Accounting Standards Adopted and Newly Issued Accounting Standards Not Yet Adopted - The effect of the adoption of ASC 606 on Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Franchise expenses	$ 78,341	$ 70,033	$ 243,157	$ 209,721
Income before income tax benefit	31,247	(506,291)	78,554	(439,382)
Income tax benefit	(7,660)	55,939	(25,181)	26,732
Net income (loss)	$ 23,587	$ (450,352)	$ 53,373	$ (412,650)
Net income (loss) available to common stockholders per share:
Net income per common share - basic (USD per share)	$ 1.31	$ (24.91)	$ 2.94	$ (22.90)
Net income per common share - diluted (USD per share)	$ 1.29	$ (24.91)	$ 2.90	(22.90)
Accounting Standards Update 2014-09
Net income (loss) available to common stockholders per share:
Net income per common share - diluted (USD per share)
Calculated under Revenue Guidance in Effect before Topic 606 [Member]
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Franchise expenses		$ 41,783		$ 115,669
Income before income tax benefit		(508,273)		(444,303)
Income tax benefit		56,555		28,228
Net income (loss)		$ (451,718)		$ (416,075)
Net income (loss) available to common stockholders per share:
Net income per common share - basic (USD per share)		$ (24.98)		$ (23.09)
Net income per common share - diluted (USD per share)		$ (24.98)		$ (23.09)
Calculated under Revenue Guidance in Effect before Topic 606 [Member] | Applebee's | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Revenue from contract with customer, excluding assessed Tax		$ 28,300		$ 94,100
Calculated under Revenue Guidance in Effect before Topic 606 [Member] | Applebee's | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09, Change In Method Of Recognizing Franchise And Development Fees
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Revenue from contract with customer, excluding assessed Tax		2,000		4,900
Difference between Revenue Guidance in Effect before and after Topic 606 [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Franchise expenses		28,250		94,052
Income before income tax benefit		1,982		4,921
Income tax benefit		(616)		(1,496)
Net income (loss)		1,366		3,425
Franchisor [Member]
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Revenue from contract with customer, excluding assessed Tax	$ 162,078	142,579	$ 469,332	450,367
Franchisor [Member] | Calculated under Revenue Guidance in Effect before Topic 606 [Member]
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Revenue from contract with customer, excluding assessed Tax		112,347		351,394
Franchisor [Member] | Difference between Revenue Guidance in Effect before and after Topic 606 [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Revenue from contract with customer, excluding assessed Tax		$ 30,232		$ 98,973