Number Of Grant Types

No definition available.

Name:	arco_NumberOfGrantTypes
Namespace Prefix:	arco_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Percentage of total outstanding shares of the entity immediately follow the IPO that is authorized under equity incentive plan

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	arco_PercentageOfTotalOutstandingSharesOfEntityImmediatelyFollowIpoThatIsAuthorizedUnderEquityIncentivePlan
Namespace Prefix:	arco_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Share-Based Compensation Arrangement By Share-Based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other Than Options, Number Of Shares Pending Of Issuance In Connection With Partial Vestings

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	arco_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNumberOfSharesPendingOfIssuanceInConnectionWithPartialVestings
Namespace Prefix:	arco_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Share-Based Compensation Arrangement By Share-Based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other Than Options, Value Of Shares Pending Of Issuance In Connection With Partial Vestings

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	arco_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsValueOfSharesPendingOfIssuanceInConnectionWithPartialVestings
Namespace Prefix:	arco_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Shares Converted to Liability Award

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	arco_SharebasedCompensationArrangementbySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsSharesConvertedtoLiabilityAward
Namespace Prefix:	arco_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Weighted average grant-date fair value.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	arco_UnitBasedCompensationArrangementByUnitBasedPaymentAwardGrantedWeightedAverageExercisedBaseValue
Namespace Prefix:	arco_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Gross number of share options (or share units) granted during the period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	arco_UnitBasedCompensationArrangementByUnitBasedPaymentAwardGrantsInPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	arco_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of expense for award under share-based payment arrangement. Excludes amount capitalized.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120381028&loc=d3e5047-113901

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SAB Topic 14.F)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115993241&loc=d3e301413-122809

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (h)(1)(i)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120381028&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of expense recognized from equity-based compensation arrangements (for example, shares of stock, unit, stock options or other equity instruments), awarded to key employees or individuals. Excludes amount related to plans that cover generally all employees (for example, but not limited to, qualified pension plans).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualAllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of tax benefit for recognition of expense of award under share-based payment arrangement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (h)(1)(i)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120381028&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationTaxBenefitFromCompensationExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Estimated period over which an employee is required to provide service in exchange for the equity-based payment award, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120381028&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardAwardRequisiteServicePeriod1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Fair value of share-based awards for which the grantee gained the right by satisfying service and performance requirements, to receive or retain shares or units, other instruments, or cash.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (d)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120381028&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriodTotalFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of grantees affected by modification of award under share-based payment arrangement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (h)(2)(ii)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120381028&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardPlanModificationNumberOfEmployeesAffected
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of vesting of award under share-based payment arrangement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120381028&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardAwardVestingRightsPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of new stock issued during the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(29))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109259400&loc=d3e21463-112644

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120397183&loc=d3e187085-122770

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(28))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesNewIssues
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Equity impact of the value of new stock issued during the period. Includes shares issued in an initial public offering or a secondary public offering.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120397183&loc=d3e187085-122770

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109259400&loc=d3e21463-112644

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(29))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(28))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueNewIssues
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PlanNameAxis=arco_TwoThousandElevenEquityIncentivePlanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=arco_PhantomRSUAwardMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PlanNameAxis=arco_PhantomRSUAwardPlanImplementedMay2019Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=arco_PhantomRSUAwardTypeOneMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=arco_PhantomRSUAwardTypeTwoMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PlanNameAxis=arco_PhantomRSUAwardPlanImplementedDecember2020Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VestingAxis=arco_SecondAnniversaryOfGrantDateMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VestingAxis=arco_ThreeYearsFollowingGrantDateMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VestingAxis=arco_FourthAnniversaryofGrantDateMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VestingAxis=arco_FifthAnniversaryofGrantDateMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis=us-gaap_CommonClassAMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VestingAxis=arco_PartialVesting2019Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VestingAxis=arco_PartialVesting2018Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis=us-gaap_CommonStockMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Share-based compensation - Narrative (Details) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands		1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jun. 28, 2016 employee shares	Mar. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($) grant $ / shares shares	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) $ / shares shares	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) $ / shares shares
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Accumulated compensation expense \| $			$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Number of grant types \| grant			2
2011 Equity Incentive Plan
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Percentage of total outstanding shares of the entity immediately follow the IPO that is authorized under equity incentive plan		2.50%
Options converted into liability award (in shares)	1,117,380
Number of employees affected by plan modification \| employee	104
Share-based compensation expense \| $			$ 1,564	1,884	3,661
Related income tax (expense) benefit \| $			(244)	(422)	(175)
Restricted Share Units \| 2011 Equity Incentive Plan
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Total fair value of share units \| $			$ 3,475	$ 3,295	$ 3,214
Grant (in shares)				35,000	520,393
Grant price (in dollars per share) \| $ / shares				$ 8.00	$ 8.50
Phantom RSU Award \| Phantom RSU Award Plan
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Grant (in shares)			65,440
Grant price (in dollars per share) \| $ / shares			$ 6.78
Allocated share-based compensation expense \| $			$ 1,232	$ 2,102
Phantom RSU Award Type One \| Phantom RSU Award Plan
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Requisite service period			5 years
Grant (in shares)			465,202
Phantom RSU Award Type Two \| Phantom RSU Award Plan
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Grant (in shares)			1,207,455
Phantom RSU Award Type Two \| Phantom RSU Award Plan
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting percentage			100.00%
Grant (in shares)			65,440
Grant price (in dollars per share) \| $ / shares			$ 4.89
Second Anniversary of Grant Date \| 2011 Equity Incentive Plan
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting percentage			40.00%
Second Anniversary of Grant Date \| Phantom RSU Award Type One \| Phantom RSU Award Plan
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting percentage			40.00%
Three Years Following The Grant Date \| 2011 Equity Incentive Plan
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting percentage			20.00%
Three Years Following The Grant Date \| Phantom RSU Award Type One \| Phantom RSU Award Plan
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting percentage			20.00%
Fourth Anniversary of Grant Date \| 2011 Equity Incentive Plan
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting percentage			20.00%
Fourth Anniversary of Grant Date \| Phantom RSU Award Type One \| Phantom RSU Award Plan
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting percentage			20.00%
Fifth Anniversary of Grant Date \| 2011 Equity Incentive Plan
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting percentage			20.00%
Fifth Anniversary of Grant Date \| Phantom RSU Award Type One \| Phantom RSU Award Plan
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting percentage			20.00%
Fifth Anniversary of Grant Date \| Phantom RSU Award Type Two \| Phantom RSU Award Plan
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting percentage			100.00%
Class A
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Number of shares issued during the period			472,130	470,558	520,565
Class A \| Partial Vesting 2019
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Value of shares pending for issuance in connection with partial vesting \| $			$ 76	$ 19
Class A \| Partial Vesting 2018
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Number of shares pending issuance in connection with partial vesting			10,392	3,032	2,775,000
Value of shares pending for issuance in connection with partial vesting \| $			$ 17
Common Stock \| Class A
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Number of shares issued during the period			472,130	470,558	520,565
Accumulated compensation expense \| $			$ 3,399	$ 3,359	$ 3,113