Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Details) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) property Restaurant Franchisee Country segment revenue_category Territory $ / shares	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) Restaurant Franchisee	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) Restaurant Franchisee
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Number of weeks in fiscal year	364 days	364 days	371 days
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 117,010	$ 140,535
Restricted cash included in other current assets	31,436	30,256
Restricted cash included in other noncurrent assets	$ 14,700	14,700
Number of reporting units | segment	2
Category of revenue categories | revenue_category	4
Advertising expense	$ 300	800	$ 1,900
Number of operating segments | segment	5
Number of reporting segments | segment	4
Retained earnings (accumulated deficit)	$ 1,098	(382,082)
Deferred tax liabilities, deferred benefit	$ 145,402	14,434	13,987
Building improvements | Minimum
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Useful life of property and equipment	25 years
Building improvements | Maximum
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Useful life of property and equipment	40 years
Leaseholds and improvements | Minimum
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Useful life of property and equipment	3 years
Leaseholds and improvements | Maximum
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Useful life of property and equipment	40 years
Equipment and fixtures | Minimum
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Useful life of property and equipment	3 years
Equipment and fixtures | Maximum
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Useful life of property and equipment	5 years
Internal Use Software | Minimum
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Useful life of property and equipment	3 years
Internal Use Software | Maximum
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Useful life of property and equipment	10 years
Prepaid Advertising and Gift Cards
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 57,100	63,300
Held in Trust Deposits
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Restricted cash included in other current assets	29,300	25,700
Held for Advertising Activity Deposits
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 2,100
Restricted cash included in other current assets		4,300
Applebee's
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Number of restaurants | Restaurant	1,936
Property subject to or available for operating lease, number of units | property	2
Number of territories in which entity operates | Territory	2
Number of countries in which entity operates | Country	15
IHOP
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Number of restaurants | Restaurant	1,786
Property subject to or available for operating lease, number of units | property	693
Operating lease, renewal term	5 years
Advertising expense included in franchise revenue and expense	$ 113,200	$ 111,300	$ 108,100
Number of territories in which entity operates | Territory	3
Number of countries in which entity operates | Country	13
IHOP | Minimum
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Operating lease, term of contract	20 years
IHOP | Maximum
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Operating lease, term of contract	25 years
Franchised | Applebee's
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Number of restaurants | Restaurant	1,936
Franchised | IHOP
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Number of restaurants | Restaurant	1,622
Company Operated Excluding Restaurants Reacquired to be Refranchised | Applebee's
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Number of restaurants | Restaurant		23	23
Company Operated Excluding Restaurants Reacquired to be Refranchised | IHOP
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Number of restaurants | Restaurant	10
Franchised Units or Licensing Agreements | IHOP
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Number of restaurants | Restaurant	1,786
Revenue from Rights Concentration Risk | Largest Franchisees
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Concentration risk by percentage	26.00%
Revenue from Rights Concentration Risk | Sales Revenue, Net
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Number of franchisees | Franchisee	0	0	0
Revenue from Rights Concentration Risk | Sales Revenue, Net | Largest Franchisees
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Concentration risk by percentage	15.80%	15.60%	15.10%
Revenue from Rights Concentration Risk | Accounts Receivable | Largest Franchisees
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Number of franchisees | Franchisee	2
Number of restaurants | Restaurant	892
Net accounts receivable	$ 24,000	$ 20,100
Revenue from Rights Concentration Risk | Accounts Receivable | Largest Franchisees | Minimum
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Number of restaurants per franchisee | Restaurant	400
Revenue from Rights Concentration Risk | Accounts Receivable | Largest Franchisees | Applebee's
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Number of franchisees | Franchisee	1
Revenue from Rights Concentration Risk | Accounts Receivable | Largest Franchisees | IHOP
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Number of franchisees | Franchisee	1
Accounting Standards Update 2016-09
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Increase in income tax, amount	$ 2,000
Increase in income tax (in dollars per share) | $ / shares	$ 0.11
Accounting Standards Update 2014-09
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Deferred revenue	$ 85,000
Increase (decrease) in accounts and other receivables	7,000
Retained earnings (accumulated deficit)	60,000
Deferred tax liabilities, deferred benefit	$ 32,000