Derivative, Notional Amount Outstanding

No definition available.

Name:	arco_DerivativeNotionalAmountOutstanding
Namespace Prefix:	arco_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Net payment to derivative instrument hedges

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	arco_NetPaymentToDerivativeInstrumentHedges
Namespace Prefix:	arco_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage Of Principal And Interest Collections Hedged

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	arco_PercentageOfPrincipalAndInterestCollectionsHedged
Namespace Prefix:	arco_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
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

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

- Definition

The number of derivative instruments of a particular group held by the entity.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1A
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121590274&loc=SL5579245-113959

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1B
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121590274&loc=SL5580258-113959

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeNumberOfInstrumentsHeld
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of cash paid for interest, excluding capitalized interest, classified as operating activity. Includes, but is not limited to, payment to settle zero-coupon bond for accreted interest of debt discount and debt instrument with insignificant coupon interest rate in relation to effective interest rate of borrowing attributable to accreted interest of debt discount.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121583591&loc=d3e4297-108586

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 17
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121586364&loc=d3e3367-108585

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 25
-Subparagraph (e)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121586364&loc=d3e3536-108585

+ Details

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

- Definition

The net cash outflow or inflow from derivative instruments during the period, which are classified as financing activities, excluding those designated as hedging instruments.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (SX 210.12-04(a))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120395691&loc=d3e24072-122690

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis=us-gaap_NondesignatedMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_ForwardContractsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis=us-gaap_CashFlowHedgingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_CrossCurrencyInterestRateContractMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis=us-gaap_DesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_ConsolidatedEntitiesAxis=srt_SubsidiariesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_CallOptionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Derivative instruments - Narrative (Details) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Derivative instruments - Narrative (Details) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2020 instrument	Apr. 30, 2017 instrument
Derivative [Line Items]
Interest paid net	$ 57,066	$ 52,458	$ 55,400
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments \| Forward contracts
Derivative [Line Items]
Collected (paid) derivative Instrument	39	(787)	(81)
Cash Flow Hedging \| Forward contracts
Derivative [Line Items]
Net collections (payments) to derivative instrument hedges	1,757	711	75
Cash Flow Hedging \| Cross-currency interest rate swap
Derivative [Line Items]
Interest paid net	4,031	8,692	10,671
Cash Flow Hedging \| Coupon-only swap
Derivative [Line Items]
Interest paid net	197	$ 2,036	$ 2,900
Cash Flow Hedging \| Derivatives designated as hedging instruments \| Forward contracts
Derivative [Line Items]
Notional amount outstanding	$ 20,276
Cash Flow Hedging \| Derivatives designated as hedging instruments \| Cross-currency interest rate swap
Derivative [Line Items]
Number of instruments held \| instrument				4
Cash Flow Hedging \| Subsidiaries \| Cross-currency interest rate swap
Derivative [Line Items]
Percentage of principal and interest collections hedged (as a percent)					50.00%
Cash Flow Hedging \| Subsidiaries \| Call spread
Derivative [Line Items]
Number of instruments held \| instrument					2
Percentage of principal and interest collections hedged (as a percent)					50.00%
Cash Flow Hedging \| Subsidiaries \| Coupon-only swap
Derivative [Line Items]
Number of instruments held \| instrument					2
Percentage of principal and interest collections hedged (as a percent)					50.00%