A&W VS McDonald’s: Which One Is Cheaper & Better For You?

In this comparison, I will be analyzing the differences between McDonald’s and A&W. More specifically, I will be taking a look at price, locations, type of food, quality, and customer satisfaction metrics to show you which one of these places is better for you.

StoreLow RangeHigh RangeLocationsTypes Of FoodBBB Accreditation RatingCustomer Review Rating
A&W$1.29$6.99900root beer, burgers, chicken, and sidesNR0.00
McDonald’s$0.89$8.9940,031burgers, sandwiches, salad, sides, and dessertA+1.07

A&W VS McDonald’s: Which One Is Cheaper?

Based on price range, McDonald’s offers lower prices when compared to the lowest prices at A&W. More specifically, the lowest prices at McDonald’s are about 44.94% cheaper than the cheapest items at A&W. This means that if you are a price conscious shopper, McDonald’s will have items that fit your price range.


When taking a look at the highest price points for each store, it appears that McDonald’s has the highest priced items when compared to A&W. More specifically, McDonald’s highest priced items are about 28.61% more expensive. So, if you are in search of what store sells the more expensive items, then McDonald’s is your answer.

A&W VS McDonald’s: Which Has More Locations?

One of the biggest factors to consider when looking where to eat is availability of the restaurant and its proximity to you. The restaurant with more locations has a higher probability of being closer to you than one that has fewer. In this case, McDonald’s has 39,131 more locations than A&W, so you’re more likely to find a McDonald’s near you.

A&W VS McDonald’s: Which One Has A Higher Quality Rating?

The BBB Accreditation Rating scores the overall quality of a business or brand based on a number of factors. The score essentially determines the BBB’s opinion on how likely the company is to interact with its consumers (in regards to formal complaints, etc.). Generally, the business with the higher accreditation score has better quality. According to this score, McDonald’s seems to have a higher quality at 100.00% which is a A+ on the BBB website, compared to A&W which has a score of 0.00%, which is a NR on the BBB website. In short, you will likely get better overall quality from McDonald’s.

A&W VS McDonald’s: Which One Has Better Customer Service?

In terms of what customers think of these stores, I gathered the overall customer satisfaction rating from the BBB’s website. Their customer satisfaction rating is a partial reflection of how effective the customer service aspect of the store is. It appears that McDonald’s has a higher overall score at 1.07. This means that McDonald’s likely has better customer service compared to A&W.

In Conclusion: A&W VS McDonald’s

So, depending on what you prefer; whether that is price, quality, or customer service, one of these stores may be better for you than the other. Both McDonald’s and A&W are quite reputable in their own regard. Make sure to keep that in mind when making your decision as well.