QSR CTV Ad Impressions Up 11%; McDonald's, Chick-fil-A Lead Surge
Quick service restaurant (QSR) Connected TV (CTV) ad impressions increased 11% between Q1 2025 and Q1 2026, with McDonald's and Chick-fil-A leading in impressions. This growth reflects QSR brands' strategic shift of advertising spend to capitalize on increasing streaming viewership. AdImpressions reported that CTV QSR ad impressions were dominated by national chains.
Key Takeaways
- QSR CTV ad impressions grew 11% year-over-year from Q1 2025 to Q1 2026, while broadcast advertising remained flat.
- McDonald's (3.1 billion) and Chick-fil-A (2.7 billion) had the highest CTV ad impressions among QSR national chains.
- Chicken QSR brands showed the most significant growth, with CTV impressions increasing 310% to 4.1 billion in Q1 2026.
- Regional chains like Zaxby's (607 million) also demonstrated strong CTV ad presence.
Why It Matters
The 11% increase in QSR CTV ad impressions signals a clear reallocation of advertising budgets towards streaming platforms. This shift indicates that major advertisers are following audience eyeballs, prioritizing reaching consumers on their preferred viewing mediums. For ad tech providers and streaming platforms, this trend validates CTV's growing importance as a primary channel for brand engagement, particularly for high-frequency categories like QSR. Companies should watch how smaller QSR brands and other local advertisers adapt their CTV strategies to compete with national leaders and how measurement evolves to capture these fragmented audiences.
Read full article at mediapost.com