Basis Of Presentation (Policies)	9 Months Ended
Sep. 27, 2020
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Consolidation, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Basis of Consolidation. Carrols Restaurant Group, Inc. is a holding company and conducts all of its operations through its direct and indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries Carrols Corporation and New CFH, LLC and their wholly-owned subsidiaries. Carrols Corporation's material direct and indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries (collectively, "Carrols") include its wholly-owned subsidiary Carrols LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and Carrols LLC's wholly-owned subsidiary Republic Foods, Inc., a Maryland corporation ("Republic Foods"). New CFH LLC's material direct and indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries include Alabama Quality, LLC, Carolina Quality, LLC, Frayser Quality, LLC, Nashville Quality, LLC, Frayser Holdings, LLC, Louisiana Quality, LLC, CFH Real Estate, LLC, Tennessee Quality, LLC, TQ Real Estate, LLC and Mirabile Investment Corporation (and together with New CFH, LLC's immaterial direct and indirect subsidiaries, collectively, "New CFH"). Unless the context otherwise requires, Carrols Restaurant Group and its direct and indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries are collectively referred to as the “Company.” All intercompany transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.
Fiscal Period, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Fiscal Year. The Company uses a 52-53 week fiscal year ending on the Sunday closest to December 31. The three and nine months ended September 27, 2020 and September 29, 2019 each contained thirteen and thirty-nine weeks, respectively.
Basis of Presentation, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Basis of Presentation. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements as of and for the three and nine months ended September 27, 2020 and September 29, 2019 have been prepared without an audit, pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and do not include certain of the information and the footnotes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all normal and recurring adjustments considered necessary for a fair presentation of such unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been included. The results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 27, 2020 and September 29, 2019 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year.
Use of Estimates, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Use of Estimates. The preparation of the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the dates of the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Significant items subject to such estimates include: accrued occupancy costs, insurance liabilities, evaluation for impairment of long-lived assets and franchise rights, lease accounting matters, the valuation of acquired assets and liabilities, valuation of interest rate swap, and the valuation of deferred income tax assets. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Segment Reporting, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Operating segments are components of an entity for which separate financial information is available and is regularly reviewed by the chief operating decision maker in order to allocate resources and assess performance. The Company's chief operating decision maker currently evaluates the Company's operations from a number of different operational perspectives; however, resource allocation decisions are determined based on the chief operating decision maker's evaluation of the total Company operations. The Company derives all significant revenues from a single operating segment. Accordingly, the Company views the operating results of its restaurants as one reportable segment.
Business Combinations Policy [Policy Text Block]	Business Combinations. In accordance with ASC 805, the Company allocates the purchase price of an acquired business to its net identifiable assets and liabilities based on the estimated fair values. The excess of the purchase price over the amount allocated to the assets and liabilities, if any, is recorded as goodwill. The excess value of the net identifiable assets and liabilities acquired over the purchase price, if any, is recorded as a bargain purchase gain. The Company uses all available information to estimate fair values of identifiable intangible assets and property acquired. In making these determinations, the Company sometimes engages an independent third party valuation specialist to assist with the valuation of certain leasehold improvements, franchise rights and favorable and unfavorable leases. The Company estimates that the seller's carrying value of acquired restaurant equipment, subject to certain adjustments, is equivalent to fair value of this equipment at the date of the acquisition. The fair values of assumed franchise agreements are valued as if the remaining term of the agreement is at the market rate. The fair values of acquired land, buildings, certain leasehold improvements and restaurant equipment subject to finance leases are determined using both the cost approach and market approach. The fair value of the favorable and unfavorable leases acquired, right-of-use assets, right-of-use liabilities, as well as the fair value of land, buildings, leasehold improvements and restaurant equipment subject to finance leases acquired is measured using significant inputs observable in the open market. The Company categorizes all such inputs as Level 2 inputs under ASC 820. The fair value of acquired franchise rights is primarily determined using the income approach, and unobservable inputs classified as Level 3 under ASC 820.
Cash and Cash Equivalents, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Cash and Cash Equivalents. The Company considers all highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. At both September 27, 2020 and December 29, 2019, the Company did not have any cash invested in money market funds classified as cash equivalents on the condensed consolidated balance sheet.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Fair Value of Financial Instruments. Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. In determining fair value, the accounting standards establish a three level hierarchy for inputs used in measuring fair value as follows: Level 1 inputs are quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities; Level 2 inputs are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly, including quoted prices in active markets for similar assets or liabilities; and Level 3 inputs are unobservable and reflect the Company's own assumptions. Financial instruments include cash and cash equivalents, trade and other receivables, accounts payable and long-term debt. The carrying amounts of cash and cash equivalents, trade and other receivables and accounts payable approximate fair value because of the short-term nature of these financial instruments. The carrying amount of the Term Loan B and B-1 Facilities at September 27, 2020 approximate fair value because of their variable rates. The Company recognizes derivatives on the balance sheet at fair value, which is considered Level 2. The Company’s only derivative is an interest rate swap which is designated as a cash flow hedge; therefore, the effective portion of the changes in the fair value of this arrangement are recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) until the hedged item is recognized in earnings. The ineffective portion of the changes in the fair value of this arrangement are immediately recognized in earnings as interest expense. The Company classifies cash inflows and outflows from derivatives within operating activities on the statement of cash flows. Fair value measurements of non-financial assets and non-financial liabilities are primarily used in the impairment analysis of long-lived assets, goodwill and intangible assets. Long-lived assets and definite-lived intangible assets are measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis using Level 3 inputs.
New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements. In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses, to introduce new guidance for the accounting for credit losses on instruments within its scope. ASU 2016-13 requires among other things, the measurement of all expected credit losses for financial assets held at the reporting date based on historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable supportable forecasts. In addition, ASU 2016-13 amends the accounting for credit losses on available-for-sale debt securities and purchased financial assets with credit deterioration. This update was effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. The Company adopted this ASU in the first quarter of 2020 and there was no impact on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures. In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment. This ASU simplifies the accounting for goodwill by eliminating step 2 from the goodwill impairment test. Under the new ASU, if the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, an impairment loss will be recognized for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds its fair value. This update was effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. The Company adopted this ASU in the first quarter of 2020 and there was no impact on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.
Subsequent Events, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Subsequent events. The Company reviewed and evaluated subsequent events through the issuance date of the Company’s unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

Basis Of Presentation (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 27, 2020

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Consolidation, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Basis of Consolidation. Carrols Restaurant Group, Inc. is a holding company and conducts all of its operations through its direct and indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries Carrols Corporation and New CFH, LLC and their wholly-owned subsidiaries. Carrols Corporation's material direct and indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries (collectively, "Carrols") include its wholly-owned subsidiary Carrols LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and Carrols LLC's wholly-owned subsidiary Republic Foods, Inc., a Maryland corporation ("Republic Foods"). New CFH LLC's material direct and indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries include Alabama Quality, LLC, Carolina Quality, LLC, Frayser Quality, LLC, Nashville Quality, LLC, Frayser Holdings, LLC, Louisiana Quality, LLC, CFH Real Estate, LLC, Tennessee Quality, LLC, TQ Real Estate, LLC and Mirabile Investment Corporation (and together with New CFH, LLC's immaterial direct and indirect subsidiaries, collectively, "New CFH"). Unless the context otherwise requires, Carrols Restaurant Group and its direct and indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries are collectively referred to as the “Company.” All intercompany transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Fiscal Period, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Fiscal Year. The Company uses a 52-53 week fiscal year ending on the Sunday closest to December 31. The three and nine months ended September 27, 2020 and September 29, 2019 each contained thirteen and thirty-nine weeks, respectively.

Basis of Presentation, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Basis of Presentation. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements as of and for the three and nine months ended September 27, 2020 and September 29, 2019 have been prepared without an audit, pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and do not include certain of the information and the footnotes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all normal and recurring adjustments considered necessary for a fair presentation of such unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been included. The results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 27, 2020 and September 29, 2019 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year.

Use of Estimates, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Use of Estimates. The preparation of the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the dates of the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Significant items subject to such estimates include: accrued occupancy costs, insurance liabilities, evaluation for impairment of long-lived assets and franchise rights, lease accounting matters, the valuation of acquired assets and liabilities, valuation of interest rate swap, and the valuation of deferred income tax assets. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Segment Reporting, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Operating segments are components of an entity for which separate financial information is available and is regularly reviewed by the chief operating decision maker in order to allocate resources and assess performance. The Company's chief operating decision maker currently evaluates the Company's operations from a number of different operational perspectives; however, resource allocation decisions are determined based on the chief operating decision maker's evaluation of the total Company operations. The Company derives all significant revenues from a single operating segment. Accordingly, the Company views the operating results of its restaurants as one reportable segment.

Business Combinations Policy [Policy Text Block]

Business Combinations. In accordance with ASC 805, the Company allocates the purchase price of an acquired business to its net identifiable assets and liabilities based on the estimated fair values. The excess of the purchase price over the amount allocated to the assets and liabilities, if any, is recorded as goodwill. The excess value of the net identifiable assets and liabilities acquired over the purchase price, if any, is recorded as a bargain purchase gain. The Company uses all available information to estimate fair values of identifiable intangible assets and property acquired. In making these determinations, the Company sometimes engages an independent third party valuation specialist to assist with the valuation of certain leasehold improvements, franchise rights and favorable and unfavorable leases. The Company estimates that the seller's carrying value of acquired restaurant equipment, subject to certain adjustments, is equivalent to fair value of this equipment at the date of the acquisition. The fair values of assumed franchise agreements are valued as if the remaining term of the agreement is at the market rate. The fair values of acquired land, buildings, certain leasehold improvements and restaurant equipment subject to finance leases are determined using both the cost approach and market approach. The fair value of the favorable and unfavorable leases acquired, right-of-use assets, right-of-use liabilities, as well as the fair value of land, buildings, leasehold improvements and restaurant equipment subject to finance leases acquired is measured using significant inputs observable in the open market. The Company categorizes all such inputs as Level 2 inputs under ASC 820. The fair value of acquired franchise rights is primarily determined using the income approach, and unobservable inputs classified as Level 3 under ASC 820.

Cash and Cash Equivalents, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Cash and Cash Equivalents. The Company considers all highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. At both September 27, 2020 and December 29, 2019, the Company did not have any cash invested in money market funds classified as cash equivalents on the condensed consolidated balance sheet.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Fair Value of Financial Instruments. Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. In determining fair value, the accounting standards establish a three level hierarchy for inputs used in measuring fair value as follows: Level 1 inputs are quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities; Level 2 inputs are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly, including quoted prices in active markets for similar assets or liabilities; and Level 3 inputs are unobservable and reflect the Company's own assumptions. Financial instruments include cash and cash equivalents, trade and other receivables, accounts payable and long-term debt. The carrying amounts of cash and cash equivalents, trade and other receivables and accounts payable approximate fair value because of the short-term nature of these financial instruments. The carrying amount of the Term Loan B and B-1 Facilities at September 27, 2020 approximate fair value because of their variable rates.

The Company recognizes derivatives on the balance sheet at fair value, which is considered Level 2. The Company’s only derivative is an interest rate swap which is designated as a cash flow hedge; therefore, the effective

portion of the changes in the fair value of this arrangement are recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) until the hedged item is recognized in earnings. The ineffective portion of the changes in the fair value of this arrangement are immediately recognized in earnings as interest expense. The Company classifies cash inflows and outflows from derivatives within operating activities on the statement of cash flows. Fair value measurements of non-financial assets and non-financial liabilities are primarily used in the impairment analysis of long-lived assets, goodwill and intangible assets. Long-lived assets and definite-lived intangible assets are measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis using Level 3 inputs.

New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements. In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses, to introduce new guidance for the accounting for credit losses on instruments within its scope. ASU 2016-13 requires among other things, the measurement of all expected credit losses for financial assets held at the reporting date based on historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable supportable forecasts. In addition, ASU 2016-13 amends the accounting for credit losses on available-for-sale debt securities and purchased financial assets with credit deterioration. This update was effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. The Company adopted this ASU in the first quarter of 2020 and there was no impact on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment. This ASU simplifies the accounting for goodwill by eliminating step 2 from the goodwill impairment test. Under the new ASU, if the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, an impairment loss will be recognized for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds its fair value. This update was effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. The Company adopted this ASU in the first quarter of 2020 and there was no impact on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

Subsequent Events, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Subsequent events. The Company reviewed and evaluated subsequent events through the issuance date of the Company’s unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.