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The Calories / Dollar field guide

Fast food has a story. The receipt has another.

Visual, source-aware reporting on menu prices, nutrition, restaurant strategy, and the geography of value. Every post should leave you with one number worth remembering and one better question to ask.

5
deep dives
Store-level
price context
2 scores
calories + protein

New this week

The lead story

Editorial illustration of a submarine sandwich, a United States map dotted with location pins, and a rising chart.
News + DataJuly 27, 2026 · 9 min read

Jersey Mike’s Is Pitching a Nearly $1.1 Billion IPO. What Does the Sandwich Math Say?

Wall Street sees 3,300-plus stores and a billion-dollar offering. Diners see a sub that can cost anywhere from $5.45 to $24.19. Here is what connects those two stories.

Read the story

The archive

Pick your next rabbit hole

Burger hype, city price gaps, chicken-sandwich tradeoffs, and the menu categories that quietly erase value.

113.5

Big Arch calories per dollar

TrendMarch 2026 · 6 min read

Fast Food CEOs Are Reviewing Their Own Burgers. Is the Big Arch Actually Worth $8.99?

McDonald's CEO tried the Big Arch. Burger King and Wendy's answered. We break down the source videos and the actual calories-per-dollar math behind the burgers going viral.

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$2.79

the winning NYC burger

City GuideMarch 2026 · 7 min read

Best Value Burger in New York: We Ranked Every Fast Food Sandwich by Calories Per Dollar

We analyzed pricing captured across hundreds of NYC-area locations and ranked burgers and sandwiches by calories per dollar. The winner was observed at $2.79.

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33×

gap between best and worst value

AnalysisMarch 2026 · 8 min read

Items to Avoid if You Want Your Money's Worth at Fast Food

Drinks, combo meals, and 'healthy' upgrades are quietly destroying your food budget. We analyzed every item across six major chains and found the worst offenders — and what to order instead.

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200 vs 140

calories per dollar

ComparisonFebruary 2026 · 8 min read

Popeyes vs McDonald's: Which Chicken Sandwich Is Worth Your Money?

We ran the numbers on calories per dollar, protein per dollar, and what it costs to eat 2,000 calories a day from each chain. The results might surprise you.

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Read the numbers honestly

Price is local. Unknown is not zero. Freshness matters.

Our reporting distinguishes a captured menu observation from a current quote, and calories per dollar from nutritional quality. Check the status page before treating any menu price as today's price.

Data statusSee freshness and coverage by restaurant.Test a claimSort and filter the available menu snapshot.

Internal Links

Move From Story to Tool

Take an idea from the archive into the menu table, map view, explorer, or comparison tool.