Segment Information Reconciliation of Profit from Segments to Consolidated (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 29, 2024	Dec. 31, 2023	Jan. 01, 2023
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Profit from Segment to Consolidated
Segment profit	$ 371,359	$ 381,984	$ 353,314
Unallocated franchise support and other costs	(67,688)	(57,243)	(46,736)
Advertising funds surplus (deficit)	2,702	4,344	(8,325)
Unallocated general and administrative	(255,208)	(249,964)	(254,979)
Depreciation and amortization (exclusive of amortization of cloud computing arrangements shown separately below)	(143,234)	(135,789)	(133,414)
Amortization of cloud computing arrangements	14,701	12,778	2,394
System optimization gains, net	1,219	880	6,779
Reorganization and realignment costs	(8,528)	(9,200)	(698)
Impairment of long-lived assets	(9,713)	(1,401)	(6,420)
Unallocated other operating income, net	11,513	13,768	23,683
Interest expense, net	123,881	124,061	122,319
Gain on early extinguishment of debt, net	0	2,283	0
Investment income (loss), net	11	(10,358)	2,107
Other income, net	24,924	29,570	10,403
Income before income taxes	272,413	279,418	243,505
Corporate Segment and Other Operating Segment
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Profit from Segment to Consolidated
Unallocated franchise support and other costs	(1,316)	(831)	(742)
Unallocated general and administrative	(134,195)	(132,344)	(130,103)
Unallocated other operating income, net	1,316	1,563	9,001
Operating Segments
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Profit from Segment to Consolidated
Segment profit	677,809	667,540	619,630
Operating Segments \| Wendy's U.S.
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Profit from Segment to Consolidated
Segment profit	525,954	528,352	480,498
Unallocated franchise support and other costs	(54,047)	(47,554)	(39,398)
Advertising funds surplus (deficit)	20,000	0	11,000
Unallocated general and administrative	(79,664)	(75,734)	(81,951)
Operating Segments \| Wendy's International
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Profit from Segment to Consolidated
Segment profit	43,268	35,704	30,432
Advertising funds surplus (deficit)	1,919	2,401	4,116
Unallocated general and administrative	(26,048)	(26,226)	(26,643)
Operating Segments \| Global Real Estate & Development
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Profit from Segment to Consolidated
Segment profit	108,587	103,484	108,700
Unallocated general and administrative	$ (15,301)	$ (15,660)	$ (16,282)

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