All KFC and Taco Bell restaurants in Puerto Rico have temporarily closed after Yum! Brands ended its relationship with island-based operator Encanto Restaurants, officials announced Monday. Both fast-food chains posted brief statements accusing Encanto Restaurants of failing to meet quality standards.
Yum! Brands, the parent company of KFC and Taco Bell, is actively seeking a new franchise partner to resume operations in Puerto Rico. "We hope to be able to serve you again very soon,” KFC Puerto Rico stated on Instagram.
Neither Kentucky-based Yum! Brands nor Encanto Restaurants immediately responded to messages seeking further comment. Encanto Restaurants also operates Pizza Hut and IHOP locations in Puerto Rico, managing a total of 180 restaurants and employing over 3,000 people on the island. The first KFC restaurant in Puerto Rico opened in 1967, while Encanto Restaurants began operating Taco Bell there in 1985.