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Best Options Strategy for QSR

By Dennis Bosmans · Updated 2026-08-14 · 2 min read · Risk disclaimer

Looking for the best options strategy for Restaurant Brands International Inc. (QSR)? There is no single answer — the right play depends on your outlook, your risk tolerance and current implied volatility. Below, our free engine shows the highest-scoring defined-risk strategy on the live QSR option chain right now, and a simple map from your view on QSR to the strategy that fits it. Model any of them in the calculator before you trade.

About QSR

Restaurant Brands International Inc. (QSR) is a major company in Restaurants. Options traders on QSR tend to watch , since these can drive large moves in the share price.

About Restaurant Brands International Inc.

Restaurant Brands International operates a portfolio of quick service restaurant chains across North America and beyond. The company owns and franchises four main brands: Tim Hortons, known for coffee and baked goods alongside sandwiches and wraps; Burger King, which specializes in flame-grilled burgers and chicken sandwiches; Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, focused on Louisiana-style fried chicken and related items; and Firehouse Subs, offering submarine sandwiches and soups. These concepts serve different dayparts and customer preferences, from breakfast and coffee to lunch and dinner occasions.

The company generates revenue primarily through franchising fees, royalties, and rent paid by franchise operators, while also operating company-owned locations in certain markets. Tim Hortons dominates the coffee and quick breakfast segment, particularly in Canada, while Burger King and Popeyes have substantial U.S. footprints. Firehouse Subs operates a smaller regional presence. Revenue comes from a mix of company-operated restaurant sales and franchise-related payments, with the franchise model allowing Restaurant Brands to scale rapidly with lower capital requirements. The business spans…

Today's top-scoring strategy for QSR

Our engine ranks defined-risk strategies on the live QSR chain by probability of profit and risk/reward, then surfaces the best-scoring one. It is an educational illustration, not advice.

Iron Butterfly neutral
Price: $77.14Implied volatility: 24%Expiration: 2026-09-18 (34d)
ActionQtyTypeStrikePremium
BuyPUT$67.5$0.28
SellPUT$77.5$2.45
SellCALL$77.5$1.97
BuyCALL$90$0.15
P/L at expiry vs today At expiry Today ±1σ
$54$79$104
Max Profit
$399
Max Loss
−$850
Net Credit (received)
$400
Breakeven(s)
$73.50, $81.50
Position Greeks
Δ
0.77
Γ
−11.839
Θ
5.62
ν
−15.97
Time decay (price held)
Implied-volatility skew

Simulation

Forward simulation of 6,000 lognormal price paths to expiration — not a historical backtest.

Win rate
51%
Mean P/L
−$44
Median
$6
Exp. move (1σ)
7%
5th pct
−$600
25th pct
−$245
75th pct
$212
95th pct
$360

Strategy analysis

Simulated price paths (time × price)
now $77BE $74BE $82$68$78$870d17d34d
$-835$-225$385

Greeks vs price

Δ — $ P/L per $1 move in the underlying (share-equivalent exposure).
Θ — $ P/L per day from time decay.
ν — $ P/L per +1% in implied volatility.
Γ — how fast delta changes per $1 move.

Price × volatility (today)

−30%−15%IV+15%+30%
$96−$830−$810−$786−$759−$732
$93−$763−$728−$693−$662−$634
$89−$595−$562−$534−$512−$497
$85−$321−$318−$321−$329−$339
$81−$36−$81−$125−$167−$206
$77$80$15−$45−$100−$149
$73−$68−$98−$131−$163−$195
$69−$346−$330−$320−$316−$318
$66−$538−$513−$490−$469−$452
$62−$594−$586−$574−$560−$545
$58−$600−$599−$597−$593−$587
Analyze QSR in the calculator → Share this pick ↗

Live scan from 2026-08-14 · quotes delayed ~15 minutes

Historical backtest: how a Iron Butterfly on QSR would have performed

We approximated a Iron Butterfly on QSR, entered repeatedly over the past year (92 historical entries, each held to expiration) with Black-Scholes-modelled entry premiums. Here is how that would have played out on real QSR price history — an educational backtest, not a prediction of future returns.

Trades
92
Win rate
63%
Total P/L
$7,604
Avg return on risk
+16%
Best trade
$505
Worst trade
-$578
Cumulative P/L over the backtest

Approximate: entry premiums are modelled with Black-Scholes from trailing realised volatility, held to expiration and settled against the real historical close. Real fills, implied volatility and slippage differ — treat it as directional context, not exact returns.

Implied volatility

QSR is currently trading with moderate implied volatility, broadly in line with other large-cap stocks. On the options we scanned that was around 24% implied volatility, and higher implied volatility means richer premiums and wider expected moves.

Options on QSR currently price in about 24% implied volatility, versus roughly 28% the stock has actually realised over the past month. The two are roughly in line, so neither buying nor selling premium has a clear volatility edge here.

QSR's IV Rank is 0/100: implied volatility sits 0% of the way between its 15-day low (24%) and high (36%), and is above 6% of recorded days. Premium is historically cheap, which favours net-debit strategies like long options and debit spreads.

Off that volatility, the options market is pricing a move of about ±$5.71 (±7%) in QSR by 2026-09-18 — a range of roughly $71.44 to $82.85. Strikes inside that band hold most of the premium and see most of the action.

Across strikes, downside puts on QSR trade at a higher implied volatility than upside calls — the market is paying up for crash protection. That skew favours selling put spreads or buying calls over symmetric trades.

QSR options chain highlights: open interest, volume and skew

The live QSR options chain shows a put/call open-interest ratio of 0.51 (bullish-leaning (more calls)), with at-the-money implied volatility near 24.2%. Open interest clusters at the $80 call — a common resistance "wall" — and the $70 put, a support "wall": the strikes option writers are most exposed to into expiration.

Put/Call OI
0.51
Put/Call volume
1.62
ATM IV
24.2%
Put–call IV skew
+1.8
Call OI wall
$80 · 1,632
Put OI wall
$70 · 505
Most active call
$78 · 27
Most active put
$80 · 63
Most active strikes (volume)
$55$75$90
Calls   Puts

Snapshot of open interest, volume and implied volatility for the nearest scanned expiration — context, not a trading signal.

QSR insider trading activity (SEC Form 4)

Open-market insider transactions at QSR over roughly the last six months, from SEC Form 4 filings. Open-market buys are the rarer, more telling signal — routine selling under pre-arranged plans is common, so read a net-selling figure with that in mind.

Open-market buys
0 · —
Open-market sells
17 · $36.4M
Net (buy − sell)
−$36.4M
InsiderActionSharesValueDate
Housman JeffreySell20,000$1.5M2026-03-20
Kobza JoshuaSell200,000$15.0M2026-03-18
Granat JillSell25,000$1.9M2026-03-18
SANTELMO THIAGO TSell10,000$754K2026-03-17
Siddiqui Sami A.Sell40,000$3.0M2026-03-17
Friesner JacquelineSell30,000$2.2M2026-03-16

Source: SEC Form 4 filings via Finnhub. Open-market purchases (P) and sales (S) only — grants, option exercises, gifts and tax withholding are excluded. Informational context, not investment advice.

Liquidity and tradeability

QSR options are reasonably liquid, with bid-ask spreads around 13.9% near the money. Defined-risk spreads and condors are workable; use limit orders and watch the fill on wider multi-leg trades.

Earnings & IV crush

QSR's next earnings report is due around October 29, 2026. Options that expire after it price in a binary move, so their implied volatility is elevated and usually collapses right after the announcement — an "IV crush". If your expiration falls before this date, the trade sidesteps the event.

Dividend and assignment risk

QSR pays a dividend of about 3.5% a year, so short or covered calls on it carry early-assignment risk around each ex-dividend date — in-the-money calls are most exposed just before the stock goes ex-dividend.

Key figures

Market cap
$34.0B
Beta (vs market)
0.53
52-week range
$61.33–$81.96 (77% up the range)
Short interest
6.3% of float · 5.6 days to cover

Other strong setups for QSR

If your view on QSR differs, these also scored well in the latest scan:

How to choose an options strategy for QSR

Start with your outlook on QSR, then match it to a defined-risk structure. Here are the most common choices and when each makes sense:

Bullish

You expect QSR to rise

Buy a call for leverage with capped risk, or a bull call spread to lower the cost and breakeven when you have a target price.

Long Call → Bull Call Spread →

Bearish

You expect QSR to fall

Buy a put to profit from a decline with defined risk, or a bear put spread to cheapen the trade when you expect a measured move down.

Long Put → Bear Put Spread →

Neutral

You expect QSR to trade in a range

Sell an iron condor to collect premium while QSR stays between two strikes, or write a covered call against shares you already own.

Iron Condor → Covered Call →

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How we pick the best strategy

For each ticker we pull the live option chain, build every supported strategy around the at-the-money strikes, and score them on probability of profit, risk/reward and capital efficiency — favouring defined-risk structures where the maximum loss is known up front. Methodology →

Open QSR in the free calculator →

Frequently asked questions

What is the best options strategy for QSR?

It depends on your outlook. Bullish traders often use a long call or bull call spread on QSR; bearish traders a long put or bear put spread; neutral traders an iron condor or covered call. Our live scan above shows the current highest-scoring defined-risk play.

Are QSR options liquid enough to trade?

Restaurant Brands International Inc. (QSR) is among the most actively-traded US options, which usually means tight bid/ask spreads and plenty of strikes and expirations — though you should always check the open interest and spread on the exact contract.

How much money do I need to trade QSR options?

Buying a single QSR call or put can cost as little as the premium (often one to a few hundred dollars), while income strategies like a cash-secured put need enough capital to buy 100 shares if assigned.

Is this financial advice?

No. Everything here is educational and uses delayed, third-party data. It is not a recommendation to trade QSR or any security. Do your own research.

What does Restaurant Brands International Inc. do?

Restaurant Brands International Inc. (QSR) operates in the Restaurants industry. The "About Restaurant Brands International Inc." section above gives a fuller picture of what the company does and how it earns money.

Does Restaurant Brands International Inc. pay a dividend?

Yes — Restaurant Brands International Inc. currently pays a dividend yielding about 3.5%. If you hold the shares (for example to write a covered call), the ex-dividend date can trigger early assignment, so check it beforehand.

When does Restaurant Brands International Inc. next report earnings?

Restaurant Brands International Inc.'s next earnings are expected around October 29, 2026. Implied volatility usually climbs into the report and drops sharply afterwards (IV crush) — important for any options position held over the date.

Price trend

Short term · 1M
▲ +4.7%
Mid term · 3M
▲ +1.6%
Long term · 1Y
▲ +18.9%

Tickers related to QSR

Comparing QSR with similar names can help you choose the best options strategy:

DPZDomino's PizzaWENThe Wendy's CompanyDRIDarden Restaurants, Inc.PZZAPapa John's International, Inc.

Company information

Headquarters
5707 Waterford District Drive, Miami, FL, 33126, United States
Industry
Restaurants
Employees
53,500
CEO
Mr. Joshua Kobza
Phone
305-378-3000
Website
www.rbi.com

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