Taco Bell announced it is closing all of its restaurants in Puerto Rico after ending its commercial relationship with Encanto Restaurants, the company that operated the franchise on the island. In a statement posted on its official page, the chain explained that Encanto Restaurants could no longer operate under the quality standards the brand requires.
Taco Bell said it is working to identify a new franchisee that would allow its locations to reopen. The announcement leaves questions about the future of the workers. It is not yet known how many employees are affected, whether they will be relocated to other operations, or what will be done about their jobs and compensation.
It also has not been reported how the hiring of staff would be handled if a new operator arrives. Taco Bell thanked Puerto Rican consumers for their support and said it intends to return to the local market. However, it gave no estimated reopening date and no details on the negotiations to secure a new franchisee.