Segment Reporting (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended												12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012		Sep. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2012		Mar. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Franchise Revenue													$ 502,586,000	$ 712,580,000	$ 929,523,000
Rental revenues													124,769,000	122,859,000	125,960,000
Financial Services Revenue													13,112,000	14,489,000	19,715,000
Total segment revenues	157,901,000	161,283,000	158,114,000	163,169,000	158,637,000	[1]	216,318,000	[1]	229,391,000	[1]	245,582,000	[1]	640,467,000	849,928,000	1,075,198,000
Income (loss) before income taxes													110,617,000	194,923,000	104,998,000
Interest expense													100,264,000	114,338,000	132,707,000
Interest Expense													116,400,000	131,700,000	151,200,000
Depreciation and amortization													35,355,000	39,538,000	50,220,000
Closure and impairment charges													1,812,000	4,218,000	29,865,000
Capital Expenditures													7,000,000	17,000,000	26,300,000
Goodwill (all franchise segment)	697,470,000				697,470,000								697,470,000	697,470,000	697,470,000
Total assets	2,404,642,000				2,415,400,000								2,404,642,000	2,415,400,000	2,614,300,000
Franchise Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Franchise Revenue													439,200,000	421,400,000	398,500,000
Income (loss) before income taxes													329,500,000	311,500,000	293,500,000
Depreciation and amortization													10,800,000	9,800,000	9,900,000
Total assets	1,606,400,000				1,523,000,000								1,606,400,000	1,523,000,000	1,472,300,000
Company Restaurants [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Food and Beverage Revenue													63,400,000	291,100,000	531,000,000
Income (loss) before income taxes													(200,000)	41,800,000	72,600,000
Interest expense													400,000	400,000	500,000
Depreciation and amortization													2,200,000	6,900,000	16,600,000
Closure and impairment charges													1,800,000	4,200,000	2,400,000
Capital Expenditures													1,300,000	9,500,000	15,500,000
Total assets	191,600,000				186,200,000								191,600,000	186,200,000	423,100,000
Rental Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Rental revenues													124,800,000
Income (loss) before income taxes													27,500,000	25,700,000	27,800,000
Interest expense													15,700,000	17,000,000	18,000,000
Depreciation and amortization													13,400,000	13,600,000	14,000,000
Total assets	364,000,000				397,300,000								364,000,000	397,300,000	407,900,000
Financing Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Financial Services Revenue													13,100,000
Income (loss) before income taxes													12,900,000	12,900,000	13,700,000
Total assets	117,100,000				125,400,000								117,100,000	125,400,000	136,400,000
Corproate [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income (loss) before income taxes													(259,100,000)	(197,000,000)	(302,600,000)
Interest expense													100,300,000	114,300,000	132,700,000
Depreciation and amortization													9,000,000	9,200,000	9,700,000
Closure and impairment charges													0	0	27,500,000
Capital Expenditures													5,700,000	7,500,000	10,800,000
Total assets	$ 125,500,000				$ 183,500,000								$ 125,500,000	$ 183,500,000	$ 174,600,000

[1] Revenues in 2012 were impacted by the refranchising of 154 Applebee's company-operated restaurants in 2012 as follows: 17 in the first quarter of 2012, 98 in the third quarter of 2012 and 39 in the fourth quarter of 2012.