Debt Instrument, Settlement Amount

No definition available.

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

- Definition

Payment For Fractional Potion Of Exchangeable Debt

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
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+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- 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

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

- Definition

Percentage price of original principal amount of debt at which debt can be redeemed by the issuer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 470
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
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+ Details

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

- Definition

Percentage of principal amount of debt redeemed.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Fair value amount of debt instrument that was repurchased.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRepurchaseAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Face (par) amount of the original debt instrument that was repurchased.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRepurchasedFaceAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount, after accumulated amortization, of debt issuance costs. Includes, but is not limited to, legal, accounting, underwriting, printing, and registration costs.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredFinanceCostsNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of the cost of borrowed funds accounted for as interest expense for debt.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
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+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of cash outflow for cost from early extinguishment and prepayment of debt. Includes, but is not limited to, third-party cost, premium paid, and other fee paid to lender directly for debt extinguishment or debt prepayment. Excludes accrued interest.

+ References

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+ Details

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

- Definition

The cash inflow during the period from additional borrowings in aggregate debt. Includes proceeds from short-term and long-term debt.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
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+ Details

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

- Definition

Reflects the total carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of debt having initial terms less than one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=arco_TwoThousandTwentyThreeNotesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_ExchangeableDebtMember
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Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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Long-term debt - Narrative (Details) - USD ($)											1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
Long-term debt - Narrative (Details) - USD ($)	Oct. 15, 2020	Oct. 13, 2020	Sep. 28, 2020	Sep. 27, 2020	Sep. 11, 2020	Mar. 29, 2017	Mar. 29, 2017	Mar. 16, 2017	Jun. 14, 2016	Jun. 01, 2016	Oct. 15, 2020	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2020	Mar. 31, 2020	Apr. 30, 2017	Sep. 27, 2013
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Deferred financing costs												$ 4,641,000	$ 3,397,000
Short-term debt												0	13,296,000		$ 11,000,000	$ 158,200,000	$ 136,000,000
2023 Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate principal amount issued																			$ 473,800,000
Deferred financing costs																			$ 3,313,000
Redemption price, principal amount redeemed								$ 80,000,000		$ 80,000,000
Redemption price (as a percent)					102.25%		107.00%	104.00%	101.00%	98.00%
Redemption price, percentage of principal amount redeemed						11.60%			16.90%
Redemption price, amount						$ 48,885,000	$ 48,885,000		$ 80,800,000
Early tender payment						$ 3,187,000			$ 800,000
Accrued interest effect of Secured Loan Agreement												20,882,000	23,060,000	$ 23,060,000
2023 Notes \| Exchangeable Debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price, percentage of principal amount redeemed		1.34%	36.43%
Debt instrument, settlement amount				$ 1,000							$ 1,000
Short-term debt		$ 4,675,000	$ 126,801,000
2027 Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate principal amount issued					$ 150,000,000													$ 265,000,000
Deferred financing costs					$ 2,000,000													$ 3,001,000
Accrued interest effect of Secured Loan Agreement												$ 20,269,000	$ 15,569,000	$ 15,569,000
2027 Notes \| Exchangeable Debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, settlement amount	$ 1,000			$ 1,055							$ 1,005
Proceeds from issuance of debt	133,668,000		4,686,000
Accrued interest effect of Secured Loan Agreement	180,100		7,100
Payment for fractional potion of exchangeable debt	$ 107,100		$ 12,400