Burger King Corp. announced today that it now has 1,000 restaurants open in the Latin America and Caribbean region. Burger King restaurants now operate in 27 countries across the region and have realized 15 years of positive comparable sales growth. Most recently, the Burger King brand surpassed its closest competitor in Mexico in total number of restaurants making it the region’s 17th country to successfully attain market leadership.

The region’s 1,000th restaurant opening took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in June 2008 with franchisee Emilio Westermann. Westermann has a development agreement to open an additional 30 restaurants in Brazil over the next five years.

“The Latin America and Caribbean region’s strategy has always focused on delivering clear, tangible, and profitable results by providing our guests a superior dining experience over the competition,” says Armando Jacomino, president, Latin America & Caribbean, Burger King Corp. “Jointly, with our franchise and company restaurants, we are confident that we will continue to gain market leadership. We will grow our brand by offering quality products and exceptional service with increasing convenience as we pursue significant restaurant development opportunities throughout the region,” Jacomino adds.

Much of the Burger King brand’s recent restaurant expansion can also be attributed to new market entries in Colombia, Curaçao, Suriname, and Uruguay and the further development of existing markets such as Mexico, Brazil, and the Southern Cone.