Consolidating Financial Information Supplemental Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012		Mar. 31, 2011
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Franchise revenues	$ 108,409,000		$ 104,552,000
Company restaurant sales	100,885,000		154,703,000
Rental revenues	32,005,000		32,216,000
Financing revenues	4,283,000		8,729,000
Revenues	245,582,000		300,200,000
Franchise expenses	27,632,000		27,443,000
Restaurant expenses	84,183,000		131,766,000
Rental expenses	24,537,000		24,647,000
Financing expenses	655,000		5,575,000
General and administrative	39,632,000		37,969,000
Interest expense	30,221,000		36,306,000
Amortization of intangible assets	3,075,000		3,075,000
Impairment and closure charges	722,000		4,938,000
Gain on disposition of assets	(16,733,000)		(23,754,000)
Loss on extinguishment of debt	2,611,000	[1]	6,946,000	[1]
Debt modification costs	0		4,114,000
Other (income) expense			0
Intercompany dividend	0		0
Income (loss) before income taxes	49,047,000		41,175,000
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	(17,703,000)		(11,476,000)
Net income	31,344,000		29,699,000
Total comprehensive income	31,486,000		29,720,000
Parent [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Franchise revenues	600,000		700,000
Company restaurant sales	0		0
Rental revenues	0		0
Financing revenues	0		0
Revenues	600,000		700,000
Franchise expenses	600,000		500,000
Restaurant expenses	0		0
Rental expenses	0		0
Financing expenses	0		0
General and administrative	7,100,000		7,500,000
Interest expense	27,400,000		32,300,000
Amortization of intangible assets	0		0
Impairment and closure charges	0		0
Gain on disposition of assets	0		0
Loss on extinguishment of debt	2,600,000		6,900,000
Debt modification costs			4,100,000
Other (income) expense			0
Intercompany dividend	54,100,000		(16,100,000)
Income (loss) before income taxes	17,000,000		(34,600,000)
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	14,300,000		19,700,000
Net income	31,300,000		(15,000,000)
Total comprehensive income	31,300,000		(15,000,000)
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Franchise revenues	107,500,000		103,600,000
Company restaurant sales	100,900,000		154,300,000
Rental revenues	32,000,000		32,200,000
Financing revenues	4,300,000		8,700,000
Revenues	244,700,000		298,800,000
Franchise expenses	27,000,000		27,000,000
Restaurant expenses	84,200,000		131,500,000
Rental expenses	24,500,000		24,600,000
Financing expenses	700,000		5,600,000
General and administrative	32,100,000		29,900,000
Interest expense	2,800,000		4,000,000
Amortization of intangible assets	3,100,000		3,100,000
Impairment and closure charges	400,000		4,900,000
Gain on disposition of assets	(16,400,000)		(23,700,000)
Loss on extinguishment of debt	0		0
Debt modification costs			0
Other (income) expense			(23,400,000)
Intercompany dividend	0		0
Income (loss) before income taxes	86,300,000		115,300,000
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	(32,000,000)		(31,000,000)
Net income	54,300,000		84,300,000
Total comprehensive income	54,500,000		84,300,000
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Franchise revenues	300,000		300,000
Company restaurant sales	0		400,000
Rental revenues	0		0
Financing revenues	0		0
Revenues	300,000		700,000
Franchise expenses	0		0
Restaurant expenses	0		300,000
Rental expenses	0		0
Financing expenses	0		0
General and administrative	500,000		600,000
Interest expense	0		0
Amortization of intangible assets	0		0
Impairment and closure charges	300,000		0
Gain on disposition of assets	(300,000)		(100,000)
Loss on extinguishment of debt	0		0
Debt modification costs			0
Other (income) expense			(400,000)
Intercompany dividend	0		0
Income (loss) before income taxes	(200,000)		300,000
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	0		(100,000)
Net income	(200,000)		200,000
Total comprehensive income	(200,000)		200,000
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Franchise revenues	0		0
Company restaurant sales	0		0
Rental revenues	0		0
Financing revenues	0		0
Revenues	0		0
Franchise expenses	0		0
Restaurant expenses	0		0
Rental expenses	0		0
Financing expenses	0		0
General and administrative	0		0
Interest expense	0		0
Amortization of intangible assets	0		0
Impairment and closure charges	0		0
Loss on extinguishment of debt	0		0
Debt modification costs			0
Other (income) expense			23,700,000
Intercompany dividend	(54,100,000)		16,100,000
Income (loss) before income taxes	(54,100,000)		(39,800,000)
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	0
Net income	(54,100,000)		(39,800,000)
Total comprehensive income	$ (54,100,000)		$ (39,800,000)

[1] Including write-off of the discount and deferred financing costs related to the debt retired.