Leases Components of Lease Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Jan. 01, 2023	Jan. 02, 2022	Jan. 03, 2021
Lessor Lease Income
Sales-type leases, selling profit	$ 2,981	$ 4,244	$ 1,995
Sales-type and direct-financing leases, interest income	31,298	30,648	29,067
Operating lease income	170,633	173,442	174,452
Variable lease income	63,832	63,213	58,196
Franchise rental income	234,465	236,655	232,648
Sublease income	175,053	174,327	169,921
Executory costs paid to lessor
Lessor Lease Income
Sublease income	$ 38,733	$ 39,650	$ 38,636

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_AlternativePresentationLessorLeaseIncomeAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of operating lease income from lease payments and variable lease payments paid and payable to lessor. Includes, but is not limited to, variable lease payments not included in measurement of lease receivable.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124258985&loc=SL77919372-209981

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123420820&loc=SL77919311-209978

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 270
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6A
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126900988&loc=SL77927221-108306

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeaseLeaseIncome
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of operating lease income from lease payments paid and payable to lessor. Excludes variable lease payments not included in measurement of lease receivable.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 270
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6A
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126900988&loc=SL77927221-108306

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124258985&loc=SL77919372-209981

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeaseLeaseIncomeLeasePayments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of interest income from net investment in sales-type and direct financing leases.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (a)(2)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124258985&loc=SL77919372-209981

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SalesTypeAndDirectFinancingLeasesInterestIncome
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of profit (loss) for sales-type lease and (loss) for direct financing lease recognized at commencement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124258985&loc=SL77919372-209981

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SalesTypeAndDirectFinancingLeasesProfitLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of sublease income excluding finance and operating lease expense.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (e)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=128292326&loc=SL77918686-209980

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 53
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123414884&loc=SL77918982-209971

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubleaseIncome
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of variable lease payments from operating, direct financing, and sales-type leases, excluding amount included in measurement of lease receivable.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124258985&loc=SL77919372-209981

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableLeaseIncome
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	wen_ComponentAxis=wen_ExecutoryCostsPaidToLessorMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: