Share-based compensation - Summary of Phantom RSU Award Activity (Details) - Phantom RSU Award - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
Phantom RSU Award Plan
Units
Units, beginning balance (in shares)	2,040,488	1,690,484	1,661,820
Forfeitures (in shares)	(128,919)	(329,027)	(31,614)
Units, ending balance (in shares)	2,711,755	2,040,488	1,690,484
Settlement
Partial vesting grant in value	$ 431	$ 1,104	$ 18
Vesting grant in value	$ 320	$ 416
Nonvested
Number of unites outstanding (in shares)	2,711,755
Current share price (in dollars per share)	$ 8.36
Total fair value of the plan	$ 22,670
Weighted-average accumulated percentage of service	52.69%
Accrued liability	$ 11,945
Compensation expense not yet recognized	$ 10,725
Weighted-average period for recognition	1 year 10 months 17 days
2019 Grants
Units
Vesting and partial vesting (in shares)	(63,257)	(173,916)	(5,162)
2020 Grants
Units
Grant (in shares)			65,440
Vesting and partial vesting (in shares)		(65,440)
2021 Grants
Units
Grant (in shares)		918,387
Vesting and partial vesting (in shares)	(44,093)
2022 Grants
Units
Grant (in shares)	907,536

Compensation expense related to non-vested units that will be recognized in future awards.

No definition available.

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

- Definition

Settlement Value

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	arco_SettlementValueAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	arco_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Share-Based Compensation Arrangement by Share-Based Payment Award, Options, Nonvested

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	arco_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsNonvestedAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	arco_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Unit Based Compensation Arrangement By Unit Based Payment Award Partial Vesting Grant In Value

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Fair value of outstanding units already vested related to stock options plan.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

As of the balance sheet date, the number of vested unit related to stock options plan.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	arco_UnitBasedCompensationArrangementByUnitBasedPaymentAwardVestedOutstandingNumber
Namespace Prefix:	arco_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

As of the balance sheet date, the weighted-average fair market value of outstanding units that are fully vested.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	arco_UnitBasedCompensationArrangementByUnitBasedPaymentAwardVestedWeightedAverageFairMarketValue
Namespace Prefix:	arco_
Data Type:	dtr-types:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Unit Based Compensation Arrangement By Unit Based Payment Award Vesting Granted In Value

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

As of the balance sheet date weighted-average accumulated percentage of service rendered by employees for both vested and non-vested outstanding units.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	arco_UnitBasedCompensationArrangementByUnitBasedPaymentAwardWeightedAverageAccumulatedPercentageOfService
Namespace Prefix:	arco_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Aggregate carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the liabilities for all deferred compensation arrangements payable within one year (or the operating cycle, if longer). Represents currently earned compensation under compensation arrangements that is not actually paid until a later date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 710
-SubTopic 10
-Section 25
-Paragraph 9
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6409733&loc=d3e19512-108361

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 710
-SubTopic 10
-Section 30
-Paragraph 2
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6409875&loc=d3e20028-108363

+ Details

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

- Definition

Weighted-average period over which cost not yet recognized is expected to be recognized for award under share-based payment arrangement, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognizedPeriodForRecognition1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of equity-based payment instruments, excluding stock (or unit) options, that were forfeited during the reporting period.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

The number of grants made during the period on other than stock (or unit) option plans (for example, phantom stock or unit plan, stock or unit appreciation rights plan, performance target plan).

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

The number of non-vested equity-based payment instruments, excluding stock (or unit) options, that validly exist and are outstanding as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(2)(ii)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=128089324&loc=d3e5070-113901

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(2)(i)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=128089324&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedNumber
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The number of equity-based payment instruments, excluding stock (or unit) options, that vested during the reporting period.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PlanNameAxis=arco_PhantomRSUAwardPlanImplementedMay2019Member
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_PhantomRSUAwardPlan2019GrantsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PlanNameAxis=arco_PhantomRSUAwardPlan2020GrantsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PlanNameAxis=arco_PhantomRSUAwardPlan2021GrantsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PlanNameAxis=arco_PhantomRSUAwardPlan2022GrantsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: