The restaurant industry is intensely competitive and we compete with many well-established food service companies on the basis of product choice, quality, affordability, service and location. With few barriers to entry, our competitors include a variety of independent local operators, in addition to well-capitalized regional, national and international restaurant chains and franchises, and new competitors, such as virtual brands and dark kitchens, may emerge at any time. Furthermore, delivery aggregators and food delivery services provide consumers with convenient access to a broad range of competing restaurant chains and food retailers, particularly in urbanized areas, and may form a closer relationship with our customers and increase costs. Each of our brands also competes for qualified franchisees, suitable restaurant locations and management and personnel.

We depend in large part on the value of the TH, BK, PLK and PLKFHS brands. To be successful in the future, we must preserve, enhance and leverage the value of our brands. Brand value is based in part on consumer tastes, preferences and perceptions on a variety of factors, including the nutritional content, methods of production and preparation of our products and our business practices, including with respect to animal welfare, sustainability and other environmental or social concerns. Consumer acceptance of our products may be influenced by or subject to change for a variety of reasons. For example, adverse publicity associated with nutritional, health and other scientific studies and conclusions, which constantly evolve and often have contradictory implications, may drive popular opinion against quick service restaurants in general, which may impact the demand for our products. Moreover, health campaigns against products we offer in favor of foods that are perceived as healthier may affect consumer perception of our product offerings and impact the value of our brands.

In addition, adverse publicity related to litigation, regulation (including initiatives intended to drive consumer behavior) or incidents involving us, our franchisees, competitors or suppliers may impact the value of our brands by discouraging customers from buying our products. Perceptions may also be affected by activist campaigns to promote adverse perceptions of the quick service restaurant industry or our brands and/or our operations, suppliers, franchisees or other partners such as campaigns aimed at sustainability or living-wage opinions. Consumer demand for our products and our brand equity could diminish if we, our employees or our franchisees or other business partners fail to preserve the quality of our products, act or are perceived to act as unethical, illegal, racially-biased or in a socially irresponsible manner, including with respect to the sourcing, content or sale of our products or the use of consumer data for general or direct marketing or other purposes, fail to comply with laws and regulations, publicly take controversial positions or actions or fail to deliver a consistently positive consumer experience in each of our markets. If we are unsuccessful in addressing consumer adverse perceptions, our brands and our financial results may suffer.

We believe that our restaurant sales, guest traffic and profitability are strongly correlated to consumer discretionary spending, which is influenced by general economic conditions, unemployment levels, the availability of discretionary income and, ultimately, consumer confidence. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted at times in significant increases in unemployment and a reduction in discretionary spending. A protracted economic slowdown, increased unemployment and underemployment of our customer base, decreased salaries and wage rates, inflation, rising interest rates or other industry-wide cost pressures adversely affect consumer behavior by weakening consumer confidence and decreasing consumer spending for restaurant dining occasions. Governmental or other responses to economic challenges may be unable to restore or maintain consumer confidence. As a result of these factors, during

Unforeseen events, such as adverse weather conditions, natural disasters or catastrophic events, can adversely impact restaurant sales. Natural disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes, and severe adverse weather conditions and health pandemics whether occurring in Canada, the United States or abroad, can keep customers in the affected area from dining out, cause damage to or closure of restaurants and result in lost opportunities for our restaurants.

For example, measures implemented to reduce the spread of COVID-19 have adversely affected workforces, customers, consumer sentiment, supply chains, economies and financial markets, and, along with decreased consumer spending, have led to an economic downturn and increased inflation in many of our markets. As a result of COVID-19 and resulting labor challenges, we and our franchisees have experienced significant store closures and instances of reduced store-level operations, including reduced operating hours and dining-room closures. While many markets have reopened for dine-in guests, the capacity may be limited, and local conditions and new variants may lead again to closures or increased limitations. As a result of COVID-19, restaurant traffic and system-wide sales have been and may continue to be significantly negatively impacted.

We cannot predict the duration or scope of the COVID-19 pandemic or when operations will cease to be affected by it. Furthermore, we cannot predict the effects that actual or threatened armed conflicts, terrorist attacks, efforts to combat terrorism, or heightened security requirements will have on our future operations. Because a significant portion of our restaurant operating costs are fixed or semi-fixed in nature, the loss of sales and increases in labor and commodity costs during these periods hurtshurt our and our franchisees’ operating margins and can result in restaurant operating losses and our loss of royalties. We expect the COVID-19 pandemic to continue to negatively impact our financial results and based on the duration and scope, such impact could be material.

Our revenues are heavily influenced by brand marketing and advertising and by our ability to develop and launch new and innovative products. Our marketing and advertising programs may not be successful, or we may fail to develop commercially successful new products, which may adversely affect our ability to attract new guests and retain existing guests, and could materially and adversely affect our results of operations. Moreover, because franchisees contribute to advertising funds based on a percentage of gross sales at their franchise restaurants, advertising fund expenditures generally are dependent upon sales volumes at system-wide restaurants. If system-wide sales decline, the amount available for our marketing and advertising programs will be reduced. Also, to the extent that we use value offerings in our marketing and advertising programs to drive traffic, the low price offerings may condition our guests to resist higher prices in a more favorable economic environment.

In addition, we continue to focus on transforming the restaurant experience through technology and digital engagement to improve our service model and strengthen relationships with customers, including through digital channels, loyalty initiatives, mobile ordering and payment systems and delivery initiatives. These initiatives may not have the anticipated impact on our franchise sales and therefore we may not fully realize the intended benefits of these significant investments. In addition, utilizing third-party delivery services may not be as profitable as sales directly to our guests and may also introduce food quality and customer satisfaction risks outside of our control.

Our global operations expose us to risks in managing the differing cultural, regulatory, geopolitical and economic environments in the countries where our restaurants operate. These risks, which can vary substantially by market and may increase in importance as our franchisees expand operations in international markets, are described in many of the risk factors discussed in this sectionreport and include the following:

We report our results in U.S. dollars, which is our reporting currency. The operations of TH, BK, PLK and PLKFHS that are denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar are translated to U.S. dollars for our financial reporting purposes and are therefore impacted by fluctuations in currency exchange rates and changes in currency regulations. In addition, fluctuations in interest rates may affect our business. Although we attempt to minimize these risks through geographic diversification and the utilization of derivative financial instruments, our risk management strategies may not be effective and our results of operations could be adversely affected.

Our profitability and the profitability of our franchisees will depend in part on our ability to anticipate and react to changes in food and commodity and supply costs. With respect to our TH business, volatility in connection with certain key commodities that we purchase in the ordinary course of business can impact our revenues, costs and margins. If commodity prices rise, franchisees may experience reduced sales due to decreased consumer demand at retail prices that have been raised to offset increased commodity prices, which may reduce franchisee profitability. In addition, the markets for beef and chicken are subject to significant price fluctuations due to seasonal shifts, climate conditions, the cost of grain, disease, industry demand, international commodity markets, food safety concerns, product recalls, government regulation, labor availability and cost and other factors, all of which are beyond our control and, in many instances unpredictable. Such increases in commodity costs may materially and adversely affect our business and operating results.

We and our franchisees are dependent on frequent deliveries of fresh food products that meet our specifications. Shortages or interruptions in the supply of fresh food products caused by unanticipated demand, natural disasters or unforeseen events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, problems in production or distribution, inclement weather, delays or restrictions on shipping and/or manufacturing, closures of supplier or distributor facilities or financial distress or insolvency of suppliers or distributors or other conditions have and in the future could adversely affect the availability, quality and cost of ingredients, which wouldcould adversely affect our operating results. As of December 31, 2020,2021, we have only a few distributors that service the most of our BK, PLK and PLKFHS operations in the U.S., and our operations could be adversely affected if any of these distributors were unable to fulfill their responsibilities and we were unable to locate a substitute distributor in a timely manner.

We operate a vertically integrated supply chain for our TH business in which we manufacture, warehouse, and distribute certain food and restaurant supplies to TH restaurants. Risks associated with this vertical integration growth strategy include:

The success of any restaurant depends in substantial part on its location. The current locations of our restaurants may not continue to be attractive as demographic patterns change. Neighborhood or economic conditions where restaurants are located could decline in the future, thus resulting in potentially reduced sales in those locations. Competition for restaurant locations can also be intense and there may be delay or cancellation of new site developments by developers and landlords, which may be exacerbated by factors related to the commercial real estate or credit markets. If franchisees cannot obtain desirable locations for their restaurants at reasonable prices due to, among other things, higher than anticipated acquisition, construction and/or development costs of new restaurants, difficulty negotiating leases with acceptable terms, onerous land use or zoning restrictions, or challenges in securing required governmental permits, then their ability to execute their respective growth strategies may be adversely affected.

The market for retail real estate is highly competitive. Based on their size advantage and/or their greater financial resources, some of our competitors may have the ability to negotiate more favorable lease terms than we can and some landlords and developers may offer priority or grant exclusivity to some of our competitors for desirable locations. As a result, we or our franchisees may not be able to obtain new leases or renew existing leases on acceptable terms, if at all, which could adversely affect our sales and brand-building initiatives.

Many of our Company and franchised restaurants are located on leased premises. As leases underlying these restaurants expire, we or our franchisees may be unable to negotiate a new lease or lease extension, either on commercially acceptable terms or at all, which could cause us or our franchisees to close restaurants in desirable locations. As a result, our revenues and our brand-building initiatives could be adversely affected. In general, we cannot cancel existing leases; therefore, if an existing or future restaurant is not profitable, and we decide to close it, we may still be committed to perform under the applicable lease. In addition, the value of our owned real estate assets could decrease, and/or our costs could increase, because of changes in the investment climate for real estate, demographic trends, demand for restaurant sites and other retail properties, and exposure to or liability associated with environmental contamination and reclamation.

Typically, the costs of insurance, taxes, maintenance, utilities, and other property-related costs due under a prime lease with a third-party landlord are passed through to the franchisee under our sublease. If a franchisee fails to perform the obligations passed through under the sublease, we will be required to perform these obligations resulting in an increase in our leasing and operational costs and expenses. In addition, the rent a franchisee pays us under the sublease may be based on a percentage of gross sales. If gross sales at a certain restaurant are less than we project we may pay more rent to a third-party landlord under the prime lease than we receive from the franchisee under the sublease. These events could result in increased leasing and operational costs to us.

Food safety is a top priority for us and we dedicate substantial resources to ensure that our customers enjoy safe, high-quality food products. However, food-borne illnesses and other food safety issues have occurred in the food industry in the past and could occur in the future. Also, our reliance on third-party food suppliers, distributors and food delivery aggregators increases the risk that food-borne illness incidents could be caused by factors outside of our control and that multiple locations would be affected rather than a single restaurant. Any report or publicity, including through social media, linking us or one of our franchisees or suppliers to instances of food-borne illness or other food safety issues, including food tampering, adulteration or contamination, could adversely affect our brands and reputation as well as our sales and profits. Such occurrence at restaurants of competitors could adversely affect sales as a result of negative publicity about the industry generally. The occurrence of food-borne illnesses or food safety issues could also adversely affect the price and availability of affected ingredients, which could result in disruptions in our supply chain,

Some of our products contain caffeine, dairy products, fats, sugar and other compounds and allergens, the health effects of which are the subject of public scrutiny, including suggesting that excessive consumption of caffeine, beef, sugar and otherthese compounds can lead to a variety of adverse health effects. An unfavorable report on the health effects of caffeine or otherany compounds present in our products, or negative publicity or litigation arising from other health risks such as obesity, could significantly reduce the

Our brands, which represent approximately 45%47% of the total assets on our balance sheet as of December 31, 2020,2021, are very important to our success and our competitive position. We rely on a combination of trademarks, copyrights, service marks, trade secrets, patents, industrial designs, and other intellectual property rights to protect our brands and the respective branded products. While we have registered certain trademarks in Canada, the U.S. and foreign jurisdictions, not all of the trademarks that our brands currently use have been registered in all of the countries in which we do business, and they may never be registered in all of these countries. We may not be able to adequately protect our trademarks, and our use of these trademarks may result in liability for trademark infringement, trademark dilution or unfair competition. The steps we have taken to protect our intellectual property in Canada, the U.S. and in foreign countries may not be adequate and we may, from time to time, be required to institute litigation to enforce our trademarks or other intellectual property rights or to protect our trade secrets. Further, third parties may assert or prosecute infringement claims against us. In these cases, our proprietary rights could be challenged, circumvented, infringed or invalidated. Any such litigation could result in substantial costs and diversion of resources and could negatively affect our revenue, profitability and prospects regardless of whether we are able to successfully enforce our rights. In addition, the laws of some foreign countries do not protect intellectual property rights to the same extent as the laws of Canada and the U.S.

Our restaurants are subject to licensing and regulation by health, sanitation, safety and other agencies in the state, province and/or municipality in which the restaurant is located. Federal, state, provincial and local government authorities have enacted and may enact laws, rules or regulations that impact restaurant operations and may increase the cost of doing business. In developing markets, we face the risks associated with new and untested laws and judicial systems. If we fail to comply with existing or future laws, we may be subject to governmental fines and sanctions.

We are subject to various provincial, state and foreign laws that govern the offer and sale of a franchise, including in the U.S., to an FTC rule. Various provincial, state and foreign laws regulate certain aspects of the franchise relationship, including terminations and the refusal to renew franchises. The failure to comply with these laws and regulations in any jurisdiction or to obtain required government approvals could result in a ban or temporary suspension on future franchise sales, fines and penalties or require us to make offers of rescission or restitution, any of which could adversely affect our business and operating results. We could also face lawsuits by franchisees based upon alleged violations of these laws.

Additionally, we, our franchisees and our supply chain are subject to risks and costs arising from the effects of climate change, greenhouse gases, and diminishing energy and water resources. These risks include the increased public focus, including by governmental and nongovernmental organizations, on these and other environmental sustainability matters, such as packaging and waste, animal health and welfare, deforestation and land use. Also, we face increased pressure to make commitments, set targets or establish additional goals and take actions to meet them which could expose us to market, operational and execution costs or risks. If we are unable to effectively manage the risks associated with our complex regulatory environment, it could have a material adverse effect on our business and financial condition.

We have outsourced certain administrative functions for our business, certain information technology support services and benefit plan administration to third-party service providers. In the future, we may outsource other functions to achieve cost savings and efficiencies. If the service providers to which we outsource these functions do not perform effectively, we may not be able to achieve the expected cost savings and may have to incur additional costs in connection with such failure to perform. Depending on the function involved, such failures may also lead to business disruption, transaction errors, processing inefficiencies, the loss of sales and customers, the loss of or damage to intellectual property through security breach, and the loss of sensitive data through security breach or otherwise. Any such damage or interruption could have a material adverse effect on our business, cause us to face significant fines, customer notice obligations or costly litigation, harm our reputation with our customers or prevent us from paying our collective suppliers or employees or receiving payments on a timely basis.

Substantially all of our restaurants are owned and operated by franchisees. Under our fully franchised business model, our future prospects depend on (i) our ability to attract new franchisees for each of our brands that meet our criteria and (ii) the willingness and ability of franchisees to open restaurants in existing and new markets. We may be unable to identify franchisees who meet our criteria, or if we identify such franchisees, they may not successfully implement their expansion plans.

Our fully franchised business model presents a number of other drawbacks, such as limited influence over franchisees, limited ability to facilitate changes in restaurant ownership, limitations on enforcement of franchise obligations due to bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings and reliance on franchisees to participate in our strategic initiatives. While we can mandate certain strategic initiatives through enforcement of our franchise agreements, we will need the active support of our franchisees if the implementation of these initiatives is to be successful. The failure of these franchisees to support our marketing programs and strategic initiatives could adversely affect our ability to implement our business strategy and could materially harm our business, results of operations and financial condition. On occasion we have encountered, and may in the future encounter, challenges in receiving specific financial and operational results from our franchisees in a consistent and timely manner, which can negatively impact our business and operating results.

Our principal competitors that have a significantly higher percentage of company-operated restaurants than we do may have greater influence over their respective restaurant systems and greater ability to implement operational initiatives and business strategies, including their marketing and advertising programs.

The ability of our franchisees and prospective franchisees to obtain financing for development of new restaurants or reinvestment in existing restaurants depends in part upon financial and economic conditions which are beyond their control. If our franchisees are unable to obtain financing on acceptable terms or otherwise do not devote sufficient resources to develop new restaurants or reinvest in existing restaurants, our business and financial results could be adversely affected.

Our franchisees are also dependent upon their ability to attract and retain qualified employees in an intensely competitive employee market. The inability of our franchisees to recruit and retain qualified individuals or increased costs to do so, including due to labor market dynamics or increases in legally required wages, may delay the planned openings of new restaurants by our franchisees and could adversely impact existing franchise restaurantsrestaurant operations and franchisee profitability, which could slow our growth. In addition, the risk or perceived risk of contractingrisks and required protocols related to COVID-19, including vaccine mandates, could adversely affect the ability, or the cost, of staffing restaurants. If employees at either franchisee or Company restaurants whichbecome unionized, their or our business could be exacerbatednegatively affected by factors that increase cost, decrease flexibility or otherwise disrupt the business. Responses to the extent that we orlabor organizing efforts by our franchisees have employees who test positive for the virus.or us could negatively impact brand perception and our business and financial results. Moreover, we may also face liability for employment-related claims of our franchisees’ employees based on theories of joint employer liability with our franchisees or other theories of vicarious liability, which could materially harm our results of operations and financial condition.

We generate revenues in the form of royalties, fees and other amounts from our franchisees. As a result, our operating results are closely tied to the success of our franchisees. However, our franchisees are independent operators and we cannot control many factors that impact the profitability of their restaurants. The impact of COVID-19 has,At times, we have and is expected to continue to have, an adverse effect on our franchisees’ liquidity. As a result, we provided, where appropriate,may in the future provide cash flow support to franchisees in the U.S. and Canada by

If sales trends or economic conditions worsen for franchisees, their financial results may deteriorate, which could result in, among other things, restaurant closures; delayed or reduced payments to us of royalties, advertising contributions, rents and, delayed or reduced payments for TH products and supplies; and an inability for such franchisees to obtain financing to fund development, restaurant remodels or equipment initiatives on acceptable terms or at all. Also, franchisees may not be willing or able to renew their franchise agreements with us due to low sales volumes, high real estate costs, or the failure to secure lease renewals. If our franchisees fail to renew their franchise agreements, our royalty revenues may decrease which in turn could materially and adversely affect our business and operating results.

Franchisees and sub-franchisees may not successfully operate restaurants in a manner consistent with our established procedures, standards and requirements or standards set by applicable law, including sanitation and pest control standards.standards or data processing and cybersecurity requirements. Any operational shortcoming of a franchise or sub-franchise restaurant is likely to be attributed by guests to the entire brand and may be

We believe that the future growth and profitability of each of our brands will depend on our ability to successfully accelerate international development with strategic partners and joint ventures in new and existing international markets. New markets may have different competitive conditions, consumer tastes and discretionary spending patterns than our existing markets. As a result, new restaurants in those markets may have lower average restaurant sales than restaurants in existing markets and may take longer than expected to reach target sales and profit levels (or may never do so). We will need to build brand awareness in those new markets we enter through advertising and promotional activity, and those activities may not promote our brands as effectively as intended, if at all.

We have adopted a master franchise development model for all of our brands, which in markets with strong growth potential may include participating in strategic joint ventures, to accelerate international growth. These new arrangements may give our joint venture and/or master franchise partners the exclusive right to develop and manage our restaurants in a specific country or countries, including, in some cases, the right to sub-franchise. A joint venture partnership involves special risks, including the following: our joint venture partners may have economic, business or legal interests or goals that are inconsistent with those of the joint venture or us, or our joint venture partners may be unable to meet their economic or other obligations and we may be required to fulfill those obligations alone. Our master franchise arrangements present similar risks and uncertainties. We cannot control the actions of our joint venture partners or master franchisees, including any nonperformance, default or bankruptcy of joint venture partners or master franchisees. While sub-franchisees are required to operate their restaurants in accordance with specified operations, safety and health standards, we are not party to the agreements with the sub-franchisees and are dependent upon our master franchisees to enforce these standards with respect to sub-franchised restaurants. As a result, the ultimate success and quality of any sub-franchised restaurant rests with the master franchisee and the sub-franchisee. In addition, the termination of an arrangement with a master franchisee or a lack of expansion by certain master franchisees has and may in the future result in the delay or discontinuation of the development of franchise restaurants, or an interruption in the operation of our brand in a particular market or markets. We may not be able to find another operator to resume development activities in such market or markets. Any such delay, discontinuation or interruption could materially and adversely affect our business and operating results.

As of December 31, 2020,2021, we had aggregate outstanding indebtedness of $12,631$13,116 million, including senior secured term loan facilities in an aggregate principal amount of $6,028$6,493 million, senior secured first lien notes in an aggregate principal amount of $2,775$2,800 million and senior secured second lien notes in an aggregate principal amount of $3,650 million. Subject to restrictions set forth in these instruments, we may also incur significant additional indebtedness in the future, some of which may be secured debt. This may have the effect of increasing our total leverage.

Our substantial leverage could have important potential consequences, including, but not limited to:

If we are unable to generate sufficient cash flow to pay indebtedness and other funding needs or refinance our indebtedness on favorable terms, or at all, our financial condition may be materially adversely affected.

The terms of our indebtedness include a number of restrictive covenants that, among other things, limit our ability to incur additional indebtedness or guarantee or prepay indebtedness; pay dividends on, repurchase or make distributions in respect of capital stock; make investments or acquisitions; create liens or use assets as security in other transactions; consolidate, merge, sell or otherwise dispose of substantially all of our or our subsidiaries’ assets; make intercompany transactions; and enter into transactions with affiliates. These limitations may hinder our ability to finance future operations and capital needs and our ability to pursue business opportunities and activities that may be in our interest. In addition, our ability to comply with these covenants and restrictions may be affected by events beyond our control.

A breach of the covenants under our indebtedness could result in an event of default under the applicable agreement allowing the debt holders to accelerate repayment of such debt as well as any other debt to which a cross-acceleration or cross-default provision applies. In addition, default under our senior secured credit facilities would also permit the lenders thereunder to terminate all other commitments to extend additional credit thereunder, including under the revolver. Similarly, in the event of a change of control, pursuant to the terms of our indebtedness, we may be required to repay our credit facilities, or offer to repurchase the senior secured first lien and second lien notes as well as future indebtedness. Such current and future terms could have the effect of delaying or preventing a future change of control or may discourage a potential acquirer from proposing or completing a transaction that may otherwise have presented a premium to our equity holders.

Following the occurrence of either an event of default or change of control, we may not have sufficient resources to repurchase, repay or redeem our obligations, as applicable, and we may not be able to obtain additional financing to satisfy these obligations on terms favorable to us or at all. Also, if we were unable to repay the amounts due under our secured indebtedness, the holders of such indebtedness could proceed against the collateral that secures such indebtedness. In the event our creditors accelerate the repayment of our secured indebtedness, we and our subsidiaries may not have sufficient assets to repay that indebtedness.

We are subject to income and other taxes in Canada, the United States, and numerous foreign jurisdictions. A taxation authority may disagree with certain of our views, including, for example, the allocation of profits by tax jurisdiction, and the deductibility of our interest expense, and may take the position that material income tax liabilities, interest, penalties, or other amounts are payable by us, in which case, we expect to contest such assessment. Contesting such an assessment may be lengthy and costly and if we were unsuccessful, the implications could be materially adverse to us and affect our effective income tax rate or operating income.

From time to time, we are subject to additional state and local income tax audits, international income tax audits and sales, franchise and value-added tax audits. Although we believe our tax estimates are reasonable, the final determination of tax audits and any related litigation could be materially different from our historical income tax provisions and accruals. There can be no assurance

The results of a tax audit or related litigation could result in us not being in a position to take advantage of the effective income tax rates and the level of benefits that we anticipated to achieve as a result of corporate reorganizations, initiatives and transactions, and the implications could have a material adverse effect on our effective income tax rate, income tax provision, net income (loss) or cash flows in the period or periods for which that determination is made.

As Canadian entities,Because RBI and Partnership generally would beare organized under the laws of Canada, we are classified as foreign entities (and, therefore, non-U.S. tax residents) under general rules of U.S. federal income taxation. Section 7874taxation that an entity is considered a tax resident in the jurisdiction of its organization or incorporation. Even so, the Code, however, contains rulesIRS may assert that result in a non-U.S. corporation being taxedwe should be treated as a U.S. corporation (and, therefore, a U.S. tax resident) for U.S. federal income tax purposes unless certain tests, applied at the time of the

The 2021 Canadian Federal Budget proposed various tax law changes, including a new limitation on the deductibility of interest and similar expenses; draft legislation was released on February 4, 2022, with a proposed effective date of January 1, 2023. In general, the draft legislation proposes to limit the deductibility of interest and other financing-related expenses to the rules in sections 385extent that such expenses, net of interest and 7874financing-related income, exceed a fixed ratio of the Code orentity’s tax EBITDA, with specified carry-back and carry-forward limits. The proposed rules and their application are complex and could materially increase our future income taxes if enacted, adversely impacting our effective tax rate and financial results.

The Biden Administration and the U.S. Congress are considering and have proposed various changes to U.S. corporate income taxation, including increased taxation of international business operations. In addition, the U.S. Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder, or otherhas broad authority to issue regulations and interpretative guidance with respect to existing and new tax laws that may significantly impact how such laws are applied. A number of currently contemplated tax law changes in law,if enacted could materially adversely affect our and/or Partnership’s status as a non-U.S. entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes, our effective income tax rate, or future planning based on current law,cash taxes and any such changes could have prospective or retroactive application to us and/or Partnership. It is presently uncertain whether any such legislative proposals will be enacted into law and, if so, what impact such legislation would have on us. The timing and substance of any such further action is presently uncertain. Any such change of law or regulatory action which could apply retroactively or prospectively, could adversely impact our tax position as well as our financial position and results in a material manner. The precise scope and application of any such regulatory proposals will not be clear until proposed Treasury Regulations are issued, and, accordingly, until such regulations are promulgated and fully understood, we cannot be certain that there will be no such impact. In addition, we would be impacted by any changes in tax law in response to corporate tax reforms and other policy initiatives in the U.S. and elsewhere.results.

Moreover, the U.S. Congress, theThe Organization for Economic Co-operationCooperation and Development ("OECD"(“OECD”), the European Union (“EU”) and other government agencies in jurisdictions where RBI and its affiliates do business have had an extended focus on issues related to the taxation of multinational corporations. Specific attention has been paid to “base erosion and profit shifting” ("BEPS"), where payments are made between affiliates from a jurisdiction with high tax rates to a jurisdiction with lower tax rates. As a result, the tax laws in themany countries (including countries in which we do business could changeoperate) have committed to enacting substantial changes to numerous long-standing tax principals impacting how large multinational enterprises are taxed in an effort to limit perceived base erosion and profit shifting incentives, including a 15% global minimum tax applied on a prospective or retroactivecountry-by-country basis with a targeted effective date of January 1, 2023. The OECD has issued model rules with respect to various aspects of such proposed changes and anyis beginning a public consultation process with additional guidance expected. The implementation, timing and many details regarding such changepotential tax law changes remain uncertain as individual countries evaluate and pursue their respective approaches to enacting the principles underlying such model rules. Such global tax developments could materially increase our future income taxes if enacted, adversely affect us.

In the ordinary course of our business, we collect, process, transmit, and retain personal information regarding our employees and their families, our franchisees and their employees, vendors, contractors, and consumers, which can include social security numbers, social insurance numbers, banking and tax identification information, health care information, and credit card information and our franchisees collect similar information. For example, in 2019 and 2020,recent years we expanded our development and management of our brands’ mobile apps, online ordering platforms, and in-restaurant kiosks.kiosks and started to provide point-of-sale software. While our

A major breach, theft, or loss of the personal information described above that is held by us, our vendors, our franchisees, or our franchisees' vendors could adversely affect our reputation and restaurant operations as well as result in substantial fines, penalties, indemnification claims, and potential litigation against us which could negatively impact our results of operations and financial condition.

We are subject to risks related with non-compliance of privacy and data protection laws and regulations. For example, under the European

Significant capital investments and other expenditures could be required to remedy a breach and prevent future problems, including costs associated with additional security technologies, personnel, experts, and credit monitoring services for those whose data has been breached. These costs, which could be material, could adversely impact our results of operations during the period in which they are incurred. The techniques and sophistication used to conduct cyber-attacks and breaches, as well as the sources and targets of these attacks, change frequently and are often not recognized until such attacks are launched or have been in place for a period of time. Accordingly, our efforts and expenditures to prevent future cyber-attacks or breaches may not be successful.

We rely heavily on our computer systems and network infrastructure across operations including, but not limited to, point-of-sale processing at our restaurants, as well as the systems of our third-party vendors to whom we outsource certain administrative functions. Despite our implementation of security measures, all of our technology systems are vulnerable to damage, disruption or failures due to physical theft, fire, power loss, telecommunications failure, or other catastrophic events, as well as from problems with transitioning to upgraded or replacement systems, internal and external security breaches, denial of service attacks, viruses, worms, and other disruptive problems caused by hackers. If any of our technology systems were to fail or become subject to ransomware and we were unable to recover in a timely way, we could experience an interruption in our operations. Furthermore, if unauthorized access to or use of our systems were to occur, data related to our proprietary information could be compromised. The occurrence of any of these incidents could have a material adverse effect on our future financial condition and results of operations. To the extent that some of our worldwide reporting systems require or rely on manual processes, it could increase the risk of a breach due to human error.

Further, the standards for systems currently used for transmission and approval of electronic payment transactions, and the technology utilized in electronic payment themselves, all of which can put electronic payment data at risk, are determined and controlled by the payment card industry, not by us. If someone is able to circumvent our data security measures or those of third parties with whom we do business, including our franchisees, he or she could destroy or steal valuable information or disrupt our operations. Any security breach could expose us to risks of data loss, litigation, liability, and could seriously disrupt our operations. Any resulting negative publicity could significantly harm our reputation and could materially and adversely affect our business and operating results.

Finally, we have expended and may need to continue to expend substantial financial and managerial resources to enhance our existing restaurant management systems, financial and management controls, information systems and personnel to accurately capture

3G Restaurant Brands Holdings LP (“3G RBH”) currently owns approximately 92%91% of the Partnership exchangeable units and approximately 31%29% of the combined voting power with respect to RBI. The interests of 3G RBH and its principals may not always be aligned with the interests of the other holders of Partnership exchangeable units. So long as 3G RBH continues to directly or indirectly own a significant amount of the voting power of RBI, it will continue to be able to strongly influence or effectively control the business decisions of RBI and Partnership. 3G RBH and its principals may have interests that are different from those of the other

In addition, this concentration of ownership could have the effect of delaying or preventing a change in control or otherwise discouraging a potential acquirer from attempting to obtain control of RBI or Partnership, which could cause the market price of RBI’s common shares or Partnership exchangeable units to decline or prevent the shareholders or unitholders from realizing a premium over the market price for their RBI common shares or Partnership exchangeable units.

3G RBH is affiliated with 3G Capital Partners, Ltd. a global investment firm (“3G Capital”). 3G Capital is in the business of making investments in companies and may from time to time in the future pursue opportunities, acquire or develop controlling interests in businesses engaged in the QSR industry that complement or directly or indirectly compete with certain portions of our business. As a result, those acquisition opportunities may not be available to us.

The board of directors of RBI has the authority, without action or vote of RBI’s shareholders or our unitholders, to issue an unlimited number of additional RBI common shares or Partnership exchangeable units, including in connection with investments and acquisitions. The number of RBI common shares or Partnership exchangeable units issued in connection with an investment or acquisition could constitute a material portion of the then-outstanding RBI common shares or Partnership exchangeable units, and could materially dilute the ownership of our unitholders. Issuances of RBI common shares or Partnership exchangeable units would reduce the influence of holders of Partnership exchangeable units over matters on which they are entitled to vote.

Partnership exchangeable units are not listed on a national exchange in the United States. Although Partnership exchangeable units are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange, an active public market for Partnership exchangeable units may not be sustained, and such market is not as liquid as for RBI common shares. If an active public market is not sustained, it may be difficult for investors who hold Partnership exchangeable units to sell their exchangeable units at a price that is attractive to them, or at all.

Although exchangeable, the Partnership exchangeable units and the RBI common shares are distinct securities. The Partnership exchangeable units and RBI common shares will at all times trade separately, and the public market for Partnership exchangeable units is not as liquid as for the RBI common shares. In addition, if a holder of Partnership exchangeable units exercises its exchange right, RBI, in its capacity as the general partner of Partnership and in its sole discretion, may cause Partnership to repurchase each Partnership exchangeable unit submitted for exchange in consideration for cash (in an amount determined in accordance with the terms of the partnership agreement) in lieu of exchanging for common shares. As such, Partnership exchangeable units may not trade equally with RBI common shares, and could trade at a discount to the market price of RBI common shares, which discount could possibly be material.

Holders of Partnership exchangeable units are entitled to require Partnership to exchange all or any portion of such holder’s Partnership exchangeable units for RBI common shares either on a one-for-one basis or for cash (in an amount determined in accordance with the terms of the partnership agreement) at the sole election of RBI, in its capacity as the general partner of Partnership.

The RBI common shares for which Partnership exchangeable units may be exchanged may be subject to significant fluctuations in value for many reasons, including our operating and financial performance and prospects; general market conditions; the risks described in this report; changes to the competitive landscape in the industries or markets in which we operate; the arrival or departure of key personnel; and speculation in the press or the investment community.

If a holder of Partnership exchangeable units elects to exchange his or her Partnership exchangeable units for RBI common shares, the exchange generally will be taxable for Canadian and U.S. federal income tax purposes.

The limitation of liability conferred under the Ontario Limited Partnerships Act may be ineffective outside Ontario except to the extent it is given extra-territorial recognition or effect by the laws of other jurisdictions. There may also be requirements to be satisfied in each jurisdiction to maintain limited liability. If limited liability is lost, limited partners may be considered to be general partners (and therefore be subject to unlimited liability) in such jurisdiction by creditors and others having claims against Partnership.

The following graph depicts the total return to the holders of Partnership exchangeable units from December 31, 20152016 through December 31, 2020,2021, relative to the performance of the Standard & Poor’s/TSX Composite Index and the Standard & Poor’s/TSX Capped Consumer Discretionary Index, a peer group. The graph assumes an investment of $100 in Partnership exchangeable units and each index on December 31, 20152016 and the reinvestment of distributions paid since that date. The price performance shown in the graph is not necessarily indicative of future price performance.

WeCommencing upon the acquisition of Firehouse Subs, we have threefour operating and reportable segments: (1) Tim Hortons (“TH”); (2) Burger King (“BK”); and (3) Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen (“PLK”); and (4) Firehouse Subs (“FHS”). Our business generates revenue from the following sources: (i) franchise and advertising revenues, consisting primarily of royalties and advertising fund contributions based on a percentage of sales reported by franchise restaurants and franchise fees paid by franchisees; (ii) property revenues from properties we lease or sublease to franchisees; and (iii) sales at restaurants owned by us (“Company restaurants”). In addition, our Tim HortonsTH business generates revenue from sales to franchisees related to our supply chain operations, including manufacturing, procurement, warehousing, and distribution, as well as sales to retailers.