Business Segment Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Apr. 01, 2014	Dec. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Revenues:
Total revenues	$ 648,504	$ 605,337
Segment profit:
Total segment profit	123,246	131,843
Depreciation and amortization	33,947	29,442
Unallocated General and Administrative Expenses	37,767	35,007
Pre-opening expenses	1,649	1,824
Interest expense	486	623
Other (income) expense, net	(184)	(1,212)
Income before income taxes	50,895	67,594
Capital expenditures:
Capital Expenditures	49,574	42,301
Segment Assets
Unallocated cash and cash equivalents	201,531	101,087	196,493	125,245
Unallocated trade and other accounts receivable	36,085		36,584
Unallocated property and equipment	733,820		787,294
Total assets	1,341,130		1,390,902
Company bakery cafe operations [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	573,676	535,549
Franchise operations [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	32,393	28,892
Operating Segments [Member]
Segment profit:
Depreciation and amortization	33,947
Unallocated Amount to Segment [Member]
Segment profit:
Unallocated General and Administrative Expenses	36,453	33,572
Segment Assets
Unallocated cash and cash equivalents	201,531		196,493
Unallocated trade and other accounts receivable	2,129		3,104
Unallocated property and equipment	90,431		84,224
Unallocated deposits and other	3,657		3,791
Other unallocated assets	41,143		71,030
Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Assets
Total assets	1,002,239		1,032,260
Operating Segments [Member] | Company bakery cafe operations [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	573,676	535,549
Segment profit:
Total segment profit	85,998	99,124
Depreciation and amortization	27,335	24,783
Capital expenditures:
Capital Expenditures	35,518	30,284
Segment Assets
Total assets	925,244		953,896
Operating Segments [Member] | Franchise operations [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	32,393	28,892
Segment profit:
Total segment profit	31,079	27,457
Segment Assets
Total assets	9,966		13,145
Operating Segments [Member] | Fresh dough and other product operations [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	90,124	86,525
Segment profit:
Total segment profit	6,169	5,262
Depreciation and amortization	2,309	2,057
Capital expenditures:
Capital Expenditures	994	2,830
Segment Assets
Total assets	67,029		65,219
Operating Segments [Member] | Corporate Administration [Member]
Segment profit:
Depreciation and amortization	4,303	2,602
Capital expenditures:
Capital Expenditures	13,062	9,187
Intersegment Eliminations [Member] | Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	$ (47,689)	$ (45,629)