pay at the window.
Data as of . Updated daily. Prices are in Australian dollars.
Key findings
- Boost Juice has the biggest price gap between locations: its priciest restaurant charges 47% more than its cheapest for the same basket. Pizza Hut has the smallest gap, 0%.
- Melbourne, VIC is the biggest cluster of bargain fast food in Australia: 41 of its 47 restaurants rank in their brand's cheapest fifth nationally.
- New South Wales is the cheapest state for fast food overall (Drive Thru Index 100, where 100 is the national typical price) and Northern Territory the most expensive (110), averaging each brand against its own national prices.
- A McDonald's Big Mac costs anywhere from $7.30 to $10.70 across 1,080 restaurants in Australia; the typical price is $8.45.
- Victoria is the cheapest state for McDonald's and Northern Territory the priciest, comparing the same basket of 4 items at 1,080 restaurants.
- Ordering McDonald's for delivery costs 26% more than picking up the same order.
- A Hungry Jack's Whopper costs anywhere from $9.20 to $11.75 across 489 restaurants in Australia; the typical price is $9.90.
- Victoria is the cheapest state for Hungry Jack's and Northern Territory the priciest, comparing the same basket of 4 items at 489 restaurants.
- Hungry Jack's airport locations charge 10% more than the brand's typical restaurant.
- A KFC Zinger Burger costs anywhere from $7.95 to $9.45 across 851 restaurants in Australia; the typical price is $8.45.
- New South Wales is the cheapest state for KFC and Northern Territory the priciest, comparing the same basket of 3 items at 850 restaurants.
- A Red Rooster Quarter Chicken costs anywhere from $7.75 to $8.75 across 292 restaurants in Australia; the typical price is $7.75.
- Red Rooster charges about the same in every state: no state's typical basket is even 1% dearer than another's.
- A Oporto Bondi Burger costs $10.00 at every one of its 206 restaurants in Australia: the brand charges one price nationwide.
- New South Wales is the cheapest state for Oporto and Western Australia the priciest, comparing the same basket of 4 items at 191 restaurants.
- A Guzman y Gomez Chicken Burrito costs anywhere from $14.50 to $15.50 across 257 restaurants in Australia; the typical price is $14.50.
- Queensland is the cheapest state for Guzman y Gomez and Western Australia the priciest, comparing the same basket of 4 items at 255 restaurants.
- A Grill'd Simply Grill'd costs anywhere from $13.90 to $14.50 across 181 restaurants in Australia; the typical price is $14.50.
- New South Wales is the cheapest state for Grill'd and Western Australia the priciest, comparing the same basket of 4 items at 180 restaurants.
- A Nando's 1/4 Chicken costs anywhere from $11.95 to $12.95 across 142 restaurants in Australia; the typical price is $11.95.
- Nando's charges about the same in every state: no state's typical basket is even 1% dearer than another's.
- A Pizza Hut BBQ Meatlovers (large) costs $16.45 at every one of its 291 restaurants in Australia: the brand charges one price nationwide.
- A Zambrero Classic Burrito costs anywhere from $14.50 to $15.90 across 297 restaurants in Australia; the typical price is $14.50.
- New South Wales is the cheapest state for Zambrero and Western Australia the priciest, comparing the same basket of 5 items at 296 restaurants.
- A El Jannah Whole Charcoal Chicken costs $22.00 at every one of its 66 restaurants in Australia: the brand charges one price nationwide.
- A Schnitz Chicken Schnitzel & Chips costs anywhere from $14.90 to $16.40 across 83 restaurants in Australia; the typical price is $14.90.
- Schnitz charges about the same in every state: no state's typical basket is even 1% dearer than another's.
- A Nene Chicken Original Fried Chicken (regular) costs anywhere from $14.45 to $15.50 across 43 restaurants in Australia; the typical price is $14.45.
- Victoria is the cheapest state for Nene Chicken and Western Australia the priciest, comparing the same basket of 4 items at 41 restaurants.
- A Betty's Burgers Classic costs anywhere from $14.50 to $16.90 across 76 restaurants in Australia; the typical price is $14.50.
- Betty's Burgers charges about the same in every state: no state's typical basket is even 1% dearer than another's.
- A Boost Juice Mango Magic (medium) costs $8.00 at every one of its 352 restaurants in Australia: the brand charges one price nationwide.
- New South Wales is the cheapest state for Boost Juice and Western Australia the priciest, comparing the same basket of 4 items at 352 restaurants.
- Boost Juice airport locations charge 6% more than the brand's typical restaurant.
- A Chicken Treat Tempta Burger costs anywhere from $10.89 to $13.19 across 61 restaurants in Australia; the typical price is $10.89.
- Chicken Treat charges about the same in every state: no state's typical basket is even 1% dearer than another's.
- A Crust Pizza Peri Peri Chicken (large) costs $22.90 at every one of its 139 restaurants in Australia: the brand charges one price nationwide.
- A Chatime Pearl Milk Tea costs anywhere from $7.90 to $8.90 across 136 restaurants in Australia; the typical price is $7.90.
- Victoria is the cheapest state for Chatime and Queensland the priciest, comparing the same basket of 3 items at 132 restaurants.
- For McDonald's, Melbourne, VIC has the most bargain restaurants: 6 of 9 are in the brand's cheapest fifth nationally.
- For KFC, Melbourne, VIC has the most bargain restaurants: 6 of 6 are in the brand's cheapest fifth nationally.
- For Guzman y Gomez, Sydney, NSW has the most bargain restaurants: 8 of 8 are in the brand's cheapest fifth nationally.
- For Grill'd, Melbourne, VIC has the most bargain restaurants: 6 of 6 are in the brand's cheapest fifth nationally.
- For Boost Juice, Sydney, NSW has the most bargain restaurants: 2 of 5 are in the brand's cheapest fifth nationally.
The scoop
Karratha tops three price mapsKarratha, WA is the priciest stop for McDonald's at $40.95, Hungry Jack's at $39.25, and KFC at $35.05. That is a tidy north-west hat-trick for big basket bills.
McDonald's has the biggest swingMcDonald's shows the widest gap, with its priciest store 43% above its cheapest. The basket runs from $28.60 in Baxter, VIC to $40.95 in Karratha, WA, with Big Macs spanning $7.30 to $10.70.
Airport baskets climb onto the boardTravel hubs pop up among the priciest spots. Grill'd hits $30.30 at Melbourne Airport, VIC, while Hungry Jack's lists airport sites in Cairns Airport, QLD, Perth Airport, WA and Mascot, NSW at $36.15.
Nando's keeps it tightNando's is the most consistent brand shown, with its priciest store 3% above its cheapest. Its basket sits at $28.80 in South Melbourne, VIC and $29.80 in Kalgoorlie, WA.
McDonald's has the biggest footprintMcDonald's has the most restaurants in view, with 1080 stores compared. KFC follows with 851, then Hungry Jack's with 489.
Cheapest to most expensive states
Each state's Drive Thru Index score averages every brand's typical basket there against that brand's own national typical price, so 100 is the national norm, 90 is 10% cheaper and 120 is 20% pricier. Brands are never compared with each other.
| Rank | State | Index | vs national | Brands | Restaurants compared |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New South Wales | 100 | +0% | 17 | 1,469 |
| 2 | Victoria | 100 | +0% | 17 | 1,255 |
| 3 | Tasmania | 100 | +0% | 4 | 57 |
| 4 | Queensland | 100 | +0% | 15 | 1,122 |
| 5 | South Australia | 100 | +0% | 11 | 291 |
| 6 | Australian Capital Territory | 100 | +0% | 8 | 81 |
| 7 | Western Australia | 101 | +1% | 16 | 649 |
| 8 | Northern Territory | 110 | +10% | 3 | 22 |
Bargain clusters
Where cheap fast food clusters: the places with the most restaurants whose basket ranks in their own brand's cheapest fifth nationally. Each brand is judged against itself, never against another brand's prices.
| City, all brands | Bargain restaurants | Restaurants compared | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melbourne, VIC | 41 | 47 | 87% |
| Sydney, NSW | 29 | 39 | 74% |
| Blacktown, NSW | 16 | 19 | 84% |
| Preston, VIC | 15 | 15 | 100% |
| Adelaide, SA | 14 | 17 | 82% |
| Brand | Top bargain cities | Top bargain states |
|---|---|---|
| McDonald's | Melbourne, VIC (6 of 9), Mascot, NSW (1 of 6) | VIC (141 of 275), NSW (52 of 339), WA (8 of 104) |
| Hungry Jack's | — | VIC (63 of 114), NSW (26 of 113), SA (9 of 53) |
| KFC | Melbourne, VIC (6 of 6), Sydney, NSW (5 of 5) | NSW (139 of 271), VIC (102 of 225), QLD (51 of 185) |
| Red Rooster | — | QLD (60 of 104), NSW (51 of 55), VIC (46 of 61) |
| Oporto | — | NSW (60 of 118), QLD (17 of 25), ACT (6 of 10) |
| Guzman y Gomez | Sydney, NSW (8 of 8) | NSW (83 of 83), QLD (74 of 88), VIC (51 of 51) |
| Grill'd | Melbourne, VIC (6 of 6) | VIC (59 of 60), NSW (37 of 38), QLD (36 of 42) |
| Nando's | — | VIC (55 of 55), WA (29 of 31), QLD (24 of 25) |
| Pizza Hut | — | NSW (105 of 105), QLD (95 of 95), VIC (46 of 46) |
| Zambrero | — | QLD (66 of 66), VIC (64 of 64), NSW (41 of 41) |
| El Jannah | — | NSW (37 of 37), VIC (27 of 27) |
| Schnitz | — | VIC (61 of 61) |
| Nene Chicken | — | VIC (25 of 25) |
| Betty's Burgers | — | VIC (20 of 20), QLD (20 of 20), NSW (20 of 21) |
| Boost Juice | Sydney, NSW (2 of 5) | NSW (33 of 105), QLD (23 of 70), VIC (10 of 92) |
| Chicken Treat | — | WA (46 of 61) |
| Crust Pizza | — | NSW (66 of 66), VIC (30 of 30), QLD (16 of 16) |
| Chatime | — | NSW (40 of 48), VIC (16 of 25), SA (11 of 13) |
By brand
| Brand | Restaurants | Item | Typical price | Range | Cheapest state | Priciest state | Gap between locations | Delivery vs pickup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McDonald's | 1,080 | Big Mac | $8.45 | $7.30 to $10.70 | Victoria | Northern Territory | 43% | +26% |
| Hungry Jack's | 489 | Whopper | $9.90 | $9.20 to $11.75 | Victoria | Northern Territory | 28% | — |
| KFC | 851 | Zinger Burger | $8.45 | $7.95 to $9.45 | New South Wales | Northern Territory | 24% | — |
| Red Rooster | 292 | Quarter Chicken | $7.75 | $7.75 to $8.75 | Queensland | Western Australia | 10% | — |
| Oporto | 206 | Bondi Burger | $10.00 | $10.00 to $10.00 | New South Wales | Western Australia | 3% | — |
| Guzman y Gomez | 257 | Chicken Burrito | $14.50 | $14.50 to $15.50 | Queensland | Western Australia | 5% | — |
| Grill'd | 181 | Simply Grill'd | $14.50 | $13.90 to $14.50 | New South Wales | Western Australia | 11% | — |
| Nando's | 142 | 1/4 Chicken | $11.95 | $11.95 to $12.95 | Victoria | South Australia | 3% | — |
| Pizza Hut | 291 | BBQ Meatlovers (large) | $16.45 | $16.45 to $16.45 | Victoria | South Australia | 0% | — |
| Zambrero | 297 | Classic Burrito | $14.50 | $14.50 to $15.90 | New South Wales | Western Australia | 5% | — |
| El Jannah | 66 | Whole Charcoal Chicken | $22.00 | $22.00 to $22.00 | Victoria | New South Wales | 0% | — |
| Schnitz | 83 | Chicken Schnitzel & Chips | $14.90 | $14.90 to $16.40 | Victoria | New South Wales | 0% | — |
| Nene Chicken | 43 | Original Fried Chicken (regular) | $14.45 | $14.45 to $15.50 | Victoria | Western Australia | 2% | — |
| Betty's Burgers | 76 | Classic | $14.50 | $14.50 to $16.90 | Victoria | Western Australia | 15% | — |
| Boost Juice | 352 | Mango Magic (medium) | $8.00 | $8.00 to $8.00 | New South Wales | Western Australia | 47% | — |
| Chicken Treat | 61 | Tempta Burger | $10.89 | $10.89 to $13.19 | Western Australia | Western Australia | 19% | — |
| Crust Pizza | 139 | Peri Peri Chicken (large) | $22.90 | $22.90 to $22.90 | Victoria | Queensland | 0% | — |
| Chatime | 136 | Pearl Milk Tea | $7.90 | $7.90 to $8.90 | Victoria | Queensland | 12% | — |
Questions people ask
- How much does a McDonald's Big Mac cost in Australia?
- As of 2026-10-07, a Big Mac costs $7.30 to $10.70 at 1,080 McDonald's restaurants, with a typical price of $8.45.
- Where is McDonald's cheapest in Australia?
- Victoria has the cheapest typical McDonald's basket and Northern Territory the most expensive (Drive Thru Index, 2026-10-07). The single cheapest restaurant is in Baxter, VIC.
- How much does a Hungry Jack's Whopper cost in Australia?
- As of 2026-10-07, a Whopper costs $9.20 to $11.75 at 489 Hungry Jack's restaurants, with a typical price of $9.90.
- Where is Hungry Jack's cheapest in Australia?
- Victoria has the cheapest typical Hungry Jack's basket and Northern Territory the most expensive (Drive Thru Index, 2026-10-07). The single cheapest restaurant is in Newcomb, VIC.
- How much does a KFC Zinger Burger cost in Australia?
- As of 2026-10-07, a Zinger Burger costs $7.95 to $9.45 at 851 KFC restaurants, with a typical price of $8.45.
- Where is KFC cheapest in Australia?
- New South Wales has the cheapest typical KFC basket and Northern Territory the most expensive (Drive Thru Index, 2026-10-07). The single cheapest restaurant is in Chadstone, VIC.
- How much does a Red Rooster Quarter Chicken cost in Australia?
- As of 2026-10-07, a Quarter Chicken costs $7.75 to $8.75 at 292 Red Rooster restaurants, with a typical price of $7.75.
- How much does a Oporto Bondi Burger cost in Australia?
- As of 2026-10-07, a Bondi Burger costs $10.00 at all 206 Oporto restaurants.
- Where is Oporto cheapest in Australia?
- New South Wales has the cheapest typical Oporto basket and Western Australia the most expensive (Drive Thru Index, 2026-10-07). The single cheapest restaurant is in Boolaroo, NSW.
- How much does a Guzman y Gomez Chicken Burrito cost in Australia?
- As of 2026-10-07, a Chicken Burrito costs $14.50 to $15.50 at 257 Guzman y Gomez restaurants, with a typical price of $14.50.
- Where is Guzman y Gomez cheapest in Australia?
- Queensland has the cheapest typical Guzman y Gomez basket and Western Australia the most expensive (Drive Thru Index, 2026-10-07). The single cheapest restaurant is in Jindalee, QLD.
- How much does a Grill'd Simply Grill'd cost in Australia?
- As of 2026-10-07, a Simply Grill'd costs $13.90 to $14.50 at 181 Grill'd restaurants, with a typical price of $14.50.
- Where is Grill'd cheapest in Australia?
- New South Wales has the cheapest typical Grill'd basket and Western Australia the most expensive (Drive Thru Index, 2026-10-07). The single cheapest restaurant is in North Lakes, QLD.
- How much does a Nando's 1/4 Chicken cost in Australia?
- As of 2026-10-07, a 1/4 Chicken costs $11.95 to $12.95 at 142 Nando's restaurants, with a typical price of $11.95.
- How much does a Pizza Hut BBQ Meatlovers (large) cost in Australia?
- As of 2026-10-07, a BBQ Meatlovers (large) costs $16.45 at all 291 Pizza Hut restaurants.
- How much does a Zambrero Classic Burrito cost in Australia?
- As of 2026-10-07, a Classic Burrito costs $14.50 to $15.90 at 297 Zambrero restaurants, with a typical price of $14.50.
- Where is Zambrero cheapest in Australia?
- New South Wales has the cheapest typical Zambrero basket and Western Australia the most expensive (Drive Thru Index, 2026-10-07). The single cheapest restaurant is in Tamworth, NSW.
- How much does a El Jannah Whole Charcoal Chicken cost in Australia?
- As of 2026-10-07, a Whole Charcoal Chicken costs $22.00 at all 66 El Jannah restaurants.
- How much does a Schnitz Chicken Schnitzel & Chips cost in Australia?
- As of 2026-10-07, a Chicken Schnitzel & Chips costs $14.90 to $16.40 at 83 Schnitz restaurants, with a typical price of $14.90.
- How much does a Nene Chicken Original Fried Chicken (regular) cost in Australia?
- As of 2026-10-07, a Original Fried Chicken (regular) costs $14.45 to $15.50 at 43 Nene Chicken restaurants, with a typical price of $14.45.
- Where is Nene Chicken cheapest in Australia?
- Victoria has the cheapest typical Nene Chicken basket and Western Australia the most expensive (Drive Thru Index, 2026-10-07). The single cheapest restaurant is in Doncaster, VIC.
- How much does a Betty's Burgers Classic cost in Australia?
- As of 2026-10-07, a Classic costs $14.50 to $16.90 at 76 Betty's Burgers restaurants, with a typical price of $14.50.
- How much does a Boost Juice Mango Magic (medium) cost in Australia?
- As of 2026-10-07, a Mango Magic (medium) costs $8.00 at all 352 Boost Juice restaurants.
- Where is Boost Juice cheapest in Australia?
- New South Wales has the cheapest typical Boost Juice basket and Western Australia the most expensive (Drive Thru Index, 2026-10-07). The single cheapest restaurant is in Hobart, TAS.
- How much does a Chicken Treat Tempta Burger cost in Australia?
- As of 2026-10-07, a Tempta Burger costs $10.89 to $13.19 at 61 Chicken Treat restaurants, with a typical price of $10.89.
- How much does a Crust Pizza Peri Peri Chicken (large) cost in Australia?
- As of 2026-10-07, a Peri Peri Chicken (large) costs $22.90 at all 139 Crust Pizza restaurants.
- How much does a Chatime Pearl Milk Tea cost in Australia?
- As of 2026-10-07, a Pearl Milk Tea costs $7.90 to $8.90 at 136 Chatime restaurants, with a typical price of $7.90.
- Where is Chatime cheapest in Australia?
- Victoria has the cheapest typical Chatime basket and Queensland the most expensive (Drive Thru Index, 2026-10-07). The single cheapest restaurant is in Cranbourne, VIC.
How the index works
Every day we check the menu at every US restaurant of each chain, using the same ordering app its customers use, and record each item's pickup and delivery price. Restaurants are compared on a basket of items that every full-menu restaurant of that brand sells, so a comparison is never skewed by a missing item. Restaurants with a limited menu, and prices that are clearly a menu code error, are left out of comparisons. "Typical" means the median restaurant.
Browse prices for every state and city or download states.csv and cities.csv.
Citing this data: Source: Drive Thru Index (https://drivethruindex.com), prices checked 2026-10-07. Journalists are welcome to quote any figure on this page.