Business Segment Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 24, 2013	Sep. 25, 2012	Sep. 24, 2013	Sep. 25, 2012	Dec. 25, 2012	Dec. 27, 2011
Revenues:
Total revenues	$ 572,480	$ 529,338	$ 1,723,270	$ 1,558,508
Segment profit:
Total segment profit	120,443	115,214	388,013	356,267
Depreciation and amortization	26,329	23,828	75,961	67,290
Unallocated General and Administrative Expenses	28,837	30,891	86,887	88,402
Pre-opening expenses	2,165	2,130	5,337	6,217
Interest expense	75	263	555	675
Other (income) expense, net	324	692	(2,892)	1,418
Income before income taxes	64,170	59,044	226,646	197,465
Capital expenditures:
Capital Expenditures	42,832	40,588	124,334	105,285
Segment Assets
Unallocated cash and cash equivalents	193,961	289,884	193,961	289,884	297,141	222,640
Unallocated trade and other accounts receivable	33,435		33,435		43,843
Unallocated property and equipment	635,889		635,889		571,754
Total assets	1,208,391		1,208,391		1,268,163
Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Assets
Total assets	890,662		890,662		878,035
Company bakery cafe operations [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	505,428	466,369	1,523,985	1,374,229
Segment profit:
Total segment profit	90,734	87,920	296,292	274,420
Depreciation and amortization	22,489	19,985	65,198	57,764
Capital expenditures:
Capital Expenditures	31,799	29,906	97,813	84,797
Segment Assets
Total assets	820,461		820,461		807,681
Franchise operations [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	27,189	25,321	81,219	74,900
Segment profit:
Total segment profit	25,732	23,687	76,738	69,700
Segment Assets
Total assets	10,295		10,295		10,285
Fresh dough and other product operations [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	85,095	79,338	251,779	229,170
Segment profit:
Total segment profit	3,977	3,607	14,983	12,147
Depreciation and amortization	2,010	1,708	5,988	5,018
Capital expenditures:
Capital Expenditures	3,668	4,270	7,448	8,246
Segment Assets
Total assets	59,906		59,906		60,069
Intersegment Elimination [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	(45,232)	(41,690)	(133,713)	(119,791)
Segment profit:
Depreciation and amortization	1,830	2,135	4,775	4,508
Capital expenditures:
Capital Expenditures	7,365	6,412	19,073	12,242
Unallocated Amount to Segment [Member]
Segment profit:
Unallocated General and Administrative Expenses	27,380	29,257	82,406	83,202
Segment Assets
Unallocated cash and cash equivalents	193,961		193,961		297,141
Unallocated trade and other accounts receivable	2,309		2,309		1,592
Unallocated property and equipment	48,628		48,628		30,161
Unallocated deposits and other	4,321		4,321		5,054
Other unallocated assets	$ 68,510		$ 68,510		$ 56,180