Commitments and Contingencies - Additional Information (Details)							9 Months Ended
	Jan. 27, 2020 USD ($)	Jan. 24, 2019 class	Aug. 01, 2018 company	May 01, 2018 company	Dec. 11, 2017 company	Apr. 24, 2017	Sep. 23, 2020 USD ($) agreement lawsuit lease	Apr. 17, 2020 USD ($)	Dec. 26, 2018 USD ($)
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							$ 3,100,000
Contingent lease obligations, maximum exposure, if discounted at estimated pre-tax cost of debt							2,800,000
Chicken Acquisition Corp
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Purchase commitments, estimated obligations							$ 3,700,000
Elliott Olvera, et al v. El Pollo Loco, Inc., et al
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Date of class action filed in court							Feb. 24, 2014
Accrual associated with loss contingencies							$ 0		$ 16,300,000
Number of putative class members | class		32,000
Daniel Turocy, et al. and Ron Huston et al v. El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc., et al
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Number of lawsuits consolidated | lawsuit							2
Accrual associated with loss contingencies									$ 20,000,000.0
Amount of option value removed							$ 5
Janice P. Handlers-Bryman and Michael D. Bryman v. El Pollo Loco, Inc
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Value of damages awarded	$ 249,728
Number of days before the commencement of trial, plaintiff filed voluntary dismissal						4 days
Number of new company-operated El Pollo Loco restaurants constructing | company			2	2	2
Attorney fees	$ 1,391,703
Post judgement interest rate	10.00%
Litigation Settlement, Expense							2,500,000
Janice P. Handlers-Bryman and Michael D. Bryman v. El Pollo Loco, Inc | Letter of Credit
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Line of credit								$ 2,651,342
Janice P. Handlers-Bryman and Michael D. Bryman v. El Pollo Loco, Inc | Impact Damages
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Value of damages awarded							4,356,600
Janice P. Handlers-Bryman and Michael D. Bryman v. El Pollo Loco, Inc | Lost Opportunity Damages
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Value of damages awarded							4,481,206
Janice P. Handlers-Bryman and Michael D. Bryman v. El Pollo Loco, Inc | Total Damages
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Value of damages awarded							$ 8,837,806