Consolidating Financial Information Supplemental Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012		Sep. 30, 2011
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Franchise revenues	$ 102,674	$ 97,679	$ 313,542		$ 300,782
Company restaurant sales	79,572	131,618	274,259		420,955
Rental revenues	30,920	31,163	92,096		95,003
Financing revenues	3,152	4,021	11,394		16,279
Total revenue	216,318	264,481	691,291		833,019
Franchise expenses	27,148	25,006	81,126		78,656
Restaurant expenses	68,541	113,976	232,298		363,021
Rental expenses	24,237	24,521	73,075		73,734
Financing expenses	15	425	1,586		6,001
General and administrative	48,737	38,733	125,608		115,152
Interest expense	28,896	32,170	88,767		101,343
Impairment and closure	420	193	1,264		26,947
Amortization of intangible assets	3,072	3,075	9,222		9,225
(Gain) loss on disposition of assets	(73,650)	1,176	(89,642)		(21,287)
Loss on extinguishment of debt	2,306	0	4,917	[1]	7,885	[1]
Debt modification costs	0	(21)	0		4,103
Other (income) expense		0			0
Intercompany dividend	0		0
Income (loss) before income taxes	86,596	25,227	163,070		68,239
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	(26,023)	(8,702)	(54,215)		(21,667)
Net (loss) income	60,573	16,525	108,855		46,572
Total comprehensive income	60,578	16,475	108,999		46,542
Parent
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Franchise revenues	700	600	1,900		1,900
Company restaurant sales	0	0	0		0
Rental revenues	0	0	0		0
Financing revenues	0	0	0		0
Total revenue	700	600	1,900		1,900
Franchise expenses	600	600	1,800		1,600
Restaurant expenses	0	0	0		0
Rental expenses	0	0	0		0
Financing expenses	0	0	0		0
General and administrative	15,800	6,500	28,900		20,100
Interest expense	26,500	28,200	80,900		89,200
Impairment and closure	0	0	0		0
Amortization of intangible assets	0	0	0		0
(Gain) loss on disposition of assets	0	0	0		0
Loss on extinguishment of debt	2,300	0	4,900		7,900
Debt modification costs		0			4,100
Other (income) expense		(37,000)			(86,000)
Intercompany dividend	(88,700)		(179,700)
Income (loss) before income taxes	44,200	2,300	65,100		(35,000)
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	16,500	14,300	43,600		47,800
Net (loss) income	60,600	16,600	108,700		12,800
Total comprehensive income	60,600	16,600	108,800		12,800
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Franchise revenues	101,700	96,900	310,800		298,200
Company restaurant sales	79,600	131,200	274,300		419,800
Rental revenues	30,900	31,200	92,100		94,900
Financing revenues	3,200	4,000	11,400		16,300
Total revenue	215,400	263,300	688,600		829,200
Franchise expenses	26,600	24,500	79,300		77,100
Restaurant expenses	68,600	113,700	232,300		362,300
Rental expenses	24,200	24,400	73,100		73,600
Financing expenses	0	400	1,600		6,000
General and administrative	32,500	31,800	95,200		93,400
Interest expense	2,400	4,000	7,900		12,100
Impairment and closure	200	(100)	700		26,600
Amortization of intangible assets	3,100	3,100	9,200		9,200
(Gain) loss on disposition of assets	(73,300)	1,200	(88,500)		(21,200)
Loss on extinguishment of debt	0	0	0		0
Debt modification costs		0			0
Other (income) expense		400			20,900
Intercompany dividend	0		0
Income (loss) before income taxes	131,100	59,900	277,800		169,200
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	(42,500)	(23,200)	(97,900)		(69,300)
Net (loss) income	88,600	36,700	179,900		99,900
Total comprehensive income	88,600	36,700	180,000		99,900
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Franchise revenues	300	200	800		700
Company restaurant sales	0	400	0		1,200
Rental revenues	0	0	0		100
Financing revenues	0	0	0		0
Total revenue	300	600	800		2,000
Franchise expenses	0	0	0		0
Restaurant expenses	0	200	0		700
Rental expenses	0	100	0		100
Financing expenses	0	0	0		0
General and administrative	400	500	1,400		1,700
Interest expense	0	0	0		0
Impairment and closure	200	200	600		300
Amortization of intangible assets	0	0	0
(Gain) loss on disposition of assets	(400)	0	(1,200)		0
Loss on extinguishment of debt	0	0	0
Debt modification costs		0			0
Other (income) expense		(400)			(1,400)
Intercompany dividend	0		0
Income (loss) before income taxes	100	0	0		600
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	0	200	0		(200)
Net (loss) income	100	300	0		400
Total comprehensive income	100	300	0		400
Consolidation, Eliminations
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Franchise revenues	0	0	0		0
Company restaurant sales	0	0	0		0
Rental revenues	0	0	0		0
Financing revenues	0	0	0		0
Total revenue	0	0	0		0
Franchise expenses	0	0	0		0
Restaurant expenses	0	0	0		0
Rental expenses	0	0	0		0
Financing expenses	0	0	0		0
General and administrative	0	0	0		0
Interest expense	0	0	0		0
Impairment and closure	0	0	0		0
Amortization of intangible assets	0	0	0		0
(Gain) loss on disposition of assets	0	0	0		0
Loss on extinguishment of debt	0	0	0		0
Debt modification costs		0			0
Other (income) expense		37,100			66,500
Intercompany dividend	88,700		179,700
Income (loss) before income taxes	(88,700)	(37,100)	(179,700)		(66,500)
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	0	0	0		0
Net (loss) income	(88,700)	(37,100)	(179,700)		(66,500)
Total comprehensive income	$ (88,700)	$ (37,100)	$ (179,700)		$ (66,500)

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