What 2025’s Biggest Restaurant Traffic Spikes Reveal About LTO Effectiveness

2 Min Read By MRM Staff

LTO success this year will hinge on brands being nimble and taking cues from last year's top-performing campaigns, according to a Placer.ai report. The data revealed that standout promotions such as freebies for value seekers, McDonald’s Grinch Meal, and Starbucks’ Bearista led to the biggest traffic spikes of the year. 

“We have known for several years that pop-culture tie-ins can lead to a meaningful uptick in QSR visits, yet their consistent success year after year never ceases to amaze us,” said R.J. Hottovy, Head of Analytical Research at Placer.ai. “Interestingly, we are seeing a shift where brands integrate pop-culture influences directly into the products themselves, rather than relying solely on merchandise giveaways. We expect to see more creativity on this front in 2026, which should help drive continued visit growth.”

Among the report highlights: 

The strongest-performing offers were easy to understand and clearly differentiated from everyday value…