Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Balance Sheet) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 29, 2016	Dec. 29, 2015
Assets
Current assets	$ 71,874	$ 63,115
Facilities and equipment, net	204,495	203,468
Franchise rights, net	617,064	620,518
Goodwill	294,626	294,626
Investment in subsidiary	0	0
Other assets, net	29,295	28,969
Total assets	1,217,354	1,210,696
Liabilities and member’s equity
Current liabilities	108,234	108,196
Long-term debt	576,589	577,011
Other liabilities and deferred items	64,492	62,037
Deferred income taxes	186,691	189,763
Member’s equity	281,348	273,689
Total liabilities and member’s equity	1,217,354	1,210,696
Parent Guarantor: Holdings
Assets
Current assets	0	0
Facilities and equipment, net	0	0
Franchise rights, net	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Investment in subsidiary		273,689
Other assets, net	0	0
Total assets	281,348	273,689
Liabilities and member’s equity
Current liabilities	0	0
Long-term debt	0	0
Other liabilities and deferred items	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Member’s equity	281,348	273,689
Total liabilities and member’s equity	281,348	273,689
Subsidiary Issuer: NPC
Assets
Current assets	68,587	58,620
Facilities and equipment, net	152,946	155,501
Franchise rights, net	573,213	577,097
Goodwill	290,502	290,502
Investment in subsidiary	80,593	76,784
Other assets, net	27,691	27,233
Total assets	1,193,532	1,185,737
Liabilities and member’s equity
Current liabilities	93,228	91,472
Long-term debt	576,589	577,011
Other liabilities and deferred items	56,306	55,589
Deferred income taxes	186,061	187,976
Member’s equity	281,348	273,689
Total liabilities and member’s equity	1,193,532	1,185,737
Subsidiary Co-Issuer: NPCQB
Assets
Current assets	3,287	4,495
Facilities and equipment, net	51,549	47,967
Franchise rights, net	43,851	43,421
Goodwill	4,124	4,124
Investment in subsidiary	0	0
Other assets, net	1,604	1,736
Total assets	104,415	101,743
Liabilities and member’s equity
Current liabilities	15,006	16,724
Long-term debt	0	0
Other liabilities and deferred items	8,186	6,448
Deferred income taxes	630	1,787
Member’s equity	80,593	76,784
Total liabilities and member’s equity	104,415	101,743
Subsidiary Co-Issuer: NPC Op Co B
Assets
Current assets	0	0
Facilities and equipment, net	0	0
Franchise rights, net	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Investment in subsidiary	0	0
Other assets, net	0	0
Total assets	0	0
Liabilities and member’s equity
Current liabilities	0	0
Long-term debt	0	0
Other liabilities and deferred items	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Member’s equity	0	0
Total liabilities and member’s equity	0	0
Eliminations
Assets
Current assets	0	0
Facilities and equipment, net	0	0
Franchise rights, net	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Investment in subsidiary	(361,941)	(350,473)
Other assets, net	0	0
Total assets	(361,941)	(350,473)
Liabilities and member’s equity
Current liabilities	0	0
Long-term debt	0	0
Other liabilities and deferred items	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Member’s equity	(361,941)	(350,473)
Total liabilities and member’s equity	$ (361,941)	$ (350,473)