Drive-Thru Moments Are Made for Audio Advertising
Quick-service restaurants do the majority of their business at the drive-thru window. Similarly, audio listeners do a significant chunk of their listening in the car. As a result, the overlap between listeners and mobile diners is so big you could drive a car through it.
With folks spending so much time in their cars, decisions are increasingly made on-the-go, in moments when audio is already a baked-in part of the experience.
How many of us have pulled up to a stoplight, turned around, and polled the car, “What does everyone want for dinner?” What if your brand could be a part of that conversation? What if your brand could chime in on where we’re eating tonight?
It can. Three in four Pandora users decide meals “in the moment,” and a large share of those snap decisions happen in a vehicle, where audio is already on and attention is primed for timely suggestions.
Audio and podcast advertising are a perfect opportunity for brands to become a part of these high-intent moments.
Audio Advertising Reaches QSR Consumers on the Move
Nearly nine in 10 listeners say they listen to audio during QSR moments, and more than 75% listen in the car on the way to or from a fast-food location. That means your brand’s message can land right as hunger peaks and routes are mapped. It’s a uniquely screen-free, low-clutter environment that gives audio a natural edge in the last mile of decision-making.
That’s an audience without on-screen competition and a clear intent to eat. One in three listeners tune in to digital audio while running errands (prime time for a lunch pick-up), and one in four is listening while they’re actually eating, extending the window for brand influence before, during, and after the visit.
The bottom line: Audio reaches people in motion, with relevance and authority. Pair that with precise audience and contextual targeting, and brands can show up right as cravings strike and routes are set.
Why Podcast and SiriusXM Ads Dominate the Drive-Thru Moment
Podcasts are one of the fastest-growing audio mediums, and podcast listeners are especially tuned in while driving. Nearly three-quarters of podcast fans report listening in the car, making host-read and brand-produced podcast creative a natural fit for drive-thru influence.
About half of podcast listeners say hearing a favorite host talk about a QSR could inspire them to try it, underscoring the persuasive power of trusted voices at the exact moment of decision.
It’s not just podcasts either. For SiriusXM listeners, 90% of listening happens in the car. Why is that? Probably because SiriusXM commands nearly a third of in-car listening in cars built between 2021 and 2025. The connected car footprint is massive, with an 83% penetration with major automakers, reaching half of cars on the road.
Daily in-car listening averages two or more hours for these listeners. Make sure your ads show up exactly when your listeners are looking for their next meal.
Creating Audio Ads that Drive Through the Noise
The best drive-thru ads don’t need pictures—they need presence. Studio Resonate helps brands craft audio built for the car.
Use localized voice casting to sound like you belong in-market. A neighborhood accent, a street name, or a landmark can make a recommendation feel both personal and nearby, which is especially powerful when a listener is already en route. Or elevate immersion with precise sound design. The fizz of a fountain drink, the sizzle of a grill, a bag crinkling on the passenger seat—these cues light up memory and appetite.
Over four in 10 listeners say specific sounds can trigger fast-food cravings, so build your mix to invite the senses. Then, layer language that speaks to your listeners’ cravings, emotions, and moods—simple, vivid words that can be heard clearly over road noise and still carry a flavorful payoff.
Results that Prove Audio Moves the Needle
Audio doesn’t just set the mood—it shifts behavior.
In connected car and on-the-go settings, QSR campaigns consistently drive meaningful lift in visits and orders, with a majority of campaigns delivering positive behavioral impact well above industry norms.
When messages land in the last mile (aka, on the way to your restaurant), the pathway from impression to action is short, and the results show it.
Brand metrics follow the same results. QSR advertisers see significant gains in favorability and product relevance when they pair the right context with resonant creative, proving that audio can build brand while it drives immediate response. That combination of brand plus behavior is uniquely suited to the fast, frequent decisions that define the category.
Digital listening is especially strong in newer car models, expanding reachable moments across dashboards and apps. As ad-supported options broaden in-car access, brands can reach more hungry drivers and passengers in more vehicles—precisely when decisions are being made and routes are flexible.
Make Audio a Part of Your Drive-Thru Playbook
SiriusXM Media is the most powerful partner for reaching drive-thru QSR consumers with audio and podcast advertising. We connect brands to people in cars, in motion, and in the moment, with creative and targeting that convert cravings into choices.
Audio is contextual, screen-free, and action-oriented. It meets listeners while they’re choosing what’s next and keeps your brand top of mind when they pull in. SiriusXM Media delivers the scalable solutions to reach listeners, the precision to find the right ones, and creative that performs in the car—where audio owns attention and QSR decisions are often made.
If you want to meet QSR customers when they’re already en route, there’s no better choice than audio. Ready to put your audio advertising in the express lane? Let’s talk.
