Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' (Deficit) Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Retained Earnings (Accumulated Deficit)	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss	Treasury Stock
Common stock, shares, outstanding, beginning (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2016		17,970,000
Stockholders' equity, beginning of the period at Dec. 31, 2016	$ 196,141	$ 251	$ 292,809	$ 325,451	$ (107)	$ (422,263)
Treasury stock, shares, beginning (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2016						7,165,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)	(342,750)			(342,750)
Other comprehensive gain	2				2
Purchase of DineEquity common stock (in shares)		(146,000)				(146,000)
Purchase of Company common stock	$ (10,003)					$ (10,003)
Reissuance of treasury stock (in shares)	281,185	281,000				281,000
Reissuance of treasury stock	$ 2,635		(7,478)			$ 10,113
Net issuance of shares for stock plans (in shares)		(71,000)
Net use of shares for stock plans	0	$ (1)	1
Repurchase of restricted shares (in 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 (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017		17,993,000
Stockholders' equity, ending of the period at Dec. 31, 2017	(215,540)	$ 250	276,408	(69,940)	(105)	$ (422,153)
Treasury stock, shares, ending (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017						7,029,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)	80,354			80,354
Other comprehensive gain	45				45
Purchase of DineEquity common stock (in shares)		(479,000)				(479,000)
Purchase of Company common stock	$ (34,929)					$ (34,929)
Reissuance of treasury stock (in shares)	167,396	167,000				167,000
Reissuance of treasury stock	$ 3,928		(2,551)			$ 6,479
Net issuance of shares for stock plans (in shares)		(11,000)
Net use of shares for stock plans	0	$ 0	0
Repurchase of restricted shares (in shares)		(27,000)
Repurchase of restricted shares for taxes	(1,972)		(1,972)
Stock-based compensation	10,546		10,546
Dividends on common stock				0
Dividends declared from additional paid-in capital	$ (44,705)		(44,705)
Common stock, shares, outstanding, ending (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018	17,644,267	17,644,000
Stockholders' equity, ending of the period at Dec. 31, 2018	$ (202,273)	$ 250	237,726	10,414	(60)	$ (450,603)
Treasury stock, shares, ending (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018	7,340,631					7,341,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)	$ 104,346			104,346
Other comprehensive gain	2				2
Purchase of DineEquity common stock (in shares)		(1,348,000)				(1,348,000)
Purchase of Company common stock	$ (111,697)					$ (111,697)
Reissuance of treasury stock (in shares)	285,302	285,000				285,000
Reissuance of treasury stock	$ 11,969	$ (1)	(520)			$ 12,490
Net issuance of shares for stock plans (in shares)		(30,000)
Net use of shares for stock plans	0
Repurchase of restricted shares (in shares)		(30,000)
Repurchase of restricted shares for taxes	(2,728)		(2,728)
Stock-based compensation	10,808		10,808
Dividends on common stock	(47,095)		982	(48,077)
Dividends declared from additional paid-in capital			0
Other	$ (76)		(76)
Common stock, shares, outstanding, ending (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019	16,521,921	16,522,000
Stockholders' equity, ending of the period at Dec. 31, 2019	$ (241,774)	$ 249	$ 246,192	$ 61,653	$ (58)	$ (549,810)
Treasury stock, shares, ending (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019	8,403,526					8,404,000