McDonald’s Chile expands use of mass timber construction

McDonald’s in Chile is expanding its use of engineered wood for restaurant construction. The company recently opened a new location in San Bernardo, marking its second restaurant built with mass timber.

Through a partnership between Arcos Dorados Chile and HILAM Arauco, the construction process has become increasingly efficient. The San Bernardo site was assembled in 10 days, an improvement from the 12 days required for the first mass timber location in Temuco. A third project currently under construction has already completed assembly in eight days.

The San Bernardo facility covers approximately 400 square meters and utilizes 125 cubic meters of mass timber, including cross-laminated timber (CLT) and glued laminated timber (MLE). This construction method is noted for its environmental benefits, with the volume of wood used capable of sequestering approximately 173 tons of CO2 per cubic meter.