Main Street Menu Index · October 2026 edition ·
What a burger, a pizza slice and pad thai cost in 23 US cities
The Main Street Menu Index reads the menus independent restaurants post on their own websites and takes the median price of the same simple dish in each city: a plain burger, a cheese slice, a large cheese pizza and pad thai. No chains, no delivery-app markups, and no city shown unless at least 15 menus list the dish. The median is the typical price: half of the menus charge less, half charge more.
Key findings, October 2026
Pad Thai
$15.59
Median regular pad thai across 777 menus in the 20 cities we publish. Middle half $13.95–$17.00.
City medians run from $13.00 in Houston (23 menus) to $17.95 in San Francisco (49 menus).
Dish: a regular pad thai, not a shrimp, seafood or combination version.
Burger
$8.99
Median plain burger across 301 menus in the 10 cities we publish. Middle half $6.96–$12.45.
City medians run from $6.59 in Riverside (17 menus) to $11.25 in San Francisco (21 menus).
Dish: a plain hamburger or cheeseburger, the lowest-priced one on each menu. Indexes that count specialty and premium burgers report higher medians.
Cheese slice
$3.50
Median plain cheese slice across 927 menus in the 13 cities we publish (543 of them in New York). Middle half $3.00–$4.00.
City medians run from $3.12 in Philadelphia (97 menus) to $5.00 in San Francisco (22 menus).
How much is a slice of pizza? All cities →
Dish: a plain cheese slice.
Large cheese pizza
$16.97
Median large cheese pizza across 90 menus in the 3 cities we publish. Middle half $15.37–$18.81.
Only 3 cities have enough menus so far. City medians run from $15.99 in Boston (29 menus) to $17.95 in New York (43 menus).
Dish: a plain large (or 16–18 inch) cheese pizza.
“Cities we publish” means only cities with at least 15 menus for that dish; it is not a national average, and cities with more menus weigh more.
Median price by city
Tap a column to sort. Small print = the middle half of menus and how many menus we found. “—” = fewer than 15 menus, too few for a fair median. Swipe the table sideways for more dishes.
| Atlanta | $14.45 middle half $12.00–$16.00 · 22 menus | — fewer than 15 menus | — fewer than 15 menus | — fewer than 15 menus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin | $14.75 middle half $13.75–$15.00 · 19 menus | — fewer than 15 menus | — fewer than 15 menus | — fewer than 15 menus |
| Baltimore | — fewer than 15 menus | — fewer than 15 menus | $3.65 middle half $2.99–$4.43 · 20 menus | — fewer than 15 menus |
| Boston | $14.00 middle half $13.06–$15.99 · 28 menus | — fewer than 15 menus | $3.60 middle half $2.99–$4.25 · 51 menus | $15.99 middle half $14.49–$18.12 · 29 menus |
| Chicago | $14.25 middle half $12.95–$15.95 · 38 menus | $8.76 middle half $7.99–$12.00 · 27 menus | $4.75 middle half $3.74–$6.04 · 26 menus | — fewer than 15 menus |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | $13.99 middle half $12.95–$15.50 · 71 menus | $9.18 middle half $7.86–$13.14 · 42 menus | $3.62 middle half $3.00–$4.00 · 38 menus | — fewer than 15 menus |
| Denver | $15.50 middle half $14.47–$16.99 · 33 menus | — fewer than 15 menus | — fewer than 15 menus | — fewer than 15 menus |
| Houston | $13.00 middle half $11.55–$15.00 · 23 menus | $8.75 middle half $7.84–$10.89 · 21 menus | — fewer than 15 menus | — fewer than 15 menus |
| Las Vegas area | $15.95 middle half $14.95–$16.00 · 19 menus | — fewer than 15 menus | — fewer than 15 menus | — fewer than 15 menus |
| Los Angeles | $15.95 middle half $14.12–$17.74 · 104 menus | $6.95 middle half $5.50–$9.49 · 55 menus | $4.50 middle half $3.99–$5.00 · 43 menus | — fewer than 15 menus |
| Miami | $17.55 middle half $14.95–$19.00 · 19 menus | — fewer than 15 menus | $3.99 middle half $3.69–$6.12 · 22 menus | — fewer than 15 menus |
| Minneapolis | $13.99 middle half $12.99–$15.00 · 39 menus | $10.50 middle half $7.50–$12.25 · 21 menus | — fewer than 15 menus | — fewer than 15 menus |
| New York | $16.95 middle half $14.00–$19.00 · 83 menus | $10.49 middle half $6.99–$16.73 · 57 menus | $3.50 middle half $3.00–$4.00 · 543 menus | $17.95 middle half $16.00–$20.00 · 43 menus |
| Orlando | — fewer than 15 menus | — fewer than 15 menus | $3.50 middle half $2.95–$4.79 · 15 menus | — fewer than 15 menus |
| Philadelphia | $16.62 middle half $14.40–$17.99 · 16 menus | $9.25 middle half $7.37–$12.49 · 21 menus | $3.12 middle half $2.95–$3.62 · 97 menus | $16.24 middle half $15.99–$16.99 · 18 menus |
| Phoenix | $15.00 middle half $13.75–$16.00 · 27 menus | — fewer than 15 menus | $3.99 middle half $3.25–$4.00 · 17 menus | — fewer than 15 menus |
| Portland | $16.00 middle half $14.70–$16.99 · 30 menus | — fewer than 15 menus | — fewer than 15 menus | — fewer than 15 menus |
| Riverside | $15.95 middle half $14.95–$16.95 · 21 menus | $6.59 middle half $4.69–$11.22 · 17 menus | — fewer than 15 menus | — fewer than 15 menus |
| San Diego | $15.77 middle half $13.95–$17.00 · 20 menus | — fewer than 15 menus | — fewer than 15 menus | — fewer than 15 menus |
| San Francisco | $17.95 middle half $15.00–$19.00 · 49 menus | $11.25 middle half $8.99–$11.99 · 21 menus | $5.00 middle half $4.52–$5.99 · 22 menus | — fewer than 15 menus |
| Seattle | $16.95 middle half $15.95–$17.95 · 55 menus | $10.50 middle half $6.99–$14.50 · 19 menus | — fewer than 15 menus | — fewer than 15 menus |
| Tampa | — fewer than 15 menus | — fewer than 15 menus | $3.79 middle half $3.27–$4.00 · 18 menus | — fewer than 15 menus |
| Washington | $15.95 middle half $14.95–$17.95 · 61 menus | — fewer than 15 menus | $4.00 middle half $3.50–$6.99 · 15 menus | — fewer than 15 menus |
Journalist wanting to quote? Free to use (CC BY 4.0) with a link in your story. Credit it as Main Street Menu Index, MyIntelBrief, October 2026 edition (prices through October 24, 2026) and link to https://myintelbrief.com/menu-index.
Download the data (CSV) · questions about the data: info@myintelbrief.com
Pad thai price by city
- In Los Angeles, the median regular pad thai on independent restaurants’ own menus is $15.95; the middle half of 104 menus charge $14.12–$17.74 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
- In New York, the median regular pad thai on independent restaurants’ own menus is $16.95; the middle half of 83 menus charge $14.00–$19.00 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
- In Dallas-Fort Worth, the median regular pad thai on independent restaurants’ own menus is $13.99; the middle half of 71 menus charge $12.95–$15.50 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
- In Washington, the median regular pad thai on independent restaurants’ own menus is $15.95; the middle half of 61 menus charge $14.95–$17.95 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
- In Seattle, the median regular pad thai on independent restaurants’ own menus is $16.95; the middle half of 55 menus charge $15.95–$17.95 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
- In San Francisco, the median regular pad thai on independent restaurants’ own menus is $17.95; the middle half of 49 menus charge $15.00–$19.00 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
- In Minneapolis, the median regular pad thai on independent restaurants’ own menus is $13.99; the middle half of 39 menus charge $12.99–$15.00 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
- In Chicago, the median regular pad thai on independent restaurants’ own menus is $14.25; the middle half of 38 menus charge $12.95–$15.95 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
- In Denver, the median regular pad thai on independent restaurants’ own menus is $15.50; the middle half of 33 menus charge $14.47–$16.99 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
- In Portland, the median regular pad thai on independent restaurants’ own menus is $16.00; the middle half of 30 menus charge $14.70–$16.99 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
- In Boston, the median regular pad thai on independent restaurants’ own menus is $14.00; the middle half of 28 menus charge $13.06–$15.99 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
- In Phoenix, the median regular pad thai on independent restaurants’ own menus is $15.00; the middle half of 27 menus charge $13.75–$16.00 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
- In Houston, the median regular pad thai on independent restaurants’ own menus is $13.00; the middle half of 23 menus charge $11.55–$15.00 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
- In Atlanta, the median regular pad thai on independent restaurants’ own menus is $14.45; the middle half of 22 menus charge $12.00–$16.00 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
- In Riverside, the median regular pad thai on independent restaurants’ own menus is $15.95; the middle half of 21 menus charge $14.95–$16.95 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
- In San Diego, the median regular pad thai on independent restaurants’ own menus is $15.77; the middle half of 20 menus charge $13.95–$17.00 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
- In Austin, the median regular pad thai on independent restaurants’ own menus is $14.75; the middle half of 19 menus charge $13.75–$15.00 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
- In Las Vegas area, the median regular pad thai on independent restaurants’ own menus is $15.95; the middle half of 19 menus charge $14.95–$16.00 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
- In Miami, the median regular pad thai on independent restaurants’ own menus is $17.55; the middle half of 19 menus charge $14.95–$19.00 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
- In Philadelphia, the median regular pad thai on independent restaurants’ own menus is $16.62; the middle half of 16 menus charge $14.40–$17.99 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
How much does a burger cost?
- In New York, the median plain burger on independent restaurants’ own menus is $10.49; the middle half of 57 menus charge $6.99–$16.73 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
- In Los Angeles, the median plain burger on independent restaurants’ own menus is $6.95; the middle half of 55 menus charge $5.50–$9.49 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
- In Dallas-Fort Worth, the median plain burger on independent restaurants’ own menus is $9.18; the middle half of 42 menus charge $7.86–$13.14 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
- In Chicago, the median plain burger on independent restaurants’ own menus is $8.76; the middle half of 27 menus charge $7.99–$12.00 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
- In Houston, the median plain burger on independent restaurants’ own menus is $8.75; the middle half of 21 menus charge $7.84–$10.89 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
- In Minneapolis, the median plain burger on independent restaurants’ own menus is $10.50; the middle half of 21 menus charge $7.50–$12.25 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
- In Philadelphia, the median plain burger on independent restaurants’ own menus is $9.25; the middle half of 21 menus charge $7.37–$12.49 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
- In San Francisco, the median plain burger on independent restaurants’ own menus is $11.25; the middle half of 21 menus charge $8.99–$11.99 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
- In Seattle, the median plain burger on independent restaurants’ own menus is $10.50; the middle half of 19 menus charge $6.99–$14.50 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
- In Riverside, the median plain burger on independent restaurants’ own menus is $6.59; the middle half of 17 menus charge $4.69–$11.22 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
How much is a slice of pizza?
See the full cheese slice price page, with every city ranked →
- In New York, the median plain cheese slice on independent restaurants’ own menus is $3.50; the middle half of 543 menus charge $3.00–$4.00 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
- In Philadelphia, the median plain cheese slice on independent restaurants’ own menus is $3.12; the middle half of 97 menus charge $2.95–$3.62 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
- In Boston, the median plain cheese slice on independent restaurants’ own menus is $3.60; the middle half of 51 menus charge $2.99–$4.25 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
- In Los Angeles, the median plain cheese slice on independent restaurants’ own menus is $4.50; the middle half of 43 menus charge $3.99–$5.00 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
- In Dallas-Fort Worth, the median plain cheese slice on independent restaurants’ own menus is $3.62; the middle half of 38 menus charge $3.00–$4.00 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
- In Chicago, the median plain cheese slice on independent restaurants’ own menus is $4.75; the middle half of 26 menus charge $3.74–$6.04 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
- In Miami, the median plain cheese slice on independent restaurants’ own menus is $3.99; the middle half of 22 menus charge $3.69–$6.12 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
- In San Francisco, the median plain cheese slice on independent restaurants’ own menus is $5.00; the middle half of 22 menus charge $4.52–$5.99 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
- In Baltimore, the median plain cheese slice on independent restaurants’ own menus is $3.65; the middle half of 20 menus charge $2.99–$4.43 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
- In Tampa, the median plain cheese slice on independent restaurants’ own menus is $3.79; the middle half of 18 menus charge $3.27–$4.00 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
- In Phoenix, the median plain cheese slice on independent restaurants’ own menus is $3.99; the middle half of 17 menus charge $3.25–$4.00 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
- In Orlando, the median plain cheese slice on independent restaurants’ own menus is $3.50; the middle half of 15 menus charge $2.95–$4.79 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
- In Washington, the median plain cheese slice on independent restaurants’ own menus is $4.00; the middle half of 15 menus charge $3.50–$6.99 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
How much is a large cheese pizza?
- In New York, the median large cheese pizza on independent restaurants’ own menus is $17.95; the middle half of 43 menus charge $16.00–$20.00 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
- In Boston, the median large cheese pizza on independent restaurants’ own menus is $15.99; the middle half of 29 menus charge $14.49–$18.12 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
- In Philadelphia, the median large cheese pizza on independent restaurants’ own menus is $16.24; the middle half of 18 menus charge $15.99–$16.99 (Main Street Menu Index, October 2026).
Pricing your own menu?
The menu price calculator works out a dish’s price from what it costs you to make, then shows where that price sits against your city’s median. A city median tells you what customers are used to seeing, not what your dish costs you or what your portion and quality are worth, so start from your own cost.
Own a restaurant? See the competitors on your street, not just your city — free
Type your restaurant’s name and pick it from the dropdown. In about 2 minutes you’ll see the competitors actually operating around you, in a one-time snapshot of today’s public data.
How the index is built
- Independent restaurants only. We look up burger, pizza and Thai restaurants on Google Maps around each city and leave out chains, which price nationally. Diners, pubs and other places that also sell these dishes are not counted.
- How far out. Each city is a circle 25 to 50 km (about 15 to 30 miles) in radius around downtown, sized to its urban core. “Las Vegas area” is a 30 km circle centered near the Strip.
- Their own posted menus. Menus restaurants publish on their own websites, including PDF menus. Delivery-app prices are not used. Sites that block automated visitors are skipped, never worked around.
- One clearly defined dish each. Burger = the lowest-priced plain hamburger or cheeseburger on each menu, not a specialty burger. Cheese slice = a plain slice. Large cheese pizza = a plain large (or 16–18 inch) cheese pie. Pad thai = a regular pad thai, not a shrimp, seafood or combination version. Each is matched by fixed rules, not guessed by AI.
- Price limits. To keep add-ons and misreads out, prices outside a set range are dropped: a slice under $1.50 or over $10, a burger under $4 or over $30, pad thai under $5 or over $40, a large pizza under $8 or over $45. That also leaves out true dollar-slice shops, so the lowest slice prices are under-counted.
- One menu, one price. Two locations sharing one website count as one menu.
- Median and middle half. The median is the middle price. The small range is where the central 50% of menus fall. A city is shown for a dish only with at least 15 menus.
- This edition. We checked 33 US metro areas; 23 have at least one dish with 15 or more menus. Not enough menus yet: Detroit, St. Louis, Charlotte, San Antonio, Sacramento, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Kansas City, Omaha, Fort Walton Beach-Pensacola. Menus were read between 2026-10-23 and 2026-10-24.
- City level only. We never show or name a single restaurant.
- Limits. Posted menus can lag what a restaurant charges at the counter, and restaurants that don’t post prices online aren’t counted.
Pricing is one lever. If the real worry is a quiet dining room, start with what to check when business is slow, and see how we track competitor price changes week to week.