Coca-Cola on Thursday unveiled a new marketing campaign aimed at boosting sales of its sodas in restaurants, as declining traffic and slow sales growth challenge both the industry and its main beverage supplier.
The campaign marks the first time Coke has released ads featuring multiple restaurant partners. The ads scroll across different consumers ordering their meals from a mix of chains, all ending their order with the same phrase, “And a Coke.”
Of the three spots broadcast on Thursday, 13 different chains share the spotlight: Arby’s, Culver’s, Domino’s PizzaFive guys, Jack in the boxJimmy John’s, Panda Express, Popeyes, Sonic, Wendy’sWhataburger, Chateau Blanc and Wing stop.
For restaurants, drinks – even a simple Coca-Cola – are high-margin menu items, helping to boost profits in an industry known for razor-thin margins. This sale becomes even more important as consumers reduce their restaurant visits and spend less when dining out.
In February, traffic to U.S. restaurants fell 2%, according to data from Black Box Intelligence. And 38% of consumers said they were spending less dining out during the first quarter of 2026, according to a survey by Revenue Management Solutions.
Behind the scenes, Coca-Cola has also tried to help boost restaurant sales amid slowing spending. As the so-called war for values kicked off between fast-food chains in 2024, Coke executives said the company had teamed up with restaurant partners to market meal combos with drinks to drive traffic and beverage sales; CNBC previously reported that Coke invested marketing dollars to make a $5 meal more attractive to U.S. McDonald’s franchisees.
Coke chose the chains in its new campaign based on the different cuisines and occasions they represent, such as late-night pickup or drive-thru, according to Dagmar Boggs, Coke’s North American president of foodservice and on-premises.
The ads will be shown in cinemas starting Friday. By mid-April, the campaign will expand to linear TV, digital channels and third-party delivery providers like UberEats and DoorDash.
The networks did not pay Coke to participate in the commercials. Boggs called it “the benefit of being a Coca-Cola partner.”
Boggs describes Coke as a “business partner” rather than a “beverage supplier” to restaurants, giving information and marketing suggestions to chains like Burger King or Wendy’s.
Of course, Coca-Cola’s increased restaurant sales will also benefit the beverage giant. Coke does not publicly disclose how much of its sales come from restaurants. However, executives have previously said that about half of its overall sales come from out-of-home channels, which also include movie theaters, airplanes and amusement parks.
Coke’s restaurant business also serves as an indicator of consumer confidence.
“If food service catches a cold in the North America business unit, North America will catch a cold,” Boggs said. “That’s why we’re always looking to grow our partners’ businesses, because when they grow, we grow.”
In 2025, Coca-Cola’s organic sales in North America grew 4%, but its domestic case unit volume fell 1%, a sign of weaker demand for its drinks. The company expects modest sales growth in 2026, according to an outlook released in early February.