Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers and Culver’s are the two most-loved regional burger chains in America, and they solve the same problem — a thin, crispy-edged smashed patty with frozen custard after — in opposite ways. Freddy’s is a Kansas-born steakburger shop built on speed, shoestring fries and concrete mixers. Culver’s is a Wisconsin-born ButterBurger shop built on fresh beef, buttered buns and a menu so wide it includes pot roast and North Atlantic cod. Both are expanding fast. Here is every round with real figures — and our Freddy’s menu guide published the same morning as this post.
One warning before the numbers: both chains set prices by market and neither publishes a national price list. Freddy’s figures below are November 2026 figures from its menu guides, checked against a second tracker, and the one calorie conflict we found is stated in the text. Culver’s figures are the typical prices sampled from Culver’s own online ordering across US stores in October 2026, with calories from Culver’s published nutrition. Your store’s number is the only one that counts.
Freddy’s vs Culver’s: The Price Gap in One Table
| Item | Freddy’s | Culver’s |
|---|---|---|
| Signature burger | Original Double — $7.49 | Original ButterBurger — $6.39 |
| Bacon burger | Bacon & Cheese Double — $8.49 | Bacon Deluxe — $8.79–$9.49 |
| Grilled chicken | Grilled Chicken Club — $9.80–$12.85 | Grilled Chicken Sandwich — $8.79 |
| Crispy chicken | Crispy Chicken Club — $9.80–$12.85 | Crispy Chicken Sandwich — $8.49 |
| Fries (regular) | Shoestring Fries — $3.49 | Crinkle-Cut Fries — $3.49 |
| Cheese curds (regular) | $5.99 | $5.69 |
| Signature dessert | Concrete (regular) — $6.49 | Single Scoop — $3.99 |
| Rewards | Freddy’s Rewards — 10 points per $1 | Delicious Rewards — 10 points per $1 |
The Signature Round: Original Double vs Original ButterBurger
Freddy’s Original Double — two thin steakburgers smashed and cooked-to-order, with mustard, onion and pickle — is $7.49 at 730 calories in the chain’s own nutrition data (trackers list 670–790, so the range is the honest one). Culver’s Original ButterBurger — fresh, never-frozen beef on a toasted, buttered bun — is $6.39 at 390 calories. The ButterBurger is the cheaper sandwich and the lighter one, and it is also the more flexible base: add cheese for $6.79 at 460 calories, go Deluxe for $7.49 at 580, or take the Wisconsin Swiss Melt for $7.49 at 650. Freddy’s answers with variety of its own: the California Style Double at $7.99 and 770 calories, the Jalapeño Pepper Jack Double at 790 calories with no verifiable current price, and the Patty Melt at $6–$9 and 760 calories. The Bacon & Cheese Double, at $8.49 and 790 calories in the chain’s data, is the one figure trackers fight over hardest — 750 to 850 across captures. The difference is philosophy: Culver’s builds one great burger and varies it; Freddy’s builds a whole shelf of doubles.
The Bacon Round
Freddy’s Bacon & Cheese Double is $8.49 at 790 calories in the chain’s own nutrition data — trackers list 750 to 850, so the range is the honest one. Culver’s Bacon Deluxe is $8.79–$9.49 at 700–830 calories, with the price and the calories both varying by store (the two trackers disagree on both, so the ranges are shown). The two bacon burgers sit in the same calorie band; Freddy’s is the cheaper one by thirty cents to a dollar. If bacon is the point, Freddy’s wins on value.
The Chicken Round
Culver’s wins the chicken round on price. Freddy’s chicken sandwiches are clubs — the Grilled Chicken Club at $9.80–$12.85 and 530 calories, the Crispy Chicken Club at $9.80–$12.85 and 720 — and its Spicy Chicken Sandwich runs $9.15–$11.35 at 380–570 calories, with the price varying more by store here than anywhere else on the menu. Culver’s Grilled Chicken Sandwich is $8.79 at 390 calories with 41 grams of protein, and its Crispy Chicken Sandwich is $8.49 at 690. Culver’s grilled chicken is the best macro option on either board — 390 calories and 41 grams of protein — and the cheaper sandwich by a dollar or more. The full calorie tables are in our Culver’s nutrition guide. Culver’s also has the deeper chicken shelf: Spicy Crispy Chicken at $8.79 and 720 calories, Chicken Tenders at $6.49 for three pieces at 390 calories, and the Buffalo Chicken at $8.49. Freddy’s tenders run $7.70–$10.40 for three pieces at 420 calories and $9.45–$12.40 for five at 690 — the pricier tender, and the one whose price varies most by store.
The Sides: Shoestring vs Crinkle-Cut, and the Curd Question
Both chains stake their identity on a side. Freddy’s shoestring fries are thin, crispy and dusted with fry seasoning — $3.49 at 400–520 calories — and the chain’s own fans call the seasoning addictive. Culver’s crinkle-cut fries are the thicker, fluffier counterpart, and its Cheese Curds are the more famous side on either board — a large serving runs 730 calories, and the curds are the one item reviewers on both sides fight about. Freddy’s sells its own cheese curds for $5.99 (520 calories for a regular, 1,110 for a large), and its onion rings for $4.99 (380–600 calories, the one side where the chain’s data and trackers disagree badly). Culver’s sides run wider: onion rings, coleslaw, mashed potatoes with gravy, green beans, soup, and the family fries at 900 calories. If you want the classic fry-and-curds pairing, either chain delivers; if you want a side that is not fried, Culver’s is the only one of the two that has one.
Custard: Concrete Against Scoop
This is Freddy’s home turf. Its custard is churned fresh throughout the day and served as a concrete — vanilla or chocolate custard blended with mix-ins — at $6.49 for a regular, with the Signature Turtle spanning 730 to 1,140 calories across sizes and the Create Your Own at $5.99 (330–600 calories) the cheapest way into a concrete. A classic custard shake is $5.49 at 560 calories — though the Regular Signature Turtle Shake is 1,310 calories, more than most of the burgers on the menu — and a plain dish with no toppings is $4.49 at 330 calories. Culver’s custard is no afterthought — a single scoop is $3.99 at 310 calories, a double $4.99 at 620, and a Mini Concrete Mixer is $3.99 at 340–380 calories — but the menu is narrower, and the flavors rotate on a daily Flavor of the Day calendar rather than a permanent concrete list. Freddy’s concrete is the richer, bigger dessert and the one reviewers name by name; Culver’s scoop is the lighter, cheaper one. On a hot day, Freddy’s. On a light day, Culver’s.
Value: The $3.49 Shelf Against the Free Scoop
Freddy’s big value play of November 2026 is its Everyday Value Menu, launched November 5: a Steakburger Taco from $3.49, two-piece Chicken Tenders from $3.49, a Hot Dog from $3.49 (Chili Cheese Dog $1.50 extra) and a Chocolate Chip Custard Cookie for $2.99. It is a test menu — Arizona, Colorado, Kentucky, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada and Texas only — limited time with no end date, and no calories published, so it is not a national deal yet. Culver’s value play is quieter and nationwide: a free single scoop of custard on your birthday, valid the whole month, plus a half-birthday scoop, and a 25% discount on your first order when you join Delicious Rewards. Freddy’s has the sharper price if you live in a test market; Culver’s has the steadier perk everywhere. The current deals at each chain are in our Culver’s coupons guide.
The Seasonal Shelf: Hershey vs Flavor of the Day
Freddy’s November 2026 headline is its Hershey’s collaboration, running November 4, 2026 to January 5, 2027: the French Onion Steakburger returns, alongside a Peanut Butter Blossom Cookie Concrete, a HEATH Caramel Cheesecake Concrete and a HERSHEY’S Snowfall Sundae, plus a buy-two-get-two-free Hershey movie ticket offer. No prices or calories have been published for the four items, so they are listed here without figures — the full Hershey’s lineup is in our Freddy’s secret menu guide. Culver’s seasonal answer is structural rather than a single event: a Flavor of the Day calendar that rotates custard flavors daily, and its November Flavor of the Day list is the reason regulars keep coming back. Freddy’s wins the headline; Culver’s wins the reason to return tomorrow.
Rewards: Ten Points Against Ten Points
Both programs pay ten points per dollar, and that is where the similarity ends. Freddy’s Rewards redeems in small steps: 300 points for large fries or regular onion rings, 400 for a hot dog, 500 for a regular sundae, shake or malt, 600 for a regular concrete, 700 for an Original, California Style, Jalapeño Pepper Jack or Patty Melt Double, 800 for a Bacon & Cheese Double, and 1,000 points for a $10 reward. New members get a free Original Double or Specialty Concrete with a $5 purchase, the birthday surprise is valid 30 days, and points expire after one year. Culver’s Delicious Rewards, launched nationwide in November 2025, redeems in bigger chunks: 500 points for medium fries, salad, rings, drink or a single scoop; 750 for a ButterBurger, cheese curds or two scoops; 1,000 for a Concrete Mixer or tenders — and a 25% discount on your first order just for joining. Culver’s points expire after 365 days, and once a reward is active it must be used within 14 days or it reverts to points. Freddy’s is the faster program to a free item; Culver’s is the one with the better signup offer. One caveat: Freddy’s does not publish the redemption tiers on its public site — these are tracker-reported from the chain’s app, so confirm them in the app before you plan around them.
The Secret Menu Round: CurderBurger Against the Taco
Culver’s secret menu is the more codified of the two. The DIY CurderBurger — a Deluxe ButterBurger with a scoop of cheese curds inside, built at the table — runs about $12.58 at roughly 1,090 calories (component sum, estimate). The Culverized Poutine, fries topped with curds and gravy, is about $9.18 at roughly 820 calories, and Buffalo Cheese Curds are about $5.69 at roughly 490 calories. Freddy’s off-menu culture is thinner — its Everyday Value Steakburger Taco is now a public test item rather than a secret, and the builds regulars pass around are variations on the named doubles. The full Culver’s list, with the component math, is in our Culver’s secret menu guide. Culver’s wins this round on depth; Freddy’s never really tried to play it.
What Regulars Actually Say
Freddy’s Google ratings run from 4.3 out of 5 in Ocala, Florida (129 reviews) to 4.7 in Orlando, Florida (152 reviews) and McAllen, Texas (111 reviews). The praise is about the burgers and the custard together. “My daughter and I loved this place. She said loved her burger and said her frozen custard gets 1000 stars…lol. Her only complaint was that she got too many fries… I had the Original Double, fries and a chocolate shake. It was all sooo good!” Katie Hall wrote on Google in July 2026 about the Williamsburg, Virginia location. “Freddys is quickly becoming my favorite fast food place in Grove City. Every time I’ve come here the food has been made really well and the atmosphere was very welcoming. The original double cheeseburger with tater tots is always great,” Matt Leach wrote on Google in August 2026 about Grove City, Ohio. “Great burgers! I used to dive to Montana to get them now they are so much closer and just as good. My girlfriend loves the cheese curds and chili fries,” Shane Mc wrote on Google in July 2026 about Post Falls, Idaho. The complaint, when it comes, is the thinness of the patties — “the patties were thin like paper,” a Google reviewer in Winnipeg wrote — and the price: “Price was on higher side for 2 burger meals, 2 custard, 2 beef tacos. $54,” a reviewer in Williamsburg wrote.
Culver’s Google ratings run 4.5–4.6 across sampled locations — 4.6 out of 5 in Sierra Vista, Arizona (141 reviews), 4.5 in Rock Falls, Illinois (127) and 4.6 in Kissimmee, Florida (146) — with Yelp at 3.8–4.1. The praise is about consistency. “THAT burger was the BOMB! Perfectly done smash burger with cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, sweet red onion, and mayo. So tasty!” a Yelp reviewer in Birmingham, Alabama wrote about the Deluxe Value Basket. “I have never had a bad experience or meal here. The food is always hot and fresh,” a Yelp reviewer in Bloomington, Minnesota wrote. “The Deluxe is everything you would want,” a Google reviewer in Wesley Chapel, Florida wrote. The complaints are the curds — “only tried the cheese curds and boyyyyyy, were they salty!!!!” — and the price: “Food quality was much less than expected, especially for the price charged.” Both chains are rated higher than the average fast-food burger joint, and both have the same weak spot: the price of a full meal.
Freddy’s vs Culver’s FAQs
Is Freddy’s cheaper than Culver’s?
On the signature burger, no — the Original Double is $7.49 against the Original ButterBurger at $6.39. On chicken, no — Freddy’s chicken clubs run $9.80–$12.85 against Culver’s $8.79 and $8.49. On dessert, Culver’s single scoop ($3.99, 310 cal) undercuts Freddy’s regular concrete ($6.49). Freddy’s wins on the bacon burger ($8.49 against $8.79–$9.49) and on the test-market value menu.
Which has better frozen custard, Freddy’s or Culver’s?
Freddy’s, for range and richness: concretes in three sizes with mix-ins, churned fresh through the day. Culver’s, for lightness: a single scoop at 310 calories and a Mini Concrete at 340–380. Freddy’s concrete is the dessert to order; Culver’s scoop is the one to order twice.
Which rewards program is better?
Both pay 10 points per $1. Freddy’s redeems faster — a free large fries at 300 points, a free double at 700 — and new members get a free Original Double or Specialty Concrete with a $5 purchase. Culver’s gives 25% off your first order for joining, and a free scoop on your birthday and your half-birthday.
Does Freddy’s have a secret menu?
Not a codified one — its off-menu culture is variations on the named doubles, and its Everyday Value Steakburger Taco is a public test item. Culver’s has the more codified list, led by the DIY CurderBurger. See our Culver’s secret menu guide for the full list.
Conclusion
Freddy’s wins on custard and on the thin, crispy-edged steakburger; Culver’s wins on range and on the lighter options. Order Freddy’s when you want a concrete and a double with shoestring fries — the Original Double and the California Style Double are the ones to start with — and use the Everyday Value menu if you live in a test market. Order Culver’s when you want the best burger-to-calorie ratio, the grilled chicken, or a meal that is not fried. For the full boards behind every figure here, see our Culver’s menu guide and our Freddy’s menu guide, published the same morning as this post. For more burger boards, browse our Burgers category.
Prices checked November 2026. Freddy’s prices are typical November 2026 in-store figures from the chain’s menu guide, anchored on a November 7, 2026 tracker capture; the Original Double’s calories are the chain’s own figure, 730, with trackers listing 670–790. Culver’s prices are typical figures from Culver’s own online ordering (October 2026); calories are Culver’s published figures. The Everyday Value menu is a test market offer — Arizona, Colorado, Kentucky, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada and Texas only.
