Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 25, 2018	Sep. 26, 2017	Sep. 25, 2018	Sep. 26, 2017
Earnings per share
Net income attributable to Texas Roadhouse, Inc. and subsidiaries	$ 29,125	$ 31,014	$ 127,893	$ 102,908
Basic EPS:
Weighted-average common shares outstanding (in shares)	71,508,000	71,067,000	71,429,000	70,939,000
Basic EPS (in dollars per share)	$ 0.41	$ 0.44	$ 1.79	$ 1.45
Diluted EPS:
Weighted-average common shares outstanding (in shares)	71,508,000	71,067,000	71,429,000	70,939,000
Dilutive effect of stock options and nonvested stock (in shares)	498,000	465,000	477,000	510,000
Shares - diluted (in shares)	72,006,000	71,532,000	71,906,000	71,449,000
Diluted EPS (in dollars per share)	$ 0.40	$ 0.43	$ 1.78	$ 1.44
Nonvested stock
Antidilutive securities
Anti-dilutive securities (in shares)	0	0	220	7,960