Ana M. López
Research expert covering travel, tourism and hospitality
Restaurants in Latin America - statistics & facts
With a unique culinary tradition specific to each region, Latin American restaurants encompass a diverse range of dining experiences: casual taquerías serving authentic Mexican street food to high-end steakhouses specializing in Brazilian feijoada. In 2023, Mexico and Brazil were just two of the Latin American countries with the highest number of restaurants included in the 'World's 50 Best'. Along with having some top restaurants worldwide, the region benefits from a thriving mix of fast-casual dining options. The value of quick service restaurants (QSR) in Latin America totaled 58 billion U.S. dollars in 2023.
What is the most common type of restaurant in Mexico?
Mexican restaurants offer many popular dishes such as tomales, pozole, and chiles rellenos; however, the most prevalent type of restaurant in Mexico as of mid-2024 was those specializing in tacos and other related dishes. During that period, around 273 thousand Mexican establishments sold Antojitos, tacos, and tortillas. These dishes, and others, are regularly sought out by residents of the Latin American country, whether from street stalls, taquerías, or less traditional restaurants. In 2023, the share of consumers who ordered lunch or dinner weekly in Mexico exceeded two-thirds of the country’s population.What is the most successful restaurant company in Colombia?
The leading restaurant company in Colombia by operating revenue was Frisby S.A. as of 2023. That year, the fried chicken chain reported revenues of over 850 billion Colombian pesos. The two companies that ranked below Frisby S.A. were Crepes y Waffles S.A. and IRCC Industria de Restaurantes Casuales S.A.S, the latter of which operates under the name Hamburguesas El Corral. Frisby also ranked as the largest restaurant chain in Colombia by number of units as of February 2024. The chain surpassed its U.S. competitors, some of which included Subway, Domino’s, and KFC.How big is the restaurant industry in Brazil?
As the largest country in Latin America, Brazil's restaurant market is big and thriving. The revenue of the restaurant industry in Brazil was estimated at around 414 billion Brazilian reals in 2023 (around 75 billion U.S. dollars based on December 2023's exchange rates), a figure that was forecast to reach 428 billion Brazilian reals by the end of 2024. The bustling industry allows diners in the South American country to choose between casual eateries and some of the most high-end establishments. In 2024, Brazil ranked as one of the countries with the least expensive Michelin-starred restaurants worldwide. Two of the country’s cities, Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, also ranked as two of the cities with the least expensive Michelin-starred restaurants worldwide.
