Consolidated Statements of Shareholders' Equity - USD ($)	Total	Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss	Retained Earnings (Accumulated Deficit)
Beginning Balance (Predecessor [Member]) at Dec. 31, 2013	$ 89,898,000	$ 39,000	$ 110,074,000	$ (303,000)	$ (19,912,000)
Beginning Balance, Shares (Predecessor [Member]) at Dec. 31, 2013		3,907,835
Net income (loss) | Predecessor [Member]	(9,255,000)				(9,255,000)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax | Predecessor [Member]	(106,000)			(106,000)
Comprehensive income (loss) | Predecessor [Member]	(9,361,000)
Stock-based compensation | Predecessor [Member]	954,000		954,000
Tax withholdings on restricted stock vesting | Predecessor [Member]	0
Settlement of vested restricted stock units | Predecessor [Member]	(87,000)		(87,000)
Ending Balance (Predecessor [Member]) at Dec. 30, 2014	81,404,000	$ 39,000	110,941,000	(409,000)	(29,167,000)
Ending Balance, Shares (Predecessor [Member]) at Dec. 30, 2014		3,907,835
Net income (loss) | Predecessor [Member]	2,104,000				2,104,000
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax | Predecessor [Member]	34,000			34,000
Comprehensive income (loss) | Predecessor [Member]	2,138,000
Stock-based compensation | Predecessor [Member]	532,000		532,000
Exercise and settlement of warrants | Predecessor [Member]	8,274,000	$ 2,000	8,272,000
Exercise and settlement of warrants (in shares) | Predecessor [Member]		213,025
Exercise of options and distribution of restricted stock units, net of tax withholding | Predecessor [Member]	(7,533,000)	$ 2,000	(7,535,000)
Exercise of options and distribution of restricted stock units, net of tax withholding, Shares | Predecessor [Member]		237,948
Issuance of common stock | Predecessor [Member]	91,236,000	$ 24,000	91,212,000
Tax withholdings on restricted stock vesting | Predecessor [Member]	(7,533,000)
Issuance of common stock (in shares) | Predecessor [Member]		2,348,968
Ending Balance (Predecessor [Member]) at Jun. 30, 2015	176,051,000	$ 67,000	203,422,000	(375,000)	(27,063,000)
Ending Balance (Successor) at Jun. 30, 2015	3,318,000	$ 1,000	9,857,000	0	(6,540,000)
Ending Balance, Shares (Predecessor [Member]) at Jun. 30, 2015		6,707,776
Ending Balance, Shares (Successor) at Jun. 30, 2015		5,127,606
Net income (loss) | Successor	2,653,000				2,653,000
Common stock of Del Taco Restaurants, Inc. released from possible redemption | Successor	136,213,000	$ 1,000	136,212,000
Common stock of Del Taco Restaurants, Inc. released from possible redemption, Shares | Successor		13,621,279
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax | Successor	0
Comprehensive income (loss) | Successor	2,653,000
Issuance of warrants | Successor	389,000		389,000
Stock-based compensation | Successor	1,498,000		1,498,000
Issuance of common stock | Successor	224,306,000	$ 2,000	224,304,000
Tax withholdings on restricted stock vesting | Successor	0
Issuance of common stock (in shares) | Successor		20,053,540
Ending Balance (Successor) at Dec. 29, 2015	368,377,000	$ 4,000	372,260,000	0	(3,887,000)
Ending Balance, Shares (Successor) at Dec. 29, 2015		38,802,425
Net income (loss) | Successor	20,913,000				20,913,000
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax | Successor	172,000			172,000
Comprehensive income (loss) | Successor	21,085,000
Stock-based compensation | Successor	4,096,000		4,096,000
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Other | Successor		1,533,542
Tax withholdings on restricted stock vesting | Successor	(916,000)		(916,000)
Restricted stock awards vested, shares | Successor		164,336
Restricted stock awards vested, value | Successor		$ 0
Exercise of stock options, shares | Successor		500
Exercise of stock options, value | Successor	5,000		5,000
Repurchase of common stock, shares | Successor		(1,347,300)
Stock Repurchased During Period, Value | Successor		$ 0
Repurchase of common stock, value | Successor	(15,314,000)		(15,314,000)
Ending Balance (Successor) at Jan. 03, 2017	$ 377,333,000	$ 4,000	$ 360,131,000	$ 172,000	$ 17,026,000
Ending Balance, Shares (Successor) at Jan. 03, 2017		39,153,503