Arcos Dorados Issues 2026 Guidance on Restaurant Openings and CapEx

Arcos Dorados Holdings Inc. told investors it will pursue steady unit growth and targeted capital spending in 2026, plans that will shape hiring, remodels and technology upgrades across its Latin America and Caribbean restaurants. The company said it expects to open 105 to 115 restaurants next year and to invest US$275 million to US$325 million in total capital expenditures.

The guidance follows a busy 2025, when Arcos Dorados opened 102 restaurants. That rollout included 64 openings in Brazil, 23 in the South Latin American Division and 15 in the North Latin American Division; 88 of the new locations were free-standing units and 73 were company-operated. The company operates more than 2,500 restaurants across 21 countries and is the largest independent McDonald’s franchisee in the region.

Arcos Dorados said 2026 capex will cover new openings, remodels and modernizations, operational optimizations, maintenance of its restaurant portfolio and investments in information technology systems. The company estimates 2025 capital expenditures came in toward the low end of its prior US$300 million to US$350 million guidance and said the 2026 program will be funded with cash from operations and cash on hand.

Luis Raganato, Arcos Dorados’ CEO, framed the plan as focused on returns and operational efficiency. He said, “Arcos Dorados (ARCO) remains committed to capturing the full potential of the McDonald’s brand in Latin America and the Caribbean. Last year, we opened 102 modern restaurants with a focus on exceeding guest expectations at each new location. This year, we will continue to pursue unit growth and the modernization of our existing restaurants with a heightened focus on optimizing our development process. Several initiatives are underway to enhance the return on our capital investments, and we look forward to providing additional detail as the year progresses.”

The disclosure was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and includes the company’s legal signing block: “Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.” The filing is signed by Roman Ajzen, Chief Legal Officer, dated January 28, 2026.

For employees and managers, the guidance signals continued demand for crew and store-level management as new units open and existing restaurants undergo modernizations. Remodels and IT investments typically mean temporary schedule disruptions during construction, plus follow-up training for new equipment and systems. Operational optimizations and initiatives to enhance capital returns may also change workflows at both company-operated and franchised locations.

Investors have characterized the plan as measured, disciplined expansion rather than an aggressive acceleration. For workers, the near-term implications are concrete: hiring for dozens of new restaurants, capital projects that will touch many existing sites and technology rollouts that will shape daily work at the front counter and back of house. The company said it will provide additional detail as the year progresses, making store managers and employees key audiences for the next wave of scheduling and training announcements.