diff --git a/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_esp_idf.cpp b/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_esp_idf.cpp
index 42fff8fd1b..18155726a4 100644
--- a/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_esp_idf.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_esp_idf.cpp
@@ -717,20 +717,23 @@ const char *get_disconnect_reason_str(uint8_t reason) {
 }
 
 bool WiFiComponent::wifi_loop_() {
-  // Fast path: skip dropped count check and pop loop when queue is empty
-  if (this->event_queue_.empty())
+  // Use pop() directly instead of empty() — pop() costs 1 memw (acquire on tail_),
+  // while empty() costs 2 memw (acquire on both head_ and tail_) on Xtensa.
+  IDFWiFiEvent *data = this->event_queue_.pop();
+  if (data == nullptr)
     return false;
 
+  do {
+    wifi_process_event_(data);
+    delete data;  // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-owning-memory)
+  } while ((data = this->event_queue_.pop()) != nullptr);
+
+  // Drops only occur when the queue is full, and only this loop drains it,
+  // so if pop() returned nullptr above we can skip this check.
   uint16_t dropped = this->event_queue_.get_and_reset_dropped_count();
   if (dropped > 0) {
     ESP_LOGW(TAG, "Dropped %u WiFi events due to buffer overflow", dropped);
   }
-
-  IDFWiFiEvent *data;
-  while ((data = this->event_queue_.pop()) != nullptr) {
-    wifi_process_event_(data);
-    delete data;  // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-owning-memory)
-  }
   return true;
 }
 // Events are processed from queue in main loop context, but listener notifications
diff --git a/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_libretiny.cpp b/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_libretiny.cpp
index 7ca3549cab..cdd11ceaef 100644
--- a/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_libretiny.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_libretiny.cpp
@@ -778,20 +778,24 @@ network::IPAddress WiFiComponent::wifi_subnet_mask_() { return {WiFi.subnetMask(
 network::IPAddress WiFiComponent::wifi_gateway_ip_() { return {WiFi.gatewayIP()}; }
 network::IPAddress WiFiComponent::wifi_dns_ip_(int num) { return {WiFi.dnsIP(num)}; }
 bool WiFiComponent::wifi_loop_() {
-  // Fast path: skip dropped count check and pop loop when queue is empty
-  if (this->event_queue_.empty())
+  // Use pop() directly instead of empty() — avoids redundant synchronization.
+  // LockFreeQueue: pop() costs 1 memw vs empty()'s 2 memw on Xtensa.
+  // FreeRTOSQueue: pop() is 1 critical section vs empty() + pop() = 2.
+  LTWiFiEvent *event = this->event_queue_.pop();
+  if (event == nullptr)
     return false;
 
+  do {
+    wifi_process_event_(event);
+    delete event;  // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-owning-memory)
+  } while ((event = this->event_queue_.pop()) != nullptr);
+
+  // Drops only occur when the queue is full, and only this loop drains it,
+  // so if pop() returned nullptr above we can skip this check.
   uint16_t dropped = this->event_queue_.get_and_reset_dropped_count();
   if (dropped > 0) {
     ESP_LOGW(TAG, "Dropped %" PRIu16 " WiFi events due to buffer overflow", dropped);
   }
-
-  LTWiFiEvent *event;
-  while ((event = this->event_queue_.pop()) != nullptr) {
-    wifi_process_event_(event);
-    delete event;  // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-owning-memory)
-  }
   return true;
 }