Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Balance Sheet) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 27, 2016	Dec. 29, 2015
Assets
Current assets	$ 41,510	$ 63,115
Facilities and equipment, net	230,599	203,468
Franchise rights, net	624,330	621,048
Goodwill	296,126	294,626
Investment in subsidiary	0	0
Other assets, net	29,197	28,969
Total assets	1,220,624	1,210,696
Liabilities and member’s equity
Current liabilities	116,336	108,196
Long-term debt	576,249	577,011
Other liabilities and deferred items	64,178	62,037
Deferred income taxes	183,296	189,763
Member’s equity	280,565	273,689
Total liabilities and member’s equity	1,220,624	1,210,696
Franchise rights
Assets
Franchise rights, net	623,192	620,518
Eliminations
Assets
Current assets	0	0
Facilities and equipment, net	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Investment in subsidiary	(394,111)	(350,473)
Other assets, net	0	0
Total assets	(394,111)	(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	(394,111)	(350,473)
Total liabilities and member’s equity	(394,111)	(350,473)
Eliminations | Franchise rights
Assets
Franchise rights, net	0	0
Parent Guarantor: Holdings
Assets
Current assets	0	0
Facilities and equipment, net	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Investment in subsidiary	280,565	273,689
Other assets, net	0	0
Total assets	280,565	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	280,565	273,689
Total liabilities and member’s equity	280,565	273,689
Parent Guarantor: Holdings | Franchise rights
Assets
Franchise rights, net	0	0
Subsidiary Issuer: NPC
Assets
Current assets	37,277	58,620
Facilities and equipment, net	156,226	155,501
Goodwill	290,502	290,502
Investment in subsidiary	113,546	76,784
Other assets, net	27,008	27,233
Total assets	1,189,784	1,185,737
Liabilities and member’s equity
Current liabilities	98,395	91,472
Long-term debt	576,249	577,011
Other liabilities and deferred items	54,507	55,589
Deferred income taxes	180,068	187,976
Member’s equity	280,565	273,689
Total liabilities and member’s equity	1,189,784	1,185,737
Subsidiary Issuer: NPC | Franchise rights
Assets
Franchise rights, net	565,225	577,097
Subsidiary Co-Issuer: NPCQB
Assets
Current assets	4,233	4,495
Facilities and equipment, net	74,373	47,967
Goodwill	5,624	4,124
Investment in subsidiary	0	0
Other assets, net	2,189	1,736
Total assets	144,386	101,743
Liabilities and member’s equity
Current liabilities	17,941	16,724
Long-term debt	0	0
Other liabilities and deferred items	9,671	6,448
Deferred income taxes	3,228	1,787
Member’s equity	113,546	76,784
Total liabilities and member’s equity	144,386	101,743
Subsidiary Co-Issuer: NPCQB | Franchise rights
Assets
Franchise rights, net	57,967	43,421
Subsidiary Co-Issuer: NPC Op Co B
Assets
Current assets	0	0
Facilities and equipment, 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
Subsidiary Co-Issuer: NPC Op Co B | Franchise rights
Assets
Franchise rights, net	$ 0	$ 0