Variable Interest Entities	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2012
Variable Interest Entities [Abstract]
Variable interest entities	Variable Interest Entities The Company consolidates variable interest entities in which it is deemed to have a controlling financial interest as a result of the Company having (1) the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the entity’s economic performance and (2) the obligation to absorb the losses or the right to receive the benefits that could potentially be significant to the variable interest entity. If the Company has a controlling financial interest in a variable interest entity, the assets, liabilities, and results of the operations of the variable interest entity are included in the consolidated financial statements. Roy’s and RY-8, Inc. The Company’s consolidated financial statements include the accounts and operations of its Roy’s joint venture although it has less than majority ownership. The Company determined it is the primary beneficiary of the joint venture since the Company has the power to direct or cause the direction of the activities that most significantly impact the entity on a day-to-day basis, such as decisions regarding menu development, purchasing, restaurant expansion and closings and the management of employee-related processes. Additionally, the Company has the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits of the Roy’s joint venture that could potentially be significant to the Roy’s joint venture. The majority of capital contributions made by the Company’s partner in the Roy’s joint venture, RY-8, Inc. (“RY-8”), have been funded by loans to RY-8 from a third party which OSI guarantees. The guarantee is secured by a collateral interest in RY-8’s membership interest in the joint venture. The carrying amounts of consolidated assets and liabilities included within the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets for the Roy’s joint venture were $24.3 million and $10.6 million, respectively, at June 30, 2012 and $26.2 million and $9.6 million, respectively, at December 31, 2011. The Company is also the primary beneficiary of RY-8 because its implicit variable interest in that entity, which is considered a de facto related party, indirectly receives the variability of the entity through absorption of RY-8’s expected losses, and therefore the Company also consolidates RY-8. Since RY-8’s $24.5 million line of credit became fully extended in 2007, the Company made interest payments, paid line of credit renewal fees and made capital expenditures for additional restaurant development on behalf of RY-8. The Company is obligated to provide financing, either through OSI’s guarantee with a third-party institution or loans, for all required capital contributions and interest payments. Therefore, any additional RY-8 capital requirements in connection with the joint venture likely will be the Company’s responsibility. RY-8’s line of credit expires on April 15, 2013. The Company classifies OSI’s $24.5 million contingent obligation as guaranteed debt and the portion of income or loss attributable to RY-8 is eliminated in the line item in the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income entitled “Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests.” All material intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated. Paradise Restaurant Group, LLC In September 2009, the Company sold its Cheeseburger in Paradise concept, which included 34 restaurants, for $2.0 million to Paradise Restaurant Group, LLC (“PRG”), an entity formed and controlled by the president of the concept. Based on the terms of the purchase and sale agreement, the Company determined at that time that it was the primary beneficiary and continued to consolidate PRG after the sale transaction. Upon adoption of new accounting guidance for variable interest entities on January 1, 2010, the Company determined that it is no longer the primary beneficiary of PRG. As a result, the Company deconsolidated PRG on January 1, 2010. The Company determined that certain rights pursuant to a $2.0 million promissory note, which is fully reserved, owed to the Company by PRG are non-substantive participating rights, and as a result, the Company does not have the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the entity. At June 30, 2012, the maximum undiscounted exposure to loss as a result of the Company’s involvement with PRG is $17.8 million related to lease payments extending through June 13, 2022 in the event that PRG defaults on these leases.

Variable Interest Entities

The Company consolidates variable interest entities in which it is deemed to have a controlling financial interest as a result of the Company having (1) the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the entity’s economic performance and (2) the obligation to absorb the losses or the right to receive the benefits that could potentially be significant to the variable interest entity. If the Company has a controlling financial interest in a variable interest entity, the assets, liabilities, and results of the operations of the variable interest entity are included in the consolidated financial statements.

Roy’s and RY-8, Inc.

The Company’s consolidated financial statements include the accounts and operations of its Roy’s joint venture although it has less than majority ownership. The Company determined it is the primary beneficiary of the joint venture since the Company has the power to direct or cause the direction of the activities that most significantly impact the entity on a day-to-day basis, such as decisions regarding menu development, purchasing, restaurant expansion and closings and the management of employee-related processes. Additionally, the Company has the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits of the Roy’s joint venture that could potentially be significant to the Roy’s joint venture. The majority of capital contributions made by the Company’s partner in the Roy’s joint venture, RY-8, Inc. (“RY-8”), have been funded by loans to RY-8 from a third party which OSI guarantees. The guarantee is secured by a collateral interest in RY-8’s membership interest in the joint venture. The carrying amounts of consolidated assets and liabilities included within the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets for the Roy’s joint venture were $24.3 million and $10.6 million, respectively, at June 30, 2012 and $26.2 million and $9.6 million, respectively, at December 31, 2011.

The Company is also the primary beneficiary of RY-8 because its implicit variable interest in that entity, which is considered a de facto related party, indirectly receives the variability of the entity through absorption of RY-8’s expected losses, and therefore the Company also consolidates RY-8. Since RY-8’s $24.5 million line of credit became fully extended in 2007, the Company made interest payments, paid line of credit renewal fees and made capital expenditures for additional restaurant development on behalf of RY-8. The Company is obligated to provide financing, either through OSI’s guarantee with a third-party institution or loans, for all required capital contributions and interest payments. Therefore, any additional RY-8 capital requirements in connection with the joint venture likely will be the Company’s responsibility. RY-8’s line of credit expires on April 15, 2013. The Company classifies OSI’s $24.5 million contingent obligation as guaranteed debt and the portion of income or loss attributable to RY-8 is eliminated in the line item in the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income entitled “Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests.” All material intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated.

Paradise Restaurant Group, LLC

In September 2009, the Company sold its Cheeseburger in Paradise concept, which included 34 restaurants, for $2.0 million to Paradise Restaurant Group, LLC (“PRG”), an entity formed and controlled by the president of the concept. Based on the terms of the purchase and sale agreement, the Company determined at that time that it was the primary beneficiary and continued to consolidate PRG after the sale transaction.

Upon adoption of new accounting guidance for variable interest entities on January 1, 2010, the Company determined that it is no longer the primary beneficiary of PRG. As a result, the Company deconsolidated PRG on January 1, 2010. The Company determined that certain rights pursuant to a $2.0 million promissory note, which is fully reserved, owed to the Company by PRG are non-substantive participating rights, and as a result, the Company does not have the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the entity. At June 30, 2012, the maximum undiscounted exposure to loss as a result of the Company’s involvement with PRG is $17.8 million related to lease payments extending through June 13, 2022 in the event that PRG defaults on these leases.