Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	(Accumulated Deficit) Retained Earnings	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss	Treasury Stock
Common stock, shares, outstanding, beginning (shares) at Dec. 31, 2014		18,954,000
Stockholders' Equity, Beginning at Dec. 31, 2014	$ 279,073	$ 252	$ 279,946	$ 313,644	$ (73)	$ (314,696)
Treasury stock, shares, beginning (shares) at Dec. 31, 2014						6,286,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net (loss) income	104,923			104,923
Other comprehensive loss	$ (34)				(34)
Purchase of DineEquity common stock (shares)	(721,463.000)	(722,000)				(722,000)
Purchase of Company common stock	$ (70,014)					$ (70,014)
Reissuance of treasury stock (shares)		357,000				357,000
Reissuance of treasury stock	9,536		(3,377)			$ 12,913
Net issuance of shares for stock plans (shares)		(21,000)
Net issuance of shares for stock plans	0	$ 0	0
Repurchase of restricted shares (shares)		(33,000)
Repurchase of restricted shares for taxes	(3,499)		(3,499)
Stock-based compensation	8,892		8,892
Tax benefit from stock-based compensation	4,862		4,862
Dividends on common stock	(66,516)		128	(66,644)
Common stock, shares, outstanding, ending (shares) at Dec. 31, 2015		18,535,000
Stockholders' Equity, Ending at Dec. 31, 2015	267,223	$ 252	286,952	351,923	(107)	$ (371,797)
Treasury stock, shares, ending (shares) at Dec. 31, 2015						6,651,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net (loss) income	$ 97,992			97,992
Purchase of DineEquity common stock (shares)	(650,384)	(650,000)				(650,000)
Purchase of Company common stock	$ (55,343)					$ (55,343)
Reissuance of treasury stock (shares)		137,000				137,000
Reissuance of treasury stock	1,409		(3,468)			$ 4,877
Net issuance of shares for stock plans (shares)		(19,000)
Net issuance of shares for stock plans	0	$ (1)	1
Repurchase of restricted shares (shares)		(33,000)
Repurchase of restricted shares for taxes	(2,859)		(2,859)
Stock-based compensation	10,926		10,926
Tax benefit from stock-based compensation	1,132		1,132
Dividends on common stock	$ (67,708)		125	(67,833)
Common stock, shares, outstanding, ending (shares) at Dec. 31, 2016	17,969,636	17,970,000
Stockholders' Equity, Ending at Dec. 31, 2016	$ 252,772	$ 251	292,809	382,082	(107)	$ (422,263)
Treasury stock, shares, ending (shares) at Dec. 31, 2016	7,164,587					7,165,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net (loss) income	$ (330,539)			(330,539)
Other comprehensive loss	$ 2				2
Purchase of DineEquity common stock (shares)	(145,786)	(146,000)				(146,000)
Purchase of Company common stock	$ (10,003)					$ (10,003)
Reissuance of treasury stock (shares)		281,000				281,000
Reissuance of treasury stock	2,635		(7,478)			$ 10,113
Net issuance of shares for stock plans (shares)		(71,000)
Net issuance of shares for stock plans	0	$ (1)	1
Repurchase of restricted shares (shares)		(41,000)
Repurchase of restricted shares for taxes	(2,396)		(2,396)
Stock-based compensation	10,783		10,783
Dividends on common stock	(52,234)		407	(52,641)
Dividends declared from additional paid-in capital	$ (17,718)		(17,718)
Common stock, shares, outstanding, ending (shares) at Dec. 31, 2017	17,993,124	17,993,000
Stockholders' Equity, Ending at Dec. 31, 2017	$ (146,698)	$ 250	$ 276,408	$ (1,098)	$ (105)	$ (422,153)
Treasury stock, shares, ending (shares) at Dec. 31, 2017	7,029,188					7,029,000