Do Super Bowl Ads Drive Restaurant Visits? What Azira’s QSR Data Reveals

Learn more from Azira’s analysis in the PPC Land article here. 

With 30-second Super Bowl ad spots priced at $7M in 2025 (and rising to $8M in 2026), QSR brands like Dunkin’, Little Caesars, and Taco Bell made major investments to reach one of the largest TV audiences of the year. That level of spend raises a critical question: do Super Bowl ads actually drive diners into restaurants? 

To answer it, Azira analyzed nationwide foot traffic patterns for these three major QSR brands, comparing in-store visitation before and after the game to measure real-world impact.

Azira’s Analysis 

Using Azira’s U.S. foot traffic data, we analyzed QSR visitation in the week following Super Bowl 2025 compared to the week prior. The analysis revealed a clear, category-wide lift, with Super Bowl advertisers driving a 31% average increase in restaurant visits. The impact peaked several days after the game—Thursday, February 13, when visitation surged 48%—indicating that the effect extended well beyond game day. 

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Regional fan dynamics also influenced performance: QSR locations in Chiefs Country (Kansas and Missouri) saw a 36% lift, compared to a 28% increase in Birdland (New Jersey and Pennsylvania), highlighting how team affinity and geography can have an impact on post–Super Bowl foot traffic. 

While Super Bowl ads can generate short-term visitation lift, the strongest results come from restaurants that use continuous data insights and cross-channel measurement and attribution to turn peak moments into sustained, revenue-driving performance.

So what will Super Bowl 2026 reveal for restaurant brands? The next wave of data will tell the story.

Learn more ways restaurants are putting location insights into action or contact us today.