AmRest reaches 700 restaurants in Poland, with more Starbucks openings planned

AmRest reached 700 restaurants in Poland in October 2026. The operator of brands including KFC and Starbucks plans further expansion, including four more Starbucks coffee shops in the fourth quarter. However, this growth comes alongside a more cautious approach to investment: group revenue rose in the third quarter, but it reported a net loss.

Poland accounts for around a third of the group’s restaurants

As Polish trade news website dlahandlu.pl reported on 13 November, citing AmRest’s investor presentation for the third quarter of 2026, Poland remains the group’s largest market by restaurant numbers. Around 33% of its network is located in the country. Reaching 700 outlets therefore primarily underlines the importance of the Polish market to the operator’s business.

It is worth distinguishing between the dates covered by these figures. In its main brand-by-brand breakdown at the end of September, AmRest reported 683 outlets in Poland. The announcement of its 700th restaurant, meanwhile, refers to October. These are not conflicting accounts of the network’s size at the same point in time, but figures from different stages of its development.

For those in the franchise sector, the scale of a major operator of well-known foodservice brands is also relevant. Its outlet count indicates these brands’ presence in Poland, but does not in itself indicate whether opportunities are available to independent franchisees. The announcement concerns the size of AmRest’s network, not the recruitment of new franchise partners in Poland.

KFC passes 400 outlets as Starbucks plans further openings

At the end of September 2026, AmRest operated 409 KFC restaurants in Poland. The brand accounts for a substantial share of the operator’s Polish network. However, that figure should be read in the context of the September reporting date, rather than treated as part of the October total for all the group’s restaurants.

Starbucks is another focus for growth. AmRest announced the opening of the brand’s 100th coffee shop in Poland and plans for four more in the fourth quarter of 2026. Three are due to open in Warsaw and one in Wrocław.

This is a specific plan covering two cities and one brand. The announced coffee shops should not, however, be counted as outlets already trading. The fourth-quarter plan sets out the operator’s intentions, whereas the 100th opening is presented as a milestone already achieved.

This distinction matters when monitoring local competition. An operating outlet and a planned opening mean different things to an entrepreneur assessing the competitive environment around their own restaurant or coffee shop. Neither automatically indicates an opportunity to join the brand as a franchisee.

Company-operated and franchised openings across the group

AmRest opened 15 restaurants across all its markets in the third quarter of 2026. Of these, 13 were company-operated and two were franchised. Company-operated outlets therefore clearly dominated openings during the quarter.

These figures cover the whole group, not just Poland. There is therefore no basis for assuming that the two new franchised outlets were in Poland or linking them to the planned Starbucks openings in Warsaw and Wrocław. These are separate pieces of information: one describes the breakdown of the group’s completed openings, while the other sets out its Polish plans for a particular brand.

Over the preceding 12 months, AmRest’s network grew by 84 restaurants. From the start of 2026 to the end of the third quarter, it added 44 outlets. These figures also relate to the operator’s wider business, rather than Poland alone.

For those in the franchise sector, it is therefore important to consider these figures alongside their geographical scope and reporting period. The group’s global rate of expansion cannot be directly translated into a growth rate for franchised outlets in Poland.

Higher revenue, but more cautious investment

AmRest’s revenue in the third quarter of 2026 totalled €668.4 million, up 1.2% year on year. Revenue from Poland reached €229.1 million, compared with €225.7 million in the same period a year earlier. The Polish market thus accounted for around a third of the group’s quarterly sales.

However, revenue growth did not translate into a net profit. AmRest ended the quarter with a net loss of €1.5 million. The group plans further openings, while also signalling a more cautious approach to capital allocation. Network expansion and higher sales are therefore taking place alongside pressure on profitability.

Practical takeaway: when assessing a restaurant chain’s growth, check the number of trading outlets, the status of announced openings and the proportion of franchised outlets separately. AmRest’s example also shows why expansion alone should not be equated with an improvement in financial performance.