Legal, Environmental and Other Matters	12 Months Ended
Dec. 30, 2012
Legal and Environmental Matters [Abstract]
Legal, Environmental and Other Matters	Legal, Environmental and Other Matters We are involved in litigation and claims incidental to our current and prior businesses. We provide reserves for such litigation and claims when payment is probable and reasonably estimable. As of December 30, 2012, the Company had reserves for continuing operations for all of its legal and environmental matters aggregating $3,489. We cannot estimate the aggregate possible range of loss due to most proceedings being in preliminary stages, with various motions either yet to be submitted or pending, discovery yet to occur, and significant factual matters unresolved. In addition, most cases seek an indeterminate amount of damages and many involve multiple parties. Predicting the outcomes of settlement discussions or judicial or arbitral decisions is thus inherently difficult. Based on currently available information, including legal defenses available to us, and given the aforementioned reserves and our insurance coverage, we do not believe that the outcome of these legal and environmental matters will have a material effect on our consolidated financial position or results of operations. Wendy’s completed the initial public offering of THI in March 2006 and the spin-off of THI in September 2006. In connection with the initial public offering, Wendy’s and THI entered into a tax sharing agreement that governed the rights and responsibilities of the parties with respect to taxes for periods up to the date of the spin-off, including the allocation of tax attributes between the parties. In 2007, Wendy’s asserted a claim against THI for approximately $1,000 for a tax claim related to a competent authority adjustment. THI has disputed this claim. In addition, THI has asserted claims for damages related to foreign tax credits THI allegedly should have received in the spin-off in the aggregate amount of C$29,000. Wendy’s has disputed and continues to dispute these claims. In 2011, THI invoked the dispute resolution provision of the tax sharing agreement, which calls for binding mandatory arbitration. In February 2012, THI submitted a notice of claim, which makes the same claims THI has asserted under the tax sharing agreement, to Wendy’s under the master separation agreement between Wendy’s and THI that was executed contemporaneously with the tax sharing agreement. The dispute resolution provision of the master separation agreement calls for good faith negotiations between the parties, followed by non-binding mediation. Either party can bring suit if no resolution is reached following mediation. The parties are still in discussions but it no longer appears likely that a resolution will be reached without the involvement of a neutral third party. The parties have agreed on a mediator and a mediation date. We cannot estimate a range of possible loss, if any, for this matter at this time since, among other things, it is still in a preliminary stage, significant factual and legal issues are unresolved, no mediation sessions have been held, and the mediation will be non-binding. If no agreed resolution is reached, the matter would be resolved either by litigation or binding mandatory arbitration, in which case various motions would be submitted and discovery would occur. If no agreed resolution is reached, Wendy’s intends to vigorously assert its claim and defend against the THI claims.

Legal, Environmental and Other Matters

We are involved in litigation and claims incidental to our current and prior businesses. We provide reserves for such litigation and claims when payment is probable and reasonably estimable. As of December 30, 2012, the Company had reserves for continuing operations for all of its legal and environmental matters aggregating $3,489. We cannot estimate the aggregate possible range of loss due to most proceedings being in preliminary stages, with various motions either yet to be submitted or pending, discovery yet to occur, and significant factual matters unresolved. In addition, most cases seek an indeterminate amount of damages and many involve multiple parties. Predicting the outcomes of settlement discussions or judicial or arbitral decisions is thus inherently difficult. Based on currently available information, including legal defenses available to us, and given the aforementioned reserves and our insurance coverage, we do not believe that the outcome of these legal and environmental matters will have a material effect on our consolidated financial position or results of operations.

Wendy’s completed the initial public offering of THI in March 2006 and the spin-off of THI in September 2006. In connection with the initial public offering, Wendy’s and THI entered into a tax sharing agreement that governed the rights and responsibilities of the parties with respect to taxes for periods up to the date of the spin-off, including the allocation of tax attributes between the parties. In 2007, Wendy’s asserted a claim against THI for approximately $1,000 for a tax claim related to a competent authority adjustment. THI has disputed this claim. In addition, THI has asserted claims for damages related to foreign tax credits THI allegedly should have received in the spin-off in the aggregate amount of C$29,000. Wendy’s has disputed and continues to dispute these claims. In 2011, THI invoked the dispute resolution provision of the tax sharing agreement, which calls for binding mandatory arbitration. In February 2012, THI submitted a notice of claim, which makes the same claims THI has asserted under the tax sharing agreement, to Wendy’s under the master separation agreement between Wendy’s and THI that was executed contemporaneously with the tax sharing agreement. The dispute resolution provision of the master separation agreement calls for good faith negotiations between the parties, followed by non-binding mediation. Either party can bring suit if no resolution is reached following mediation. The parties are still in discussions but it no longer appears likely that a resolution will be reached without the involvement of a neutral third party. The parties have agreed on a mediator and a mediation date. We cannot estimate a range of possible loss, if any, for this matter at this time since, among other things, it is still in a preliminary stage, significant factual and legal issues are unresolved, no mediation sessions have been held, and the mediation will be non-binding. If no agreed resolution is reached, the matter would be resolved either by litigation or binding mandatory arbitration, in which case various motions would be submitted and discovery would occur. If no agreed resolution is reached, Wendy’s intends to vigorously assert its claim and defend against the THI claims.