Related Parties	12 Months Ended
Dec. 29, 2019
Related Party Transactions [Abstract]
Related Party Transactions Disclosure [Text Block]	Transactions with Related Parties In connection with an acquisition of restaurants from BKC in 2012, the Company issued to BKC 100 shares of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock, which was exchanged for 100 shares of newly issued Series B Convertible Preferred Stock in 2018, and as of December 29, 2019 is convertible into approximately 15.4% of the outstanding shares of the Company's common stock after giving effect to the conversion of the Series B Convertible Preferred Stock. See Note 12—Stockholder's Equity for further information. Pursuant to the terms of the Series B Convertible Preferred Stock, the BKC Stockholders are entitled to elect two representatives on the Company's board of directors. Each of the Company's restaurants operates under a separate franchise agreement with BKC. These franchise agreements generally provide for an initial term of twenty years and currently have an initial franchise fee of $50. Any franchise agreement, including renewals, can be extended at the Company's discretion for an additional 20 year term, with BKC's approval, provided that, among other things, the restaurant meets the current restaurant image standard and the Company is not in default under terms of the franchise agreement. In addition to the initial franchise fee, the Company generally pays BKC a monthly royalty at a rate of 4.5% of Burger King sales and Popeyes a weekly royalty at a rate of 5.0% of Popeyes sales. Royalty expense was $62.0 million, $50.5 million, and $46.4 million for the years ended December 29, 2019, December 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively. The Company is also generally required to contribute 4% of restaurant sales from the Company's restaurants to the advertising funds utilized by BKC and Popeyes for their advertising, promotional programs and public relations activities, and amounts for additional local advertising in markets that approve such advertising. Advertising expense associated with these expenditures was $56.7 million, $47.0 million and $43.5 million for the years ended December 29, 2019, December 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively. As of December 29, 2019, December 30, 2018, and December 31, 2017, the Company leased 248, 244 and 251 of its restaurant locations from BKC, respectively. As of December 29, 2019, for 115 of the restaurants, the terms and conditions of the leases with BKC are identical to those between BKC and their third-party lessor. Aggregate rent under these BKC leases for the years ended December 29, 2019, December 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017 was $27.4 million, $27.2 million, and $27.6 million, respectively. The Company believes the related party lease terms have not been significantly affected by the fact that the Company and BKC are deemed to be related parties. As of December 29, 2019, the Company owed BKC $11.5 million related to the payment of advertising, royalties and rent, which is remitted on a monthly basis. The Company and BKC have entered into an Area Development and Remodeling Agreement ("Area Development Agreement") commencing on April 30, 2019 and ending on September 30, 2024, which supersedes the Operating Agreement dated as of May 30, 2012, as amended, between Carrols LLC and BKC. Pursuant to the Area Development Agreement, BKC assigned its right of first refusal under its franchise agreements with its franchisees to purchase all of the assets of a Burger King restaurant on the same terms proposed between such franchisee and a third party purchaser (the “ADA ROFR”), in 16 states and a limited number of counties in four additional states, and granted franchise pre-approval to acquire Burger King restaurants until the date that Carrols LLC has acquired more than an aggregate of an additional 500 Burger King restaurants excluding those restaurants the Company acquired in the Cambridge Merger. The continued assignment of the ADA ROFR is potentially subject to suspension at BKC's discretion in the event of non-compliance by Carrols LLC with certain terms as set forth in the Area Development Agreement. Carrols LLC agreed to pay BKC $3.0 million for the ADA ROFR in four equal installment payments over the course of one year. The Company has assumed Cambridge's development agreement for Popeyes®, which includes a right of first refusal for acquisitions in two southern states, as well as a development commitment to open, build and operate approximately 80 new Popeyes® restaurants over six years. In addition, the Company received $1.9 million related to a settlement with BKC for their approval of new restaurant development by other franchisees which unfavorably impacted the Company's restaurants which was recorded as other income in the first quarter of 2019.

Transactions with Related Parties

In connection with an acquisition of restaurants from BKC in 2012, the Company issued to BKC 100 shares of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock, which was exchanged for 100 shares of newly issued Series B Convertible Preferred Stock in 2018, and as of December 29, 2019 is convertible into approximately 15.4% of the outstanding shares of the Company's common stock after giving effect to the conversion of the Series B Convertible Preferred Stock. See Note 12—Stockholder's Equity for further information. Pursuant to the terms of the Series B Convertible Preferred Stock, the BKC Stockholders are entitled to elect two representatives on the Company's board of directors.

Each of the Company's restaurants operates under a separate franchise agreement with BKC. These franchise agreements generally provide for an initial term of twenty years and currently have an initial franchise fee of $50. Any franchise agreement, including renewals, can be extended at the Company's discretion for an additional 20 year term, with BKC's approval, provided that, among other things, the restaurant meets the current restaurant image standard and the Company is not in default under terms of the franchise agreement. In addition to the initial franchise fee, the Company generally pays BKC a monthly royalty at a rate of 4.5% of Burger King sales and Popeyes a weekly royalty at a rate of 5.0% of Popeyes sales. Royalty expense was $62.0 million, $50.5 million, and $46.4 million for the years ended December 29, 2019, December 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively.

The Company is also generally required to contribute 4% of restaurant sales from the Company's restaurants to the advertising funds utilized by BKC and Popeyes for their advertising, promotional programs and public relations activities, and amounts for additional local advertising in markets that approve such advertising. Advertising expense associated with these expenditures was $56.7 million, $47.0 million and $43.5 million for the years ended December 29, 2019, December 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively.

As of December 29, 2019, December 30, 2018, and December 31, 2017, the Company leased 248, 244 and 251 of its restaurant locations from BKC, respectively. As of December 29, 2019, for 115 of the restaurants, the terms and conditions of the leases with BKC are identical to those between BKC and their third-party lessor. Aggregate rent under these BKC leases for the years ended December 29, 2019, December 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017 was $27.4 million, $27.2 million, and $27.6 million, respectively. The Company believes the related party lease terms have not been significantly affected by the fact that the Company and BKC are deemed to be related parties.

As of December 29, 2019, the Company owed BKC $11.5 million related to the payment of advertising, royalties and rent, which is remitted on a monthly basis.

The Company and BKC have entered into an Area Development and Remodeling Agreement ("Area Development Agreement") commencing on April 30, 2019 and ending on September 30, 2024, which supersedes the Operating Agreement dated as of May 30, 2012, as amended, between Carrols LLC and BKC. Pursuant to the Area Development Agreement, BKC assigned its right of first refusal under its franchise agreements with its franchisees to purchase all of the assets of a Burger King restaurant on the same terms proposed between such franchisee and a third party purchaser (the “ADA ROFR”), in 16 states and a limited number of counties in four additional states, and granted franchise pre-approval to acquire Burger King restaurants until the date that Carrols LLC has acquired more than an aggregate of an additional 500 Burger King restaurants excluding those restaurants the Company acquired in the Cambridge Merger. The continued assignment of the ADA ROFR is potentially subject to suspension at BKC's discretion in the event of non-compliance by Carrols LLC with certain terms as set forth in the Area Development Agreement. Carrols LLC agreed to pay BKC $3.0 million for the ADA ROFR in four equal installment payments over the course of one year.

The Company has assumed Cambridge's development agreement for Popeyes®, which includes a right of first refusal for acquisitions in two southern states, as well as a development commitment to open, build and operate approximately 80 new Popeyes® restaurants over six years.

In addition, the Company received $1.9 million related to a settlement with BKC for their approval of new restaurant development by other franchisees which unfavorably impacted the Company's restaurants which was recorded as other income in the first quarter of 2019.