Long-Term Debt Prior Long-Term Debt Narrative (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 30, 2012 Rate	Jan. 01, 2012	Jan. 02, 2011
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Term loan borrowings from Carrols LLC credit facility	$ 0	$ 65,000,000	$ 0
Line of Credit Facility, Current Borrowing Capacity	20,000,000
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity	25,000,000
Percentage of Debt Hedged by Interest Rate Derivatives	50.00%
Derivative, Fixed Interest Rate	0.77%
Notional Amount of Interest Rate Cash Flow Hedge Derivatives		31,700,000
Cash Flow Hedge Gain (Loss) Reclassified to Interest Expense, Net	322,000	25,000
Discontinuation of Interest Rate Cash Flow Hedge	254,000
Interest Rate Cash Flow Hedge Liability at Fair Value		110,000
Carrols LLC [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity	20,000,000
Letter of Credit [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Current Borrowing Capacity	15.0
Letter of Credit [Member] | Carrols LLC [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Current Borrowing Capacity	10,000,000
Carrols LLC [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Term loan borrowings from Carrols LLC credit facility		65,000,000
Debt Instrument, Periodic Payment, Principal	$ 1,625,000