New Restaurant and Coffee Openings Point to a Busy Consumer Market
Three food and beverage updates are putting Panama’s consumer market back in focus: Shake Shack is preparing its first local restaurant, Starbucks has opened another drive-thru location, and McDonald’s Panamá is now serving certified Panamanian coffee.
Shake Shack will open its first Panama location at Town Center Costa del Este, one of Panama City’s busiest mixed-use areas. The opening is expected in 2026, although the company has not announced an exact date.
The brand is entering the market with Multifood Enterprises as its local partner. Its Panama menu will include familiar items such as the ShackBurger, Crinkle-Cut Fries, Frozen Custard, and Chicken Shack, along with items created for the local market.
Globally, Shake Shack operates more than 655 locations system-wide, including more than 235 international locations. The company has also said it expects to open 55 to 60 company-operated restaurants and 40 to 45 licensed restaurants in 2026.
Starbucks is also growing in Panama. On June 30, 2026, Starbucks Panamá opened its 21st store and 10th drive-thru in the country. The new location is at Los Pueblos, Viva Plaza, and operates daily from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
The opening follows another recent Starbucks location in Obarrio, promoted by the company in May 2026. Starbucks first entered Panama in 2015, when it opened at Street Mall and made Panama its 15th market in Latin America.
McDonald’s Panamá is moving in a different direction: local sourcing. The company is now serving Café Amistad, a 100% Panamanian coffee produced by Café de Eleta in Chiriquí and certified by Rainforest Alliance.
Café de Eleta was the first Panamanian coffee farm to receive that certification. The move also means that 55% of McDonald’s Panamá suppliers are now Panamanian companies, according to Arcos Dorados.
The coffee announcement is important because Panama’s coffee sector has a strong international reputation, especially for high-value specialty coffee from areas such as Boquete and Volcán. Even in a market dominated by global brands, local products can still play a larger role in everyday consumption.
Together, these announcements show a food and beverage market that continues to move. Shake Shack brings a new international name. Starbucks is expanding its convenience model. McDonald’s is strengthening its local supply chain.
For Panama, the message is simple: major brands continue to invest, but local products are also becoming part of the growth story.
5 Things You Should Know
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Where is Shake Shack opening? Shake Shack will open its first Panama location at Town Center Costa del Este in 2026.
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Who is bringing Shake Shack to Panama? Multifood Enterprises is the local partner introducing the brand to the market.
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Where is the newest Starbucks located? Starbucks opened its 21st location and 10th drive-thru in Panama on June 30, 2026, at Los Pueblos, Viva Plaza.
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What is McDonald’s Panamá changing about its coffee? The company is now serving Café Amistad, a 100% Panamanian coffee produced by Café de Eleta and certified by Rainforest Alliance.
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Why do these announcements matter? They show a highly active food and beverage market where international brands are expanding while local products capture a larger share of the global supply chain.
