Arcos Dorados: Taking Action for the Planet

Arcos Dorados, McDonald’s developmental licensee operating in Latin America and the Caribbean, has long recognized the importance of operating responsibly and supporting initiatives that can benefit people and the planet.

From contributing to conservation efforts in Brazil to advancing more sustainable practices at festivals, check out just some of the ways Arcos Dorados put their values into action in 2025.

Teaming Up to Help Protect & Restore the Pantanal Headwaters

Arcos Dorados has joined together with WWF-Brasil, Aegea Saneamento, MBRF and the UN Global Compact – Rede Brasil to establish a groundbreaking new group: the Alliance for the Headwaters of the Pantanal.

The Pantanal is one of the world’s richest and most important ecosystems. Spanning Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay, it’s both a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a biodiversity hotspot. The Alliance, launched in October 2025, promotes water resilience and ecosystem restoration while advancing more sustainable production practices in the region.

“At Arcos Dorados, we are committed, along with important partners, to caring for the water sources that support important biomes of Brazilian agriculture. This is an initiative that is good for society, for the planet and for the sustainability of economic activities.” 

Gabriel Serber, VP of Social Impact and Sustainable Development, Arcos Dorados

Bringing Music & McDonald’s Together at Lollapalooza Brazil

In 2025, Arcos Dorados took to Lollapalooza Brazil for a celebration of music, food and new approaches to more responsible event operations. The team hosted a stall – Méqui at Lolla 2025: ESG – Recipe for the Future – to offer festival-goers tasty, convenient, quality food and fast service with sustainability in mind. The structure, first developed and used in 2023 and 2024, included measures like LED lights, high-efficiency air conditioners, water taps with reduced flow, waste separation and a composting system.

The space was designed to make more sustainable choices easier for attendees and featured a machine that rewarded people for recycling. The machine allowed participants to deposit their empty packaging and waste in exchange for a discount coupon to be redeemed after the event, providing an incentive to properly dispose of waste at Lollapalooza Brazil. As a result of these clever features, the stall received the “Golden Alligator” Caio award, a Brazilian events industry award that recognizes initiatives at large-scale events focusing on circular economy, waste management, composting and recycling.

Arcos Dorados also brought their dedication to combatting food waste to Lollapalooza Brazil. Quality products that didn’t quite meet commercialization standards but were up to donation standards were distributed to an NGO working to combat food vulnerability. The initiative reflects Arcos Dorados’ long-standing commitment to food donation.