Retirement Plans	12 Months Ended
Dec. 30, 2012
Deferred Compensation Arrangement with Individual, Postretirement Benefits [Line Items]
Compensation and Employee Benefit Plans [Text Block]	17. Retirement Plans The Company offers its salaried employees the option to participate in the Carrols Corporation Retirement Savings Plan (the “Retirement Plan”). The Retirement Plan includes a savings option pursuant to section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code in addition to a post-tax savings option. The Company may elect to contribute to the Retirement Plan on an annual basis. The Company contribution is equal to 50% of the employee's contribution to a maximum Company contribution of $520 annually for any plan year that the Company participates in an employee match. Under the Retirement Plan, the Company's contributions begin to vest after one year and fully vest after five years of service. A year of service is defined as a plan year during which an employee completes at least 1,000 hours of service. Participating employees may contribute up to 50% of their salary annually to either of the savings options, subject to other limitations. The employees have various investment options available under a trust established by the Retirement Plan. Contributions to the Retirement Plan for employees related to continuing operations were $327, $292 and $297 for the years ended December 30, 2012, January 1, 2012 and January 2, 2011, respectively. The Company also has an Amended and Restated Deferred Compensation Plan which permits employees not eligible to participate in the Retirement Plan because they have been excluded as “highly compensated” employees (as so defined in the Retirement Plan) to voluntarily defer portions of their base salary and annual bonus. All amounts deferred by the participants earn interest at 8% per annum. There is no Company matching on any portion of the funds. At December 30, 2012 and January 1, 2012, a total of $282 and $965, respectively, was deferred under this plan, including accrued interest.

17. Retirement Plans

The Company offers its salaried employees the option to participate in the Carrols Corporation Retirement Savings Plan (the “Retirement Plan”). The Retirement Plan includes a savings option pursuant to section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code in addition to a post-tax savings option. The Company may elect to contribute to the Retirement Plan on an annual basis. The Company contribution is equal to 50% of the employee's contribution to a maximum Company contribution of $520 annually for any plan year that the Company participates in an employee match. Under the Retirement Plan, the Company's contributions begin to vest after one year and fully vest after five years of service. A year of service is defined as a plan year during which an employee completes at least 1,000 hours of service. Participating employees may contribute up to 50% of their salary annually to either of the savings options, subject to other limitations. The employees have various investment options available under a trust established by the Retirement Plan. Contributions to the Retirement Plan for employees related to continuing operations were $327, $292 and $297 for the years ended December 30, 2012, January 1, 2012 and January 2, 2011, respectively.

The Company also has an Amended and Restated Deferred Compensation Plan which permits employees not eligible to participate in the Retirement Plan because they have been excluded as “highly compensated” employees (as so defined in the Retirement Plan) to voluntarily defer portions of their base salary and annual bonus. All amounts deferred by the participants earn interest at 8% per annum. There is no Company matching on any portion of the funds. At December 30, 2012 and January 1, 2012, a total of $282 and $965, respectively, was deferred under this plan, including accrued interest.