Stockholder's Equity	12 Months Ended
Jan. 01, 2017
Preferred Stock, Number of Shares, Par Value and Other Disclosures [Abstract]
Preferred Stock [Text Block]	Preferred Stock. In 2012, Carrols Restaurant Group issued to BKC 100 shares of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock pursuant to a certificate of designation. These shares are convertible into 9,414,580 shares of Carrols Restaurant Group Common Stock ("Carrols Common Stock"). The Preferred Stock ranks senior to Carrols Common Stock with respect to rights on liquidation, winding-up and dissolution of Carrols Restaurant Group. The Preferred Stock is perpetual, will receive any dividends and amounts upon a liquidation event on an as converted basis, does not pay interest and has no mandatory prepayment features. BKC also has certain approval and voting rights as set forth in the certificate of designation for the Preferred Stock so long as it owns greater than 10.0% of the outstanding shares of Carrols Common Stock (on an as-converted basis). The Preferred Stock will vote with the Company's common stock on an as converted basis and provides for the right of BKC to elect (a) two members to the Company's board of directors until the date on which the number of shares of common stock into which the outstanding shares of the Preferred Stock held by BKC are then convertible constitutes less than 14.5% of the total number of outstanding shares of common stock and (b) one member to the Company's board of directors until BKC owns Preferred Stock (on an as converted basis to common stock) which equals less than 10.0% of the total number of outstanding shares of common stock. Common Stock Public Offering. On April 30, 2014, the Company completed an underwritten public offering of 10.0 million shares of common stock at a price of $6.20 per share (the "Public Offering"). The Company also issued and sold an additional 1.5 million shares of common stock pursuant to the underwriters exercise of the option to purchase additional shares at the same terms and conditions as offered in the Public Offering, for a total share issuance of 11.5 million shares. All shares were issued and sold by the Company and the net proceeds received were approximately $67.3 million in the aggregate after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses. The Company used the net proceeds of the Public Offering to accelerate the remodeling of the Company's restaurants to BKC's 20/20 restaurant image and to acquire franchised Burger King restaurants. A shelf registration statement (including a prospectus) relating to these securities was filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and was declared effective by the SEC on February 1, 2016.

Preferred Stock. In 2012, Carrols Restaurant Group issued to BKC 100 shares of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock pursuant to a certificate of designation. These shares are convertible into 9,414,580 shares of Carrols Restaurant Group Common Stock ("Carrols Common Stock").

The Preferred Stock ranks senior to Carrols Common Stock with respect to rights on liquidation, winding-up and dissolution of Carrols Restaurant Group. The Preferred Stock is perpetual, will receive any dividends and amounts upon a liquidation event on an as converted basis, does not pay interest and has no mandatory prepayment features.

BKC also has certain approval and voting rights as set forth in the certificate of designation for the Preferred Stock so long as it owns greater than 10.0% of the outstanding shares of Carrols Common Stock (on an as-converted basis). The Preferred Stock will vote with the Company's common stock on an as converted basis and provides for the right of BKC to elect (a) two members to the Company's board of directors until the date on which the number of shares of common stock into which the outstanding shares of the Preferred Stock held by BKC are then convertible constitutes less than 14.5% of the total number of outstanding shares of common stock and (b) one member to the Company's board of directors until BKC owns Preferred Stock (on an as converted basis to common stock) which equals less than 10.0% of the total number of outstanding shares of common stock.

Common Stock Public Offering. On April 30, 2014, the Company completed an underwritten public offering of 10.0 million shares of common stock at a price of $6.20 per share (the "Public Offering"). The Company also issued and sold an additional 1.5 million shares of common stock pursuant to the underwriters exercise of the option to purchase additional shares at the same terms and conditions as offered in the Public Offering, for a total share issuance of 11.5 million shares. All shares were issued and sold by the Company and the net proceeds received were approximately $67.3 million in the aggregate after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses.

The Company used the net proceeds of the Public Offering to accelerate the remodeling of the Company's restaurants to BKC's 20/20 restaurant image and to acquire franchised Burger King restaurants.

A shelf registration statement (including a prospectus) relating to these securities was filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and was declared effective by the SEC on February 1, 2016.