Segment Reporting (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012		Sep. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2012		Mar. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011		Sep. 30, 2011		Jun. 30, 2011		Mar. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Franchise Revenue																	$ 421,459,000	$ 398,539,000	$ 377,137,000
Food and Beverage Revenue																	291,121,000	530,984,000	815,572,000
Rental revenues																	122,859,000	125,960,000	124,508,000
Financial Services Revenue																	14,489,000	19,715,000	16,424,000
Total segment revenues	158,637,000	[1]	216,318,000	[1]	229,391,000	[1]	245,582,000	[1]	242,179,000	[1]	264,481,000	[1]	268,338,000	[1],[2]	300,200,000	[1]	849,928,000	1,075,198,000	1,333,641,000
Income (loss) before income taxes																	194,923,000	104,998,000	(12,080,000)
Interest expense																	114,338,000	132,707,000	171,537,000
Interest Expense																	131,700,000	151,200,000	191,200,000
Depreciation and amortization																	39,538,000	50,220,000	61,427,000
Impairment and closure charges																	4,218,000	29,865,000	4,285,000
Capital Expenditures																	17,000,000	26,300,000	18,700,000
Goodwill (all franchise segment)	697,470,000								697,470,000								697,470,000	697,470,000	697,470,000
Total assets	2,415,400,000								2,614,294,000								2,415,400,000	2,614,294,000	2,856,600,000
Franchise Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Franchise Revenue																	421,400,000
Income (loss) before income taxes																	311,500,000	293,500,000	273,600,000
Depreciation and amortization																	9,800,000	9,900,000	10,000,000
Total assets	1,523,000,000								1,472,300,000								1,523,000,000	1,472,300,000	1,472,200,000
Company Restaurants [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Food and Beverage Revenue																	291,100,000
Income (loss) before income taxes																	41,800,000	72,600,000	116,200,000
Interest expense																	400,000	500,000	800,000
Depreciation and amortization																	6,900,000	16,600,000	27,100,000
Impairment and closure charges																	4,200,000	2,400,000	4,300,000
Capital Expenditures																	9,500,000	15,500,000	9,500,000
Total assets	186,200,000								423,100,000								186,200,000	423,100,000	513,700,000
Rental Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Rental revenues																	122,900,000
Income (loss) before income taxes																	25,700,000	27,800,000	25,500,000
Interest expense																	17,000,000	18,000,000	18,900,000
Depreciation and amortization																	13,600,000	14,000,000	13,900,000
Total assets	397,300,000								407,900,000								397,300,000	407,900,000	425,800,000
Financing Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Financial Services Revenue																	14,500,000
Income (loss) before income taxes																	12,900,000	13,700,000	14,500,000
Total assets	125,400,000								136,400,000								125,400,000	136,400,000	146,800,000
Corproate [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income (loss) before income taxes																	(197,000,000)	(302,600,000)	(441,900,000)
Interest expense																	114,300,000	132,700,000	171,500,000
Depreciation and amortization																	9,200,000	9,700,000	10,400,000
Impairment and closure charges																	0	27,500,000	0
Capital Expenditures																	7,500,000	10,800,000	9,200,000
Total assets	$ 183,500,000								$ 174,600,000								$ 183,500,000	$ 174,600,000	$ 298,100,000

[1] Revenues have been impacted by the refranchising of 286 Applebee's company-operated restaurants over the past two years as follows: 17 in the first quarter of 2012, 98 in the third quarter of 2012, 39 in the fourth quarter of 2012, 65 in the first quarter of 2011, one in the third quarter of 2011 and 66 in the fourth quarter of 2011.

[2] The net income and net loss per share were significantly impacted by approximately $21 million of charges related to the termination of the sublease for the Applebee's Restaurant Support Center in Lenexa, Kansas in the 2nd quarter of 2011.