Fast food prices in Iowa
Iowa ranks 31st cheapest of 51 states for fast food on the Drive Thru Index (score 102, 2% above the national typical price).
355 restaurants, prices as of . See Iowa on the map
Key findings
- A McDonald's Big Mac typically costs $5.79 in Iowa ($4.79 to $6.99 across 148 restaurants). McDonald's here is 3% below its US typical price.
- A Burger King Whopper typically costs $6.39 in Iowa ($3.99 to $6.69 across 62 restaurants). Burger King here is 9% above its US typical price.
- A Wendy's Dave's Single typically costs $6.29 in Iowa ($5.59 to $6.99 across 38 restaurants). Wendy's here is 6% above its US typical price.
- A Taco Bell Crunchwrap Supreme typically costs $6.69 in Iowa ($5.99 to $7.79 across 49 restaurants). Taco Bell here is 1% below its US typical price.
- A KFC Chicken Sandwich typically costs $5.39 in Iowa ($4.99 to $7.29 across 31 restaurants). KFC here is 2% above its US typical price.
- A Popeyes Classic Chicken Sandwich typically costs $5.79 in Iowa ($5.49 to $5.79 across 5 restaurants). Popeyes here is 5% below its US typical price.
- A Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich typically costs $5.25 in Iowa ($4.99 to $5.59 across 22 restaurants). Chick-fil-A here is level with its US typical price.
The scoop
McDonald's swings widest in IowaMcDonald's has the biggest in-state spread: the priciest store is 33% above its cheapest. The basket runs from $20.36 in Fairfield, IA to $27.16 at a travel stop site in Shelby, IA.
Popeyes keeps it tightPopeyes is the most consistent brand on this Iowa map, with its priciest store just 2% above its cheapest. Davenport, IA shows a $23.16 basket, while Sioux City, IA sits at $23.56.
Burger King lands on the pricey sideBurger King ranks 42 of 50 states, where 1 = cheapest. Its Iowa median basket is $19.76, 8% above the national typical price.
McDonald's is everywhere hereMcDonald's has the most restaurants in this Iowa view, with 143 stores compared. It also sits 3% below the national typical price, with Iowa ranked 14 of 51 states for that basket.
Sioux City finds a Whopper dealBurger King's cheapest Iowa store is in Sioux City, IA, with a $15.56 basket. The Whopper there is $3.99, while the Whopper range across Iowa is $3.99 to $6.69.
Every brand in Iowa
| Brand | Restaurants | Typical price | Range | Index | Cheapest restaurant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McDonald's | 148 | Big Mac: $5.79 | $4.79 to $6.99 | 97 | 1705 W Burlington Ave, Fairfield |
| Burger King | 62 | Whopper: $6.39 | $3.99 to $6.69 | 109 | 1724 Hamilton Blvd, Sioux City |
| Wendy's | 38 | Dave's Single: $6.29 | $5.59 to $6.99 | 106 | 1017 S. Federal, Mason City |
| Taco Bell | 49 | Crunchwrap Supreme: $6.69 | $5.99 to $7.79 | 99 | 3150 Dial Drive, Council Bluffs |
| KFC | 31 | Chicken Sandwich: $5.39 | $4.99 to $7.29 | 102 | 921 South Grand Avenue, Spencer |
| Popeyes | 5 | Classic Chicken Sandwich: $5.79 | $5.49 to $5.79 | 95 | 3906 N. Marquette Street, Davenport |
| Chick-fil-A | 22 | Chicken Sandwich: $5.25 | $4.99 to $5.59 | 100 | 3500 Dodge St, Dubuque |
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.
| Brand | Item | Today | 7 days ago | 30 days ago | 1 year ago | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McDonald's | Big Mac | $5.79 | — | — | — | |
| Burger King | Whopper | $6.39 | — | — | — | |
| Wendy's | Dave's Single | $6.29 | — | — | — | |
| Taco Bell | Crunchwrap Supreme | $6.69 | — | — | — | |
| KFC | Chicken Sandwich | $5.39 | — | — | — | |
| Popeyes | Classic Chicken Sandwich | $5.79 | — | — | — | |
| Chick-fil-A | Chicken Sandwich | $5.25 | — | — | — |
Cities in Iowa
Rank is within the state, 1st being the cheapest, on each brand's own index.
| City | Restaurants | Index | Cheapest rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines | 28 | 103 | 8th |
| Cedar Rapids | 26 | 102 | 6th |
| Sioux City | 23 | 95 | 1st |
| Davenport | 19 | 100 | 3rd |
| Council Bluffs | 16 | 101 | 4th |
| Dubuque | 12 | 96 | 2nd |
| Waterloo | 12 | 106 | 11th |
| Ankeny | 11 | 104 | 10th |
| West Des Moines | 10 | 102 | 7th |
| Coralville | 8 | 103 | 9th |
| Iowa City | 7 | — | — |
| Mason City | 7 | — | — |
| Burlington | 7 | — | — |
| Bettendorf | 6 | — | — |
| Clinton | 6 | 106 | 12th |
| Ames | 6 | 101 | 5th |
| Fort Dodge | 6 | — | — |
| Altoona | 5 | — | — |
| Keokuk | 5 | — | — |
| Ottumwa | 5 | — | — |
Questions people ask
- Is fast food expensive in Iowa?
- Iowa ranks 31st cheapest of 51 states for fast food on the Drive Thru Index (score 102, 2% above the national typical price).
- How much is a McDonald's Big Mac in Iowa?
- As of 2026-09-30, a Big Mac costs $4.79 to $6.99 at 148 McDonald's restaurants in Iowa, typically $5.79.
- Where is the cheapest McDonald's in Iowa?
- The cheapest McDonald's in Iowa is at 1705 W Burlington Ave, Fairfield, comparing the same basket at 148 restaurants (Drive Thru Index, 2026-09-30).
- How much is a Burger King Whopper in Iowa?
- As of 2026-09-30, a Whopper costs $3.99 to $6.69 at 62 Burger King restaurants in Iowa, typically $6.39.
- Where is the cheapest Burger King in Iowa?
- The cheapest Burger King in Iowa is at 1724 Hamilton Blvd, Sioux City, comparing the same basket at 62 restaurants (Drive Thru Index, 2026-09-30).
- How much is a Wendy's Dave's Single in Iowa?
- As of 2026-09-30, a Dave's Single costs $5.59 to $6.99 at 38 Wendy's restaurants in Iowa, typically $6.29.
- Where is the cheapest Wendy's in Iowa?
- The cheapest Wendy's in Iowa is at 1017 S. Federal, Mason City, comparing the same basket at 38 restaurants (Drive Thru Index, 2026-09-30).
- How much is a Taco Bell Crunchwrap Supreme in Iowa?
- As of 2026-09-30, a Crunchwrap Supreme costs $5.99 to $7.79 at 49 Taco Bell restaurants in Iowa, typically $6.69.
- Where is the cheapest Taco Bell in Iowa?
- The cheapest Taco Bell in Iowa is at 3150 Dial Drive, Council Bluffs, comparing the same basket at 49 restaurants (Drive Thru Index, 2026-09-30).
- How much is a KFC Chicken Sandwich in Iowa?
- As of 2026-09-30, a Chicken Sandwich costs $4.99 to $7.29 at 31 KFC restaurants in Iowa, typically $5.39.
- Where is the cheapest KFC in Iowa?
- The cheapest KFC in Iowa is at 921 South Grand Avenue, Spencer, comparing the same basket at 31 restaurants (Drive Thru Index, 2026-09-30).
- How much is a Popeyes Classic Chicken Sandwich in Iowa?
- As of 2026-09-30, a Classic Chicken Sandwich costs $5.49 to $5.79 at 5 Popeyes restaurants in Iowa, typically $5.79.
- Where is the cheapest Popeyes in Iowa?
- The cheapest Popeyes in Iowa is at 3906 N. Marquette Street, Davenport, comparing the same basket at 4 restaurants (Drive Thru Index, 2026-09-30).
- How much is a Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich in Iowa?
- As of 2026-09-30, a Chicken Sandwich costs $4.99 to $5.59 at 22 Chick-fil-A restaurants in Iowa, typically $5.25.
- Where is the cheapest Chick-fil-A in Iowa?
- The cheapest Chick-fil-A in Iowa is at 3500 Dodge St, Dubuque, comparing the same basket at 22 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/iowa), prices checked 2026-09-30. You are welcome to quote any figure on this page.