Arcos Dorados Serves Up a More Sustainable Design at a New McDonald’s Restaurant in São Paulo

McDonald’s newest 24-hour restaurant in São Paulo, Brazil, is setting a higher standard for more sustainable restaurant design, and it all started when the local team broke ground on the physical restaurant: The new structure was built from a hybrid of wood and recycled materials, using innovative low-energy methods.

Once finished, the space will be a natural place to incorporate more than a dozen other more sustainable touches, including a compost bin to help manage organic waste, floors and walls made with recycled material and a living roof that helps to regulate temperature and humidity.

The restaurant also collects rainwater and air conditioner condensation for reuse in flushing and irrigation, reduces energy usage through thermal insulation and efficient equipment, and is lit by solar-powered automated LED lighting.

Customers in the space will be able to interact with these more sustainable features at a multitude of touchpoints, including stairs and tabletops that are composted of recycled plastic bottles, a charging point for electric vehicles and bicycle and e-bike parking.

“This new restaurant brings to life the vision that drives our business and our ESG strategy,” explained Rogério Barreira, President of the Brazilian Division of Arcos Dorados, a DL partner of McDonald’s. “Here we have applied everything we’ve developed in recent years while also adding sustainable innovations that will help guide us, the sector and our consumers from now on.” 

This and other more sustainable restaurant designs around the world are just one part of McDonald’s pledge to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. As we work to decrease emissions across the board, we aim to empower teams everywhere to innovate with renewable energy, circular economy and sustainable packaging.

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