Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 25, 2019	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 25, 2019
Earnings per share
Net (loss) income attributable to Texas Roadhouse, Inc. and subsidiaries	$ (33,553)	$ 44,845	$ (17,524)	$ 95,235
Basic EPS:
Weighted-average common shares outstanding (in shares)	69,361,000	71,362,000	69,391,000	71,558,000
Basic EPS (in dollars per share)	$ (0.48)	$ 0.63	$ (0.25)	$ 1.33
Diluted EPS:
Weighted-average common shares outstanding (in shares)	69,361,000	71,362,000	69,391,000	71,558,000
Dilutive effect of nonvested stock (in shares)		371,000		403,000
Shares-diluted (in shares)	69,361,000	71,733,000	69,391,000	71,961,000
Diluted EPS (in dollars per share)	$ (0.48)	$ 0.63	$ (0.25)	$ 1.32
Nonvested stock
Antidilutive securities
Anti-dilutive securities (in shares)	367,968	14,925	400,291	4,469