Commitments and Contingencies - Additional Information (Details)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 25, 2020 USD ($) lawsuit agreement lease	Dec. 25, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 26, 2018 USD ($)
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Date of class action filed in court	On or about February 24, 2014
Number of lawsuits consolidated | lawsuit	2
Accrual associated with loss contingencies	$ 0
Officers
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Number of at-will employment agreements | agreement	3
Property Lease Guarantee
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Accrual associated with loss contingencies	$ 100,000
Number of leases assigned to franchisees | lease	4
Latest lease expiration year	2036
Contingent lease obligations, maximum exposure	$ 2,900,000
Contingent lease obligations, maximum exposure, if discounted at estimated pre-tax cost of debt	2,500,000
Chicken
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Purchase commitments, estimated obligations	19,500,000
Impact Damages
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Value of damages awarded	4,356,600
Lost Opportunity Damages
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Value of damages awarded	4,481,206
Total Damages
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Value of damages awarded	$ 8,837,806
Eliott Olvera, et al v. El Pollo Loco, Inc., et al [Member]
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Accrual associated with loss contingencies			$ 16,300,000
Daniel Turocy, et al. and Ron Huston et al v. El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc., et al [Member]
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Accrual associated with loss contingencies		$ 20,000,000