Drive Thru
Index

Fast food prices in California

California ranks 49th cheapest of 51 states for fast food on the Drive Thru Index (score 115, 15% above the national typical price).

3,650 restaurants, prices as of . See California on the map

Key findings

The scoop

Taco Bell swings wildly here

Taco Bell has the biggest in-state spread: the priciest store is 177% above its cheapest. The low is Ontario, CA at $12.90, while Universal City, CA hits $35.76 at a travel plaza site.

California ranks pricey for several baskets

Burger King lands at 48 of 50 states, with a median basket of $22.36 that is 22% above national. KFC ranks 47 of 50 at $67.76, and Chick-fil-A ranks 46 of 47 at $34.68.

Wendy's barely budges

Wendy's is the most consistent brand in this view, with the priciest store just 2% above its cheapest. Visalia, CA is $30.46, Hanford, CA is $31.06, and Dave's Single stays $7.69 to $7.69.

McDonald's has the most pins

McDonald's leads the restaurant count with 1115 stores compared. Its basket runs from $23.86 in Orcutt, CA to $35.06 in El Centro, CA, a 47% spread.

Travel stops bring the sizzle

KFC's priciest store is a travel plaza site in Universal City, CA at $90.96. It also lists an airport site in South San Francisco, CA at $73.66 among its priciest spots.

Every brand in California

BrandRestaurantsTypical priceRangeIndexCheapest restaurant
McDonald's1,236Big Mac: $6.89$5.39 to $8.991144505 E Cesar Chavez Blvd, Fresno
Burger King449Whopper: $7.89$3.99 to $9.9912311900 Yosemite Boulevard, Waterford
Wendy's292Dave's Single: $7.29$6.59 to $8.7911435229 Newark Boulevard, Newark
Taco Bell842Crunchwrap Supreme: $6.99$4.39 to $8.99101Taco Bell Restaurant Support Center 1 Glen Bell Way, Irvine
KFC344Chicken Sandwich: $6.19$5.29 to $12.9911310865 Sepulveda Blvd., Mission Hills
Popeyes270Classic Chicken Sandwich: $5.99$5.49 to $7.9911912622 Long Beach Blvd, Lynwood
Chick-fil-A217Chicken Sandwich: $6.49$5.79 to $6.99124310 Oro Dam Boulevard East, Oroville

Price history

Drive Thru Index has recorded these prices every day since 30 September 2026. Each figure is the typical (median) price across the brand's restaurants here on that day. Comparisons with earlier dates appear here as the daily record builds up.

BrandItemToday7 days ago30 days ago1 year agoTrend
McDonald'sBig Mac$6.89———
Burger KingWhopper$7.89———
Wendy'sDave's Single$7.29———
Taco BellCrunchwrap Supreme$6.99———
KFCChicken Sandwich$6.19———
PopeyesClassic Chicken Sandwich$5.99———
Chick-fil-AChicken Sandwich$6.49———

Cities in California

Rank is within the state, 1st being the cheapest, on each brand's own index.

CityRestaurantsIndexCheapest rank
Los Angeles162116107th
San Diego99118130th
Sacramento99119140th
San Jose82120144th
Bakersfield7211264th
Fresno68116108th
Stockton45120145th
Long Beach38116109th
Modesto3811485th
Riverside37120146th
Anaheim33116110th
Santa Ana3211373rd
Ontario2811486th
Oakland2711153rd
Torrance26116111th
Oceanside24116112th
San Bernardino2411487th
Chula Vista23117126th
Salinas2311374th
San Francisco23119141st
Fontana2211039th
Visalia21115104th
Roseville19120147th
Elk Grove19118131st
Oxnard19116113th
Corona1911375th
Santa Rosa1911265th
Victorville1811266th
Fairfield18117127th
Lancaster1711488th
Escondido1711489th
Vacaville1711490th
Santa Maria1711376th
Huntington Beach1711491st
Downey17116114th
Irvine17118132nd
Moreno Valley17121153rd
Orange1711267th
Fremont16117128th
North Hollywood1611154th
Clovis1611492nd
El Cajon1511268th
Redding15118133rd
Vallejo15115105th
Palmdale1510823rd
Norwalk1510933rd
Rancho Cucamonga1511493rd
Hesperia1511377th
Citrus Heights15120148th
Rancho Cordova14116115th
Tracy14116116th
Lodi1411378th
Garden Grove141069th
Tulare1411155th
Hayward1411156th
Murrieta1411269th
Milpitas14120149th
Santa Clarita13115106th
Manteca13116117th
Fullerton131057th
Northridge13118134th
Sunnyvale13119142nd
Gardena1310824th
Burbank1310610th
Temecula1311157th
Rialto13124154th
Pasadena1311379th
Turlock1311494th
Whittier1310825th
Santa Clara13124155th
Chico13116118th
Buena Park1211380th
Madera1211040th
San Leandro1211158th
Carson1211041st
Livermore1211042nd
Merced12116119th
Simi Valley1211043rd
Vista12116120th
Pomona1210826th
Antioch1211495th
Concord1211496th
Lakewood11118135th
West Covina11118136th
Inglewood1110611th
Compton1111270th
Costa Mesa1111497th
Van Nuys1111498th
Yuba City1111159th
Redwood City11118137th
Hanford1110934th
Hemet1110827th
South Gate1011160th
Glendale1010612th
Perris1010935th
Camarillo1011381st
Canoga Park1011044th
Pico Rivera10——
Lake Elsinore101011st
National City10120150th
Hawthorne1010613th
El Monte1011045th
Gilroy1011046th
Tustin1010614th
Ventura1011382nd
Morgan Hill9117129th
Chino Hills911499th
Chino9——
Daly City9120151st
Alhambra911047th
Folsom911271st
San Marcos910936th
West Sacramento9118138th
Richmond9114100th
Covina911383rd
La Mirada9116121st
Upland9118139th
Union City8114101st
Rohnert Park811048th
Oroville8——
Porterville811161st
Indio811272nd
Brentwood810828th
Santa Monica8——
Watsonville8119143rd
Cathedral City810615th
Fountain Valley811384th
Redlands8——
Mission Viejo811162nd
Bellflower811049th
La Puente8116122nd
Palm Desert8116123rd
La Habra810616th
San Jacinto7——
Laguna Niguel7114102nd
Pacoima7——
Los Banos710937th
Hollywood7——
Baldwin Park7——
Barstow7128158th
San Fernando71033rd
Newark710617th
Thousand Oaks710721st
El Centro7126157th
Dublin7——
Coachella710618th
Paso Robles71045th
South San Francisco7——
Norco710722nd
Highland7——
Glendora711050th
Menifee71046th
Monrovia7——
Hollister710619th
Pittsburg7——
Woodland610829th
Beaumont6——
Woodland Hills6——
Newport Beach6——
Goleta61034th
Santa Barbara6——
Novato611163rd
Pinole6——
Castro Valley6——
Pleasanton611051st
Auburn610938th
Lemoore6——
Coalinga610830th
Pleasant Hill611052nd
Westminster6——
Atwater6——
Marysville6——
Oakley6——
Eureka6——
North Highlands6114103rd
Valencia6——
Ceres6——
Azusa61022nd
Colton6116124th
Petaluma6——
Rocklin61058th
Delano610831st
Napa610620th
Montclair5——
Apple Valley5——
Santee5——
Yorba Linda5——
Encinitas5——
Placentia5——
Lincoln5——
Dixon5——
La Mesa5——
Carmichael5——
Seaside5——
San Pedro510832nd
Ridgecrest5——
Huntington Park5——
Lompoc5——
Diamond Bar5——
Yucaipa5——
Berkeley5——
Brea5——
Santa Cruz5116125th
Panorama City5128159th
Suisun City5——
San Juan Capistrano5——
Lemon Grove5——
Davis5——
Ramona5——
Ukiah5——
Cypress5——
Patterson5——
Lathrop5——
Santa Fe Springs5——
Dinuba5——
Mountain View5120152nd
Lynwood5——
Sonora5——
Montebello5——
Lake Forest5——
Alameda5——
Culver City5——
La Quinta5——
San Luis Obispo5——
Rancho Santa Margarita5——
Port Hueneme5——
Calexico5——
San Mateo5——
Walnut Creek5124156th

Questions people ask

Is fast food expensive in California?
California ranks 49th cheapest of 51 states for fast food on the Drive Thru Index (score 115, 15% above the national typical price).
How much is a McDonald's Big Mac in California?
As of 2026-09-30, a Big Mac costs $5.39 to $8.99 at 1,236 McDonald's restaurants in California, typically $6.89.
Where is the cheapest McDonald's in California?
The cheapest McDonald's in California is at 4505 E Cesar Chavez Blvd, Fresno, comparing the same basket at 1,236 restaurants (Drive Thru Index, 2026-09-30).
How much is a Burger King Whopper in California?
As of 2026-09-30, a Whopper costs $3.99 to $9.99 at 449 Burger King restaurants in California, typically $7.89.
Where is the cheapest Burger King in California?
The cheapest Burger King in California is at 11900 Yosemite Boulevard, Waterford, comparing the same basket at 441 restaurants (Drive Thru Index, 2026-09-30).
How much is a Wendy's Dave's Single in California?
As of 2026-09-30, a Dave's Single costs $6.59 to $8.79 at 292 Wendy's restaurants in California, typically $7.29.
Where is the cheapest Wendy's in California?
The cheapest Wendy's in California is at 35229 Newark Boulevard, Newark, comparing the same basket at 292 restaurants (Drive Thru Index, 2026-09-30).
How much is a Taco Bell Crunchwrap Supreme in California?
As of 2026-09-30, a Crunchwrap Supreme costs $4.39 to $8.99 at 842 Taco Bell restaurants in California, typically $6.99.
Where is the cheapest Taco Bell in California?
The cheapest Taco Bell in California is at Taco Bell Restaurant Support Center 1 Glen Bell Way, Irvine, comparing the same basket at 841 restaurants (Drive Thru Index, 2026-09-30).
How much is a KFC Chicken Sandwich in California?
As of 2026-09-30, a Chicken Sandwich costs $5.29 to $12.99 at 344 KFC restaurants in California, typically $6.19.
Where is the cheapest KFC in California?
The cheapest KFC in California is at 10865 Sepulveda Blvd., Mission Hills, comparing the same basket at 344 restaurants (Drive Thru Index, 2026-09-30).
How much is a Popeyes Classic Chicken Sandwich in California?
As of 2026-09-30, a Classic Chicken Sandwich costs $5.49 to $7.99 at 270 Popeyes restaurants in California, typically $5.99.
Where is the cheapest Popeyes in California?
The cheapest Popeyes in California is at 12622 Long Beach Blvd, Lynwood, comparing the same basket at 269 restaurants (Drive Thru Index, 2026-09-30).
How much is a Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich in California?
As of 2026-09-30, a Chicken Sandwich costs $5.79 to $6.99 at 217 Chick-fil-A restaurants in California, typically $6.49.
Where is the cheapest Chick-fil-A in California?
The cheapest Chick-fil-A in California is at 310 Oro Dam Boulevard East, Oroville, comparing the same basket at 215 restaurants (Drive Thru Index, 2026-09-30).

How these prices are measured

Every day we check the menu at every US restaurant of each chain, through the same ordering app its customers use, and record each item's pickup price. Restaurants are compared on a basket of items every full-menu restaurant of that brand sells. An index of 100 is the brand's typical (median) US restaurant, so 95 means 5% cheaper and 110 means 10% pricier. Brands are only ever compared with themselves, never with each other.

Citing this data: Source: Drive Thru Index (https://drivethruindex.com/prices/california), prices checked 2026-09-30. You are welcome to quote any figure on this page.