Restaurant Brands to Add 300 Popeyes in Mexico Over the Next Decade

Restaurant Brands International Inc. (QSR), parent company of Popeyes, is accelerating its growth strategy in Mexico through newly signed development agreements with regional franchise partners. The plan includes opening more than 300 Popeyes restaurants over the next 10 years, marking one of the brand’s most ambitious expansions in Latin America.

Popeyes has emerged as one of the world’s fastest-growing chicken quick-service restaurant brands and Mexico is now at the center of its international growth story. The country’s strong consumer demand and rapidly evolving dining market present a substantial opportunity for long-term success.

Several regional operators will lead this initiative. Star Louisiana, a seasoned Popeyes developer, will strengthen the brand’s presence in Jalisco, in the Western Region. Border Crunch will guide expansion in the Northwest, while Grupo Euro will oversee growth in the Central region. In the Southeast, Grupo Berny will be responsible for driving development. Each group brings deep operational expertise and local market knowledge to support rapid scaling.

QSR executives view Mexico as a pivotal growth market where Popeyes’ Louisiana-inspired flavors and fan-favorite items, including its iconic Chicken Sandwich, will appeal strongly to guests. Duncan Montero, president of QSR’s Latin America and Caribbean division, highlighted that the brand’s heritage, menu innovation and focus on quality provide a clear competitive advantage.

The expansion is also expected to create thousands of new jobs, strengthening Popeyes’ role in local communities. This strategy builds on the chain’s recent international milestones, with successful entries into Costa Rica, Italy and the Balkans. Today, Popeyes operates in more than 45 countries, reinforcing its global momentum.

QSR’s latest announcement underscores its ability to leverage strong franchise partnerships to fuel sustained international growth. Mexico’s rollout positions Popeyes for long-term success while enhancing QSR’s global footprint and shareholder value.

QSR Stock’s Price Performance

Shares of the company have gained 9% in the past month against the industry’s decline of 4.7%. QSR continues to benefit from strong performances at Tim Hortons and International businesses. Also, the focus on unit growth, menu innovation, remodeling programs and digital initiatives remains encouraging for long-term prospects. The company is also gaining from the robust performance of Popeyes outside North America.

QSR’s Zacks Rank

Restaurant Brands currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Stocks to Consider

Some better-ranked stocks in the Zacks Retail-Wholesale sector are BJ's Restaurants, Inc. (BJRI), Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc. (RRGB) and Dutch Bros Inc. (BROS).

BJ's Restaurants currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

The company delivered a trailing four-quarter negative earnings surprise of 102.7%, on average. BJ's Restaurants stock has declined 9.1% in the year-to-date period. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BJ's Restaurants' 2025 sales and EPS indicates growth of 3.3% and 43.5%, respectively, from the year-ago period’s levels.

Red Robin has a Zacks Rank #2 at present. RRGB stock has surged 34.9% year to date.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Red Robin’s 2025 sales and EPS indicates a decline of 3% and a rise of 77.5%, respectively, from the prior-year levels.

Dutch Bros presently holds a Zacks Rank #2. The stock has declined 0.1% in the year-to-date period. Dutch Bros delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 91.9%, on average.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Dutch Bros’ 2025 sales and EPS implies growth of 25% and 38.8%, respectively, from the year-ago levels.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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