Baconator vs Dave's Double: Which Wendy's Burger Wins?
Both are Wendy's. Both use fresh, never-frozen beef. Both have two patties. But the Baconator and Dave's Double serve very different purposes — one is a bacon-first indulgence, the other is a classic double cheeseburger done right. The choice between them is less about which is better and more about what kind of burger mood you're in.
Nutrition Breakdown
Baconator
The Baconator launched in 2007 and immediately became Wendy's best-selling premium burger. The concept was deliberately simple: as much bacon as the burger could hold, no vegetables diluting the experience. Six strips of Applewood smoked bacon over two fresh beef patties and American cheese. No lettuce, no tomato, no mayo — just meat and cheese. It generated enough sales in its first year to make Wendy's reconsider how it thought about premium burgers entirely.
Dave's Double
Dave's Double is named after Wendy's founder Dave Thomas, who built the chain on the principle that fast food should use fresh, never-frozen beef. The double uses two quarter-pound fresh beef patties with the full classic build — American cheese, crisp lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion, ketchup and mayo. It's the Wendy's burger that Dave Thomas would have eaten: no gimmicks, just a properly made cheeseburger with genuinely good beef.
Price History
How the price of each item has changed since launch — US dollars.
Timeline
Did You Know?
The Verdict
On numbers, Dave's Double is the smarter order most of the time — lower calories, lower sodium, cheaper and stronger protein per dollar. But the Baconator isn't trying to be the smarter order. It's trying to be the most bacon in a burger you can eat at a fast food chain without embarrassing yourself. It succeeds at that completely. Both are built on fresh beef, both are genuinely good burgers, and both represent Wendy's commitment to quality over convenience. Which one you want depends entirely on whether you had bacon on the agenda when you walked through the door.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between the Baconator and Dave's Double?
Both use two fresh beef patties, but the Baconator adds six strips of Applewood smoked bacon and uses American cheese — no lettuce, tomato or other vegetables. Dave's Double has the full classic build: American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion, ketchup and mayo. The Baconator is a meat-and-cheese-only burger by design; Dave's Double is a complete classic cheeseburger.
Which has more protein — Baconator or Dave's Double?
The Baconator has slightly more protein: 57g versus Dave's Double's 50g. The difference comes from the six strips of bacon adding additional protein on top of the shared two-patty base. However, on protein per dollar, Dave's Double (7.4g/$1) beats the Baconator (6.6g/$1) because it costs $2 less.
Is the Baconator worth the extra money over Dave's Double?
It depends on how much you want bacon. The Baconator costs around $2 more than Dave's Double and delivers 6 strips of bacon, 7g more protein and 140 more calories. On pure protein value per dollar, Dave's Double is the better purchase. If six strips of Applewood smoked bacon is what you're there for, the Baconator justifies the premium.
Does Wendy's use fresh beef in both burgers?
Yes — Wendy's has used fresh, never-frozen beef in all its burgers since the chain was founded by Dave Thomas in 1969. This is one of Wendy's key differentiators from McDonald's and Burger King, both of which used frozen beef for their core products for decades (McDonald's switched its Quarter Pounder to fresh beef in 2018; Burger King has largely maintained frozen patties).
How many strips of bacon does the Baconator have?
The Baconator contains six strips of Applewood smoked bacon — the same as Burger King's Bacon King. The bacon is the defining feature of the burger; Wendy's markets it as 'two beef patties and six strips of bacon, full stop.' There are no vegetables, no lettuce, no tomato — just meat, cheese and bacon.
Which is better for a diet — Baconator or Dave's Double?
Dave's Double is the lighter option: 810 calories versus 950 for the Baconator, and 1,290mg sodium versus 1,870mg. If you're tracking calories, Dave's Double saves you 140 calories and a meaningful amount of sodium. That said, both are substantial burgers — neither is a diet food. The best strategy at Wendy's for lower calories is the Dave's Single, which comes in at around 590 calories.