Lease Accounting
Components of Lease Cost
202520242023
Operating lease cost$158 $135 $130 
Finance lease cost
Amortization of right-of-use assets
Interest on lease liabilities
Total finance lease cost$11 $$
Sublease income$(49)$(48)$(51)

Supplemental Cash Flow Information
20252024
2023
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities
Operating cash flows from operating leases$158 $137 $127 
Operating cash flows from finance leases
Financing cash flows from finance leases
Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for lease obligations(a)
Operating leases414 247 127 
Finance leases84 26 
Operating lease liabilities transferred through refranchising(13)(8)(14)
Finance lease and other debt obligations transferred through refranchising — (1)(5)

(a)    The year ended December 31, 2025, includes $218 million and $71 million of operating and finance lease right-of-use assets, respectively, acquired as part of the Taco Bell Southeast U.S. restaurant acquisition (see Note 3).

    The year ended December 31, 2024, includes $124 million and $22 million of operating and finance lease right-of-use assets, respectively, acquired as part of the KFC U.K. and Ireland restaurant acquisition (see Note 3).
Supplemental Balance Sheet Information

20252024Consolidated Balance Sheet
Assets
Operating lease right-of-use assets$1,213 $881 Other assets
Finance lease right-of-use assets128 49 Property, plant and equipment, net
Total right-of-use assets(a)
$1,341 $930 
Liabilities
Current
Operating$105 $91 Accounts payable and other current liabilities
Finance11 Short-term borrowings
Non-current
Operating1,174 862 Other liabilities and deferred credits
Finance137 59 Long-term debt
Total lease liabilities(a)
$1,427 $1,020 
Weighted-average Remaining Lease Term (in years)
Operating leases12.610.9
Finance leases17.414.8
Weighted-average Discount Rate
Operating leases5.4 %5.3 %
Finance leases5.6 %5.5 %

(a)    U.S. operating lease right-of-use assets and liabilities totaled $846 million and $903 million, respectively, as of December 31, 2025, and $549 million and $615 million, respectively, as of December 31, 2024. These amounts primarily related to Taco Bell U.S. and Habit Burger & Grill leases related to Company-operated restaurants, leases related to franchise-operated restaurants we sublease and the Taco Bell and Habit Burger & Grill restaurant support center.

Maturity of Lease Payments and Receivables

Future minimum lease payments, including rental payments for lease renewal options we are reasonably certain to exercise, and amounts to be received as lessor or sublessor as of December 31, 2025, were as follows:

CommitmentsLease Receivables
FinanceOperatingDirect FinancingOperating
2026$19 $171 $$59 
202717 174 54 
202815 163 47 
202914 149 43 
203014 139 43 
Thereafter145 998 13 261 
Total lease payments/receipts224 1,795 26 $506 
Less imputed interest/unearned income(75)(516)(9)
Total lease liabilities/receivables$148 $1,279 $17 
As of December 31, 2025, we have executed real estate leases that have not yet commenced with estimated future nominal lease payments of approximately $95 million, which are not included in the tables above. These leases are expected to commence in 2026 and 2027 with lease terms of up to 20 years.

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2025Feb 20, 2026Showing above
2024Feb 19, 2025
2023Feb 20, 2024
2020Feb 22, 2021
2019Feb 20, 2020
2018Feb 21, 2019
2017Feb 22, 2018
2016Feb 22, 2017
2015Feb 16, 2016

About Leases Disclosures

Lease disclosures under ASC 842 provide a comprehensive view of a company's leased asset portfolio, including the split between operating and finance leases, discount rates used to present-value future payments, and the maturity schedule of lease obligations. This section reveals a significant source of off-balance-sheet commitments that were largely hidden before the current standard.

Key signals: the weighted-average discount rate affects the size of recorded lease liabilities — a higher rate reduces the reported obligation, so compare the chosen rate against the company's incremental borrowing rate. The operating versus finance lease mix affects both EBITDA and operating income presentation. Watch the maturity table for concentration risk: large payment cliffs in specific years may create cash flow pressure. Variable lease payments excluded from the liability measurement represent real obligations that do not appear on the balance sheet. Compare total lease costs against prior-year operating lease expense to assess the true economic burden.