Business Segment Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 26, 2012	Jun. 28, 2011	Jun. 26, 2012	Jun. 28, 2011	Dec. 27, 2011
Revenues:
Total revenues	$ 530,591	$ 451,080	$ 1,029,170	$ 873,180
Segment profit:
Total segment profit	126,119	101,817	241,053	199,959
Depreciation and amortization	22,141	19,707	43,462	38,801
General and Administrative Expense	30,844	25,001	57,511	51,672
Pre-opening expenses	2,476	1,555	4,087	2,533
Interest expense	202	197	412	422
Other (income) expense, net	288	(176)	726	(980)
Income before income taxes	71,713	57,111	138,421	110,664
Capital expenditures:
Capital Expenditures	34,578	24,268	64,697	46,982
Segment Assets
Trade accounts receivable, net	26,815		26,815		30,700
Property and equipment, net	520,784		520,784		492,022
Total assets	1,111,014		1,111,014		1,027,322
Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Assets
Total assets	791,717		791,717		737,458
Company bakery cafe operations [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	468,645	394,525	907,860	760,104
Segment profit:
Total segment profit	98,764	75,465	186,500	146,685
Depreciation and amortization	19,279	16,903	37,779	33,147
Capital expenditures:
Capital Expenditures	29,970	19,893	54,891	41,783
Segment Assets
Total assets	732,827		732,827		682,246
Franchise operations [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	24,757	23,022	49,579	45,604
Segment profit:
Total segment profit	23,212	21,444	46,013	42,451
Segment Assets
Total assets	7,481		7,481		7,502
Fresh dough and other product operations [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	78,489	67,676	149,832	133,701
Segment profit:
Total segment profit	4,143	4,908	8,540	10,823
Depreciation and amortization	1,661	1,707	3,310	3,451
Capital expenditures:
Capital Expenditures	2,059	2,131	3,976	2,348
Segment Assets
Total assets	51,409		51,409		47,710
Intersegment Elimination [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	(41,300)	(34,143)	(78,101)	(66,229)
Segment profit:
Depreciation and amortization	1,201	1,097	2,373	2,203
Capital expenditures:
Capital Expenditures	2,549	2,244	5,830	2,851
Unallocated Amount to Segment [Member]
Segment profit:
General and Administrative Expense	29,299	23,423	53,945	48,519
Segment Assets
Trade accounts receivable, net	1,486		1,486		3,359
Property and equipment, net	25,078		25,078		21,565
Deposits and other	4,109		4,109		4,234
Total other assets	$ 288,624		$ 288,624		$ 260,706