Leases Lease Details (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2019	Jul. 01, 2018	Jun. 30, 2019	Jul. 01, 2018	Oct. 02, 2016	Sep. 27, 2015	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 30, 2018
Leases [Abstract]
cec_CAMexpenses	$ 3,600,000	$ 3,400,000	$ 7,100,000	$ 7,000,000
Lessee, Operating Lease, Liability, Payments, Remainder of Fiscal Year	46,438,000		46,438,000
Finance Lease, Liability, Payments, Remainder of Fiscal Year	2,152,000		2,152,000
Operating Leases, Rent Expense	27,516,000	24,714,000	54,543,000	48,764,000
cec_Operating Leases, G&A Expense	$ 327,000		650,000
Operating Lease, Payments			$ 43,888,000
Operating Lease, Weighted Average Remaining Lease Term	10 years 2 months 12 days		10 years 2 months 12 days
Finance Lease, Weighted Average Remaining Lease Term	11 years 2 months 12 days		11 years 2 months 12 days
Lessee, Operating Lease, Liability, Payments, Remainder of Fiscal Year								$ 92,435,000
Finance Lease, Liability, Payments, Due Next Twelve Months								2,182,000
cec_Total Lease Liability, Payments, Remainder of Fiscal Year	$ 48,590,000		$ 48,590,000
Operating Lease, Right-of-Use Asset	537,031,000		537,031,000					0
Finance Lease, Right-of-Use Asset	9,593,000		9,593,000
cec_leaserightofuseassettotal	546,624,000		546,624,000				$ 557,100,000
Operating Lease, Liability, Current	48,381,000		48,381,000					0
Finance Lease, Liability, Current	(777,000)		(777,000)					677,000
Operating Lease, Liability, Noncurrent	523,598,000		523,598,000					0
Finance Lease, Liability, Noncurrent	11,888,000		11,888,000					12,330,000
cec_totalleaseliability	584,644,000		584,644,000
Lessee, Operating Lease, Liability, Payments, Due Next Twelve Months	92,308,000		92,308,000					90,983,000
Finance Lease, Liability, Payments, Due Year Two	2,164,000		2,164,000					2,214,000
cec_Total Lease Liability, Payments, Due Year Two	94,472,000		94,472,000
Lessee, Operating Lease, Liability, Payments, Due Year Two	89,789,000		89,789,000					88,914,000
Finance Lease, Liability, Payments, Due Year Three	2,148,000		2,148,000					2,201,000
cec_Total Lease Liability, Payments, Due Year Three	91,937,000		91,937,000
Lessee, Operating Lease, Liability, Payments, Due Year Three	87,200,000		87,200,000					87,183,000
Finance Lease, Liability, Payments, Due Year Four	2,147,000		2,147,000					2,184,000
cec_Total Lease Liability, Payments, Due Year Four	89,347,000		89,347,000
Lessee, Operating Lease, Liability, Payments, Due Year Four	84,750,000		84,750,000					84,806,000
Finance Lease, Liability, Payments, Due Year Five	1,920,000		1,920,000					1,956,000
Finance Lease, Liability, Payments, Due after Year Five	13,331,000		13,331,000					13,266,000
cec_Total Lease Liability, Payments, Due After Year Five	474,921,000		474,921,000
cec_Total Lease Liability, Payments, Due Year Five	86,670,000		86,670,000
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due Thereafter	461,590,000		461,590,000					457,277,000
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due	862,075,000		862,075,000					901,598,000
Finance Lease, Liability, Payment, Due	23,862,000		23,862,000					24,003,000
cec_Total Lease Liability, Payments, Due	885,937,000		885,937,000
Lessee, Operating Lease, Liability, Undiscounted Excess Amount	290,096,000		290,096,000
Finance Lease, Liability, Undiscounted Excess Amount	11,197,000		11,197,000					10,996,000
Total Lease, Liability, Undiscounted Excess Amount	301,293,000		301,293,000
Operating Lease, Liability	571,979,000		571,979,000
Finance Lease, Liability	$ 12,665,000		$ 12,665,000					$ 13,007,000
Operating Lease, Weighted Average Discount Rate, Percent	8.00%		8.00%
Finance Lease, Weighted Average Discount Rate, Percent	13.60%		13.60%
Finance Lease, Right-of-Use Asset, Amortization	$ 248,000		$ 496,000
Finance Lease, Interest Expense	376,000		757,000
Lease, Cost	28,467,000		56,446,000
Finance Lease, Interest Payment on Liability			757,000
Total Lease Liability Due	584,644,000		584,644,000
Finance Lease, Principal Payments			347,000
Right-of-Use Asset Obtained in Exchange for Operating Lease Liability			5,940,000
Right-of-Use Asset Obtained in Exchange for Finance Lease Liability			0
Asset Impairment Charges	1,285,000	$ 1,591,000	1,285,000	$ 1,591,000	$ 772,000	$ 0
Operating Lease, Impairment Loss			200,000
cec_financeleaseaccumamortization	$ 5,500,000		$ 5,500,000