New Accounting Standards Adoption for Topic 606 Revenue Recognition (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Oct. 01, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Oct. 01, 2017	Jul. 01, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Jul. 02, 2017	Jan. 01, 2017
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	$ 120,203		$ 120,203			$ 110,509
Advertising funds restricted liabilities	78,925		78,925			62,602
Total current liabilities	339,103		339,103			227,162
Deferred income taxes	275,312		275,312			299,053
Deferred franchise fees	92,522		92,522			10,881
Total liabilities	3,724,114		3,724,114			3,523,735
Retained earnings (accumulated deficit)	146,983		146,983			(163,289)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(51,135)	$ (45,016)	(51,135)	$ (45,016)		(46,198)		$ (63,241)
Total stockholders' equity	783,318	462,595	783,318	462,595	$ 430,539	$ 573,203	$ 487,049	$ 527,736
Franchise royalty revenue and fees	103,212	98,882	308,679	306,120
Advertising funds revenue	81,541	0	245,011	0
Total revenues	400,550	308,000	1,192,116	914,161
Advertising funds expense	81,541	0	245,011	0
Total costs and expenses	323,202	246,343	988,023	765,990
Operating profit	77,348	61,657	204,093	148,171
Income before income taxes	498,917	31,555	555,534	63,392
Provision for income taxes	(107,668)	(17,298)	(114,250)	(28,639)
Net income	391,249	$ 14,257	441,284	34,753
Revenue recognized during the period related to deferred franchise fees	2,266		7,393
Deferred income tax			(1,527)	945
Other, net			4,596	2,023
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities			89,806	$ 3,039
Revenue recognition guidance
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle
Advertising funds restricted liabilities	6,645		6,645
Deferred income taxes	(21,996)		(21,996)
Deferred franchise fees	85,561		85,561
Adjustments for franchise fees | Revenue recognition guidance
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	(1,664)		(1,664)
Advertising funds restricted liabilities	0		0
Total current liabilities	(1,664)		(1,664)
Deferred income taxes	21,463		21,463
Deferred franchise fees	(81,686)		(81,686)
Total liabilities	(61,887)		(61,887)
Retained earnings (accumulated deficit)	62,011		62,011
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(124)		(124)
Total stockholders' equity	61,887		61,887
Franchise royalty revenue and fees	(497)		(2,087)
Advertising funds revenue	0		0
Total revenues	(497)		(2,087)
Advertising funds expense	0		0
Total costs and expenses	0		0
Operating profit	(497)		(2,087)
Income before income taxes	(497)		(2,087)
Provision for income taxes	124		533
Net income	(373)		(1,554)
Deferred income tax			(533)
Other, net			(219)
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities			2,306
Adjustments for advertising funds | Revenue recognition guidance
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	0		0
Advertising funds restricted liabilities	(6,645)		(6,645)
Total current liabilities	(6,645)		(6,645)
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Deferred franchise fees	0		0
Total liabilities	(6,645)		(6,645)
Retained earnings (accumulated deficit)	6,645		6,645
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	0		0
Total stockholders' equity	6,645		6,645
Franchise royalty revenue and fees	0		0
Advertising funds revenue	(81,541)		(245,011)
Total revenues	(81,541)		(245,011)
Advertising funds expense	(81,541)		(245,011)
Total costs and expenses	(81,541)		(245,011)
Operating profit	0		0
Income before income taxes	0		0
Provision for income taxes	0		0
Net income	0		0
Deferred income tax			0
Other, net			0
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities			0
Balances without adoption | Revenue recognition guidance
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	118,539		118,539
Advertising funds restricted liabilities	72,280		72,280
Total current liabilities	330,794		330,794
Deferred income taxes	296,775		296,775
Deferred franchise fees	10,836		10,836
Total liabilities	3,655,582		3,655,582
Retained earnings (accumulated deficit)	215,639		215,639
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(51,259)		(51,259)
Total stockholders' equity	851,850		851,850
Franchise royalty revenue and fees	102,715		306,592
Advertising funds revenue	0		0
Total revenues	318,512		945,018
Advertising funds expense	0		0
Total costs and expenses	241,661		743,012
Operating profit	76,851		202,006
Income before income taxes	498,420		553,447
Provision for income taxes	(107,544)		(113,717)
Net income	390,876		439,730
Revenue recognized during the period related to deferred franchise fees	$ 1,769		5,306
Deferred income tax			(2,060)
Other, net			4,377
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities			$ 92,112