Cover Page - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 02, 2022	Mar. 02, 2022	Jul. 04, 2021
Cover [Abstract]
Document Type	10-K
Document Period End Date	Jan. 02, 2022
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--01-02
Entity File Number	001-33174
Entity Registrant Name	CARROLS RESTAURANT GROUP, INC.
Entity Address, Address Line One	968 James Street
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	13203
Entity Address, City or Town	Syracuse,
Entity Address, State or Province	NY
City Area Code	315
Local Phone Number	424-0513
Title of 12(b) Security	Common Stock, par value $.01 per share
Trading Symbol	TAST
Security Exchange Name	NASDAQ
Entity Well-known Seasoned Issuer	No
Entity Voluntary Filers	No
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Interactive Data Current	Yes
Entity Filer Category	Accelerated Filer
Entity Shell Company	false
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		54,564,994
Entity Public Float			$ 203,157,199
Documents Incorporated by Reference	Portions of the registrant's definitive Proxy Statement for Carrols Restaurant Group, Inc's 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which is expected to be filed pursuant to Regulation 14A no later than 120 days after the conclusion of Carrols Restaurant Group, Inc.'s fiscal year ended January 2, 2022, are incorporated by reference into Part III of this annual report.
Entity Central Index Key	0000809248
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2021
Document Fiscal Period Focus	FY
Amendment Flag	false
Document Annual Report	true
Document Transition Report	false
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	DE
Entity Tax Identification Number	83-3804854
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
ICFR Auditor Attestation Flag	false
Entity Small Business	true