KFC and Taco Bell Shut Puerto Rico Restaurants

Every KFC and Taco Bell restaurant in Puerto Rico has temporarily closed after Yum! Brands ended its arrangement with Encanto Restaurants, the island-based operator. The closure was announced on November 2, and the two chains say they are looking for a replacement franchise partner.

Yum! Brands said Encanto could no longer operate in a way that met the company’s standards. It described ending the relationship as a difficult decision and said it remained committed to Puerto Rico, with work underway to reopen the restaurants as quickly as possible.

The local KFC and Taco Bell operations also said they were seeking a new partner. KFC’s local account expressed hope that it would serve customers again soon.

The change affects brands with long histories on the island: Puerto Rico’s first KFC opened in 1967, and Encanto began operating Taco Bell there in 1985. Encanto also runs Pizza Hut and IHOP locations in the U.S. territory. The company operates 180 restaurants across Puerto Rico and employs more than 3,000 people.