Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 27, 2017	Jun. 28, 2016	Jun. 27, 2017	Jun. 28, 2016
Earnings per share
Net income attributable to Texas Roadhouse, Inc. and subsidiaries	$ 37,581	$ 33,605	$ 71,894	$ 69,198
Basic EPS:
Weighted-average common shares outstanding (in shares)	70,973,000	70,368,000	70,876,000	70,269,000
Basic EPS (in dollars per share)	$ 0.53	$ 0.48	$ 1.01	$ 0.98
Diluted EPS:
Weighted-average common shares outstanding (in shares)	70,973,000	70,368,000	70,876,000	70,269,000
Dilutive effect of stock options and nonvested stock (in shares)	464,000	508,000	522,000	571,000
Shares - diluted (in shares)	71,437,000	70,876,000	71,398,000	70,840,000
Diluted EPS (in dollars per share)	$ 0.53	$ 0.47	$ 1.01	$ 0.98
Nonvested stock
Antidilutive securities
Anti-dilutive securities (in shares)	17,691	0	31,136	8,749
Stock Options
Antidilutive securities
Anti-dilutive securities (in shares)	0	0	0	0